China’s winter gas outlook remains cloudy

Government policies and unpredictable weather patterns mean supply and demand will be on a knife edge

China’s winter gas demand is uncertain amid colder-than-usual weather, a campaign to improve air quality ahead of the Winter Olympics next spring and a government crackdown on energy-intensive activities. But central planners have warned that energy supply and demand will be finely balanced, with some regions potentially facing tight supplies during peak demand periods. The early onset of frigid weather in northern China prompted some areas to start switching on district heating systems earlier than the usual date of mid-November, according to state planner the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Daily national gas supplies exceeded 1bn m³ on 7 November, an increase of c.100mn