Shanghai
Chinese energy demand gets back on track
The signs point towards a comeback in 2023, but uncertainty around Covid remains a factor
China’s energy markets look set for a year of reset and normalisation after a tumultuous 12 months of struggling to balance economic growth with Covid containment. And a surprisingly strong final quarter last year has generated optimism that the country’s reopening can support global oil demand. Chinese demand for oil declined by c.500,000bl/d, or 3pc, last year compared with 2021, representing the biggest annual drop since the 1980s. A rebound in the country’s appetite will likely be key for the global market in 2023, as Beijing’s abrupt abandonment of zero-Covid in December paves the way for a faster-than-expected reopening by the second quarter. With recession risks mounting for the US an
Also in this section
15 April 2025
Long-delayed prospects for onshore LNG production in Mozambique have improved thanks to US financing approval, but security challenges blight way ahead
14 April 2025
US consumers are not likely to see gasoline prices fall to Trump’s ‘beautiful number’, at least if the president also wants to encourage more drilling
11 April 2025
The Gulf state’s offer to supply electricity-starved Syria is an opportunity to support a key ally, but Doha’s ambitions to build broader pipeline networks to Turkey and Europe face challenges
11 April 2025
As the global economy grows, demand for materials is expected to increase. The way materials are made could incorporate new technologies in the future to ensure economic growth is more sustainable
