According to the Chinese National Energy Administration (NEA), China’s natural gas consumption could increase by 4.2% in 2020 to 320 bcm. This would be its slowest pace in five years, after an 19% growth in 2018 and an 8.6% growth in 2019, since the coronavirus pandemic severely affected economic activity and energy demand. Consumption from city gas sector supported gas demand (+10% in the first half of 2020 compared with the same period of 2019) and industrial consumption is recovering after price cuts. China’s gas production is expected to rise by 9% to 189 bcm, while gas imports should reach 140 bcm (+12%), including 50 bcm from pipeline gas and 90 bcm from LNG shipments.
In 2019, the country’s natural gas consumption rose by 9%, and production by 10%. China imported 125 bcm of gas, including 81 bcm of LNG. In 2020, China intended to raise its crude oil production by 1% and its gas production by 4.3%.