China gas demand on pace for record growth in 2017

July 18, 2017 | 15:08 |3161

China's gas demand could surge by a record 30 billion cubic metres this year as consumption of the cleaner but relatively expensive fuel has outpaced expectations, experts at the country's largest energy producer have told Interfax Natural Gas Daily . “We estimate China could consume 28-30 bcm more than last year, mainly on the back of preferential policies,” said Han Jingkuan, deputy director of PetroChina's Planning and Engineering Institute. The range tops the 23.7 bcm increase recorded in 2011 and would be equal to annual growth of 13.6-14.6% based on China's apparent gas consumption of 205.8 bcm in 2016.