Depleting coal and petroleum resources, growing concern for increasing pollution, and the need to diversify the energy mix has compelled the countries all over the world to look for other energy sources to fall on to. And this has prompted the leading market research company RNCOS to come up with a market research report on LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), a clean energy source. The report, called “Global LNG Market – The Road Ahead”, gives an insight into the LNG industry in different countries. According to the IEEJ, 2006, in China, the short-term LNG demand (by 2010) is expected to reach seven million ton while the long-term demand (2020) would touch 17 Million Ton mark.
China is the second largest energy consumer in the world and since past some years, it’s working to increase the share of clean energy in its energy supply mix to check oil dependence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So the three largest state-owned energy companies of the country are planning to construct around 11 LNG terminals on the eastern coast of the country to amplify its LNG import capacity.
A Senior Research Analyst at RNCOS opines, China has a coal-dominated energy sector and use of gas has remained modicum. However, owing to dynamic economic growth, a policy to hike the proportion of clean and efficient fuels in the energy mix, and the expansion of natural gas infrastructure, there is a strong growth potential of natural gas consumption in the country.
As the country is gradually shifting to LNG, on September 9, 2007, the mammoth oil and gas producer of China, the China National and Petroleum Corp., inked an initial contract with Woodside Petroleum Ltd., the largest publicly traded oil and gas producer in Australia. The contract was signed over a probable LNG deal that could result in import of 2-3 Million Tons of LNG annually into China for next 15-20 years. Presently, China has long-term contracts with Indonesia and Australia only.
Besides China, the "Global LNG Market - The Road Ahead" reviews the global LNG industry at both regional and country-level, segmented into LNG importing (Japan, India, US, France and Russia) and exporting (Australia, Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Trinidad & Tobago, Nigeria, and Algeria) countries. It rationally evaluates future of the global LNG industry by taking into account the current economic performance of various countries, competitive demand, regulatory environment, driving forces, opportunities, and challenges for the industry.
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inChina.jpg "Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in China")
.jpg "Market Research on Asian LNG Market (2007)")
