China's September Gas Imports Drop on Month

China imported 7.62mn metric tons of natural gas (pipeline and LNG) in September, down almost 2% month on month, customs data showed October 12. In August China imported 7.77mn mt of natural gas. 

In the first nine months of 2018, China imported 64.78mn mt of gas, up 34% compared with the same period of 2017.

China’s gas imports have been rising since the start of 2017 as the government aggressively implemented the coal to gas switching programme, especially in the northern part of the country. During full year 2017, Chinese gas imports totalled 68.57mn mt, up 27% year on year. That included record Chinese LNG imports of 38.13mn mt, up more than 46%.