China’s LNG imports continue to go up

China’s imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are continuing to rise and they were up 38 percent in June year-on-year as the country is pursuing its plan to cut addiction to coal to reduce pollution.

The world’s largest energy consumer imported 3.04 million mt of the chilled fuel last month as compared to 2.21 million mt in June 2016, according to the General Administration of Customs data.

In the January-June period, LNG imports rose 38.3 percent to 15.89 million mt with most of the supplies coming from Australia and Qatar, the data shows.

China, currently the world’s third largest importer of LNG, aims to boost receiving capacity to 100 million mt by 2025, the country’s National Development and Reform Commission recently revealed.

Natural gas storage capacity, including LNG, would reach 400 billion cubic meters by 2025, NDRC said in a document revealing the country’s medium and long-term plans for the oil and gas infrastructure.

LNG World News Staff