Liquefied natural gas imports into China, the world’s largest energy consumer, rose 27.3 percent in May as compared to the same month a year ago, according to the General Administration of Customs data.
China imported 1.43 million mt of the chilled fuel in May, as compared to 1.12 million mt a year before, the data shows.
The LNG import figures in May dropped 24.3 percent as compared to April when China’s imports of LNG totalled 1.89 million mt.
According to the customs data, imports of piped natural gas increased 17 percent on year to 2 million mt.
China is currently the world’s third largest importer of LNG. The country is expected to require large volumes of the chilled fuel over the next decade as it is seeking to cut its addiction to coal to reduce pollution.
At the end of 2015, there were 13 LNG terminals in operation in China, with a total capacity of 41.3 MTPA and an average annual utilization rate of around 50 percent, according to GIIGNL, the International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers.
Eight terminals were under construction for a combined capacity of around 24 MTPA at the time when GIIGNL released its 2015 report, the Group said.
LNG World News Staff