Massive natural gas shortage unlikely in China for coming winter: NDRC
October 25th, 2011 | XinhuaThe National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planner, said on Tuesday that China is able to guarantee natural gas supply in the coming winter with increased capacity, even though demands rise rapidly.
“Generally, our natural gas output can satisfy demands for this winter,”the NDRC said in a joint statement with the National Energy Administration (NEA).
China’s major natural gas producers, PetroChina, Sinopec and CNOOC, plan to increase gas supply by 20 percent year-on-year to 58.6 billion cubic meters this winter to meet rising demand, according to the statement.
The completion of gas transmission projects linking China’s gas-producing regions with cities in northern areas also helps secure the country’s gas for the winter, said the statement.
With more domestic production and increased imports, China’s natural gas market posted a steady growth in the first nine months. Gas supply totaled 93.7 billion cubic meters in the first three quarters, up 20 percent year-on-year, according to NDRC data.
However, some cities, such as Beijing, may face huge pressure to ensure supply if demands peak under a worst-case scenario where low temperatures continue for a long period of time, while gas-for-electricity demand jump dramatically in winter, the NDRC said.