China’s gas production grows apace

State firms saw their gas production gains outpace those of crude in the first nine months of 2021

China’s economy and energy demand rebounded in 2021 as the country emerged from the worst of the pandemic disruption. In response, state oil companies Cnooc, Sinopec and Petrochina—a subsidiary of CNPC—have continued their programmes of upstream expansion, with a particular emphasis on gas and domestic production, in line with Beijing’s stated energy security and emission reduction goals. Cnooc’s gas and liquids production rebounded in 2021, with combined output increasing to 422mn bl oe over the first three quarters of the year, up by 8.5pc from 389mn bl oe over the same period in 2020. Gas production climbed by 6.6pc, to 495bn ft³ (14bn m³, or 51.3mn m³/d), while—in contrast to the other t