Gas demand could rise to as much as 600bn m³ by 2030
Chinese gas forecasts leave LNG uncertainty
There is both plenty of opportunity and plenty of risk for the LNG sector as it looks to meet China’s expanding need for gas
China’s LNG demand will remain robust as it leans on gas to transition away from coal, but how much supply the Chinese market can absorb in the coming decades will partly determine how many export projects are sanctioned in the next few years. The country’s LNG imports expanded by 18pc year-on-year in 2021, to 81.4mn t, overtaking Japan’s 75mn t to become the world’s largest buyer, according to information provider IHS Markit. Gas analysts at state-owned CNPC believe Chinese gas demand grew to an estimated 370bn m³ last year. Most medium-range outlooks within China see demand rising to as much as 600bn m³ by the end of this decade on the back of government policies that aim to lift gas to 1
Also in this section
10 March 2026
From Venezuela to Hormuz, the US—backed by the most powerful military force ever assembled—is redrawing not only oil and gas flows but also the global balance of energy power
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
