The Russian energy group Gazprom plans to more than double its natural gas exports to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline to 8.5 bcm in 2021, up from 4.1 bcm in 2020. According to Gazprom, natural gas demand in China should increase by more than 50% over the next decade compared to 2020 level.
In December 2019, Russia started to deliver gas to China using the Power of Siberia pipeline under a 30-year contract for 38 bcm/year signed in 2014. The Russian group will progressively ramp up gas deliveries from the Chayandinskoye field in Yakutia (and from the Kovyktinskoye field located in the Irkutsk region as of early 2023) to Blagoveshchensk, at the Russian border with China, and to Changling in the Jilin province of China, until reaching the 38 bcm/year level.
In 2020, China consumed 325 bcm of natural gas (+7.2% compared to 2019). The country imported 132 bcm of natural gas (+5.3%), including 91 bcm of LNG (+12%).