Chinese suppliers will be better prepared after last winter
China’s winter gas outlook remains cloudy
Government policies and unpredictable weather patterns mean supply and demand will be on a knife edge
China’s winter gas demand is uncertain amid colder-than-usual weather, a campaign to improve air quality ahead of the Winter Olympics next spring and a government crackdown on energy-intensive activities. But central planners have warned that energy supply and demand will be finely balanced, with some regions potentially facing tight supplies during peak demand periods. The early onset of frigid weather in northern China prompted some areas to start switching on district heating systems earlier than the usual date of mid-November, according to state planner the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Daily national gas supplies exceeded 1bn m³ on 7 November, an increase of c.100mn
Also in this section
16 April 2026
Demand for oil is falling because supply cannot meet it, not because it is no longer required
16 April 2026
The continent has an immediate opportunity to make the most of its energy resources by capturing gas that is currently slipping away
15 April 2026
The continent is seeing political pushback to climate plans, corporate reassessment of transition goals and rising supply risk in a fractured global order
15 April 2026
The Middle East energy crisis may turn out to be pivotal to the industry’s long-term expansion, but significant challenges still stand in its way
