Demand for natural gas has been on a sharp increase in north China, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, northwestern China and eastern China since early November when the country encountered severe cold surge on a large scale. From November 1 to 16, average daily gas consumption in northern China exceeded 60 million cubic meters, 56% higher than the same period of last year.
As the country''s largest gas supplier and pipeline operator, CNPC has expanded upstream gas production and enhanced capacity for transportation and distribution, so as to speed up gas supply to help fight winter cold.
CNPC''s daily gas supply has been increased to 189 million cubic meters from 169 million cubic meters in the beginning of November through boosting production of its four major gas provinces — Changqing, Tarim, Sichuang and Qinghai — to the maximum capacity, and employing the underground gas storages. Gas output from Changqing reaches 60 million cubic meters per day for the first time, of which 40 millionis delivered to Beijing area via the Shaan-Jing Gas Pipeline. Sichuan gas province has enhanced production, and transported extra gas through Zhongxian-Wuhan Pipeline to Hunan and Hubei provinces.
While boosting gas production, CNPC has spared no efforts to improve pipeline transportation and distribution, with the principle of giving priority to residential gas and guaranteeing industrial gas in key areas. At present, CNPC''s backbone pipelines, including Shaan-Jing, West-East, Sebei-Xining-Lanzhou and Zhongxian-Wuhan pipelines, have reached their maximum delivery capacity and been operated at full load. Meanwhile, special attention is given to pipeline operating maintenances in wintertime to ensure safe and stable supplies.
China''s natural gas production is increasing by 10 billion cubic meters annually in recent years. However, it is still hard to meet the rapid growth in consumption. Analysts said China''s natural gas consumption would continue to see rapid growth in the long run, which is in line with the government''s policy to use more clean energy. CNPC is now building the Second West-East Gas Pipeline and the Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline, which are expected to be operational at the end of this year. A delivery capacity of 5bcm/a will be achieved in the next year, and will boost to 30bcm/a by 2012.