China’s gas storage reliance grows
Despite technical challenges and slow development times, storage capacity is expanding
China will meet a greater share of its gas requirement through withdrawals from underground gas storage (UGS) this winter. Demand is widely expected to remain subdued during the heating season, which started in November, and combined with forecasts of greater stock draws this means storage will account for a higher percentage of the country's gas supply mix over the colder months than it did a year ago. China injected an estimated 17bn m³ of gas into storage—including both UGS facilities and tanks at LNG regasification terminals—this summer, up by 2.5bn m³ year-on-year, according to data compiled by Petroleum Economist. Given the much quicker turnover of gas in LNG storage tanks, the UGS fac
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy






