A Natural-Gas Gang

The world's natural-gas players are showing their clout. Gas consumption is rising, and the world's five leading exporters—Algeria, Qatar, Iran, Russia and Venezuela—include some testy regimes. The five will discuss creating an OPEC-like gas cartel during the next meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, in Qatar on April 9. Global gas reserves, right, are even more concentrated in the hands of the few than oil reserves.