The Israeli government’s mismanagement of the country's gas industry is readily apparent from a table of the pricing regulations of other gas consuming nations, posted below. There are about 80 significant gas consuming nations (together consuming more than 99% of the world’s production). These nations can be categorized depending on whether they:
• Produce a surplus of gas for export–22 countries;
• Have no imports—9 countries;
• Have imports that amount to less than half of domestic consumption—12 countries; or
• Import most of their gas—36 countries.
The 36 countries that import most of their gas are forced to allow import prices to determine their national prices (i.e., pricing is import constrained). This is also true for EU gas producers Denmark and the Netherlands, which are required to operate openly with the rest of the EU market. (Although the 36 importing countries cannot regulate their domestic prices, most do improve their negotiating position with foreign suppliers by having a single government monopoly negotiate purchases.)

Of the 44 countries in the first three groups, 40 have government price regulation (either explicitly or by government contract), and three have free market competition–Australia, the U.S. and Canada (with the U.S. and Canada operating a common market). Of the 44 countries, Israel is the only stand-out, having neither local competition nor government price regulation. Israel requires gas purchasers to negotiate separate contracts from the private monopoly gas producer, as if the country were import constrained and thereby forced to purchase from a foreign exporter. Israel is one of the few countries in the world in which the primary gas producer is not a government company. Moreover, the gas producing partnership received its license essentially for free without even going through a competitive tender. Israel will be the only nation in the world to allow a private gas producing monopoly to earn monopoly windfall profits at the public's expense.

The only country in the group of exporters that  has significant coal imports is Malaysia, where the company profiting from the exports is the government owned NOC, Petronas. If Israel allows gas exports, the public will essentially be subsidizing the gas producers' profits by paying for coal imports.

Countries Producing Surplus

Level of gas independence Consumption 2010 (BCM) Country Gov Regulation(2007 Prices*)
1 >100% 414.1 Russia $1.2
2 >100% 136.9 Iran $0.4
3 >100% 45.5 Uzbekistan $0.5
4 >100% 45.1 Egypt $1.5
5 >100% 40.3 Indonesia $1.2
6 >100% 35.7 Malaysia $2.4
7 >100% 30.4 Australia local market
8 >100% 28.9 Algeria $2.0
9 >100% 25.3 Kazakhstan $1.3
10 >100% 22.6 Turkmenistan Fixed
11 >100% 22.0 Trinidad $1.9
12 >100% 20.4 Qatar $0.9
13 >100% 17.5 Oman $0.9
14 >100% 9.6 Nigeria $0.2
15 >100% 9.1 Colombia Fixed
16 >100% 6.6 Azerbaijan Fixed
17 >100% 6.1 Libya Fixed
18 >100% 5.4 Peru $1.6
19 >100% 4.1 Norway Netback
20 >100% 3.3 Brunei Fixed
21 >100% 3.3 Myanmar Fixed
22 >100% 2.7 Bolivia $1.5

Countries with No Imports

1 100% 83.9 Saudi Arabia $0.8
2 100% 39.5 Pakistan Fixed
3 100% 20.0 Bangladesh Fixed
4 100% 13.1 Bahrain $1.0
5 100% 9.4 Vietnam Fixed
6 100% 4.1 New Zealand gov contract
7 100% 3.2 Philippines Fixed
8 100% 1.3 Iraq gov contract
9 100% 1? Israel As if import constrained

Countries with Imports less than half of consumption                   

1,2 99% 777.2 US/Canada local market
3 89% 109.0 China $1.5
4 80% 68.9 Mexico fixed domestic
5 82% 61.9 India Gov contract, fixed domestic
6 84% 60.5 UAE $0.8
7 69% 45.1 Thailand $2.0
8 93% 43.3 Argentina $1.3
9 93% 30.7 Venezuela $1.3
10 54% 26.5 Brazil Gov contract, fixed domestic
11 81% 14.4 Kuwait $1.2
12 87% 7.1 Syria fixed domestic

Countries that meet most or all of need from imports

1 4% 94.5 Japan import constrained
2 36% 52.1 Ukraine import constrained
3 1% 42.9 South Korea import constrained
4 2% 39.0 Turkey import constrained
5 1% 19.7 Belarus import constrained
6 2% 12.1 Taiwan import constrained
7 0% 8.4 Singapore import constrained
8 35% 5.4 South Africa import constrained
9 29% 4.7 Chile import constrained
10 17% 2.4 Serbia import constrained
11 0% 3.3 Switzerland import constrained
12-36 35% 493.0 EU market import constrained

References:
*International Gas Union, “Wholesale Gas Price Formation,” Report June 2011,
BP Statistical Review, 2011