The growth in imports of China’s liquefied natural gas is set to record an increase in the coming months after the nations shift to gas heating spurred higher shipments, as shown by the custom data.
January LNG imports raised 27.8 percent from a year earlier to 6.58 million tonnes, the maximum since December, when they had also reached a new high, the General Administration of Customs said.
Surging imports were partly driven by devouring from residential users in northern China after the government’s drive to replace coal heating with gas, despite fall in globules demand from the industrial sector amidst a warmer-than-usual winter.
The country switched an extra 3 million more homes this winter to gas, which is anticipated to create an additional 4.53 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas demand during the November 15 to March 15 winter heating duration.
The industrial gas question in north China is exhibiting signs of a sharp slowdown as small manufacturers shut their doors or buy fewer gas, unable to manage with a drop-off in export orders and costs linked to Beijing’s pollution control and corrective measures.
China’s National Offshore Oil Corp sold out at least one LNG cargo in January, during the peak trade month,
quoting this year’s warmer weather. China’s overall January natural gas imports, including LNG and gas brought in by pipeline, raised by 26.8 percent from a year earlier to 9.81 million tonnes, a record high, as reported by customs on Feb. 14.
