China may face difficulties in winter in meeting its requirements for natural gas, China's National Reform and Development Commission said in its report published on Sunday.
Natural gas consumption in China increased 23.8% in August year-on-year to a record 8.8 billion cubic meters and 21% in January-August 2010 to 69.2 billion cu m, the report said.
The fastest growth in gas consumption is registered in the country's eastern regions, in particular, in Shanghai where it has grown 65% since the start of the year and in the Zhejiang province where it has increased 46.9%, the report said.
Natural gas production in China increased only 9.1% in August to 7.6 billion cu m and 13.4% in January-August to 62.4 billion cu m. Gas imports increased 190% in August to 1.77 billion cu m. In January-August 2010, China imported 2.38 billion cu m of pipeline gas and 5.79 billion cu m of liquefied natural gas, the report said.
Despite growth in domestic natural gas output and gas imports, rapidly increasing consumption may exert pressure on the balanced natural gas supply during the period of peak demand in winter, the report said.
BEIJING, September 26 (RIA Novosti)
