A worker prepares to refuel an LNG truck at a gas station in Yutian county, Hebei province
Low prices spur rising Chinese gas demand
Q2 demand growth is looking robust after a strong Q1
China’s gas demand maintained a double-digit pace of growth in the first quarter of 2024, driven by robust consumption from industry, power and transport. The strong gas burn across sectors puts demand on track to increase by 9% in the first six months. First-quarter demand growth amounted to 11.9% year-on-year, reaching 108.26bcm and marking a slight deceleration from growth of 14.8% in the first two months, according to the latest data from the state planner the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), released in early May. Consumption in March alone climbed by 6.4% year-on-year, to 35.75bcm. Over the same period, domestic gas production increased by 5.2%, to 63.2bcm, while comb
Also in this section
23 March 2026
A complex and sometimes contradictory web of factors that include unpredictable oil prices, the globalisation of LNG markets, the expansion of Middle Eastern sovereign capital and the growth of datacentre demand will shape the energy landscape beyond 2026
23 March 2026
The Strait of Hormuz crisis highlights how key waterways can become global chokepoints
20 March 2026
Attacks on key oil and LNG assets across the Gulf mean a prolonged supply disruption, with damage to Qatar’s export capacity undermining confidence in the global gas system
20 March 2026
The US may be systemically stripping Russia of key geopolitical allies, but Moscow can reap rewards from the Hormuz crisis, both in the short and long term
