Last Updated: November 14, 2023   |   Next Update: November 2024   |  
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Overview

Table 1. China energy indicators, 2021
  Coal Natural gas Petroleum and other liquids Nuclear Renewables
Primary energy production (quads) 94.0 7.5 8.6 4.2 20.7
Primary energy production (percentage) 70% 6% 6% 3% 15%
Primary energy consumption (quads) 96.2 13.4 30.9 4.2 20.5
Primary energy consumption (percentage) 58% 8% 19% 3% 12%
Generation (billion kWh) 5105.6 245.3 12.0 407.5 2474.9
Generation (percentage) 63% 3% <1% 5% 29%
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics, and estimates
Note: Generation does not include biomass and waste. Total may not equal 100% due to independent rounding. Quads=quadrillion British thermal units; kWh=kilowatthours.

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Petroleum and other liquids

Figure 1. China's petroleum and other liquids production, consumption, and impots, 2013-2022
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Figure 2. China's refined petroleum products consumption, 2013-2022
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Natural Gas

Figure 3. China's natural gas production, consumption, and imports, 2012-2021
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Table 3. China’s existing regasification terminals
Project name Owners Peak output (billion cubic feet per year) Start year
Guangdong Dapeng LNG CNOOC (33%); Guangdong Province Consortium (31%); BP (30%); HK & China Gas (3%); Hong Kong Electric (3%) 327 2006
Shanghai Wuhaogou LNG Shenergy (100%) 72 2008
Fujian LNG CNOOC (60%); Fujian Investment and Development Co (40%) 303 2009
Shanghai Yangshan LNG Shenergy Group (55%); CNOOC (45%) 288 2009
Dalian LNG PipeChina (75%); Dalian Port (20%); DalianConstruction Investment Corporation (5%) 288 2011
Jiangsu Rudong LNG CNPC (55%); Pacific Oil and Gas (35%); Jiangsu Guoxin (10%) 480 2011
Jovo Dongguan Jovo Group (100%) 48 2012
Zhejiang Ningbo LNG (1-2) CNOOC (51%); Zhejiang Energy Company (29%); Ningbo Power (20%) 288 2012
Caofeidian (Tangshan) LNG CNPC (51%); Beijing Enterprises GroupCompany (29%); Hebei Natural Gas (20%) 480 2013
Tianjin PipeChina LNG PipeChina (100%) 288 2013
Zhuhai LNG CNOOC (30%); Guangdong Energy (25%); Guangzhou Gas Group (25%); Local companies (20%) 168 2013
Hainan Yangpu LNG PipeChina (65%); China Energy Group Haikong New Energy (35%) 144 2014
Shandong (Qingdao) LNG Sinopec (99%); Qingdao Port(1%) 336 2014
Hainan Shennan LNG Hainan CNPC Shennan Petroleum Technology Development (90%); Hainan Fushan Oil and Gas Chemical (10%) 14 2014
Guangxi Beihai LNG PipeChina (80%); Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port Group (20%) 288 2016
Qidong LNG (1-3) Xinjiang Guanghui Petroleum (100%) 144 2017
Jieyang (Yuedong) LNG PipeChina (100%) 96 2018
Diefu LNG (Shenzhen) PipeChina (70%); Shenzhen Energy Group (30%); 192 2018
Tianjin Sinopec LNG Sinopec (98%); Tianjin Nangang Industrial Zone Developemnt Co (2%) 288 2018
Zhoushan ENN LNG ENN (90%); Prism Energy (10%) 240 2018
Fangchenggang LNG PipeChina (51%); Guangxi Beibu Gulf PortGroup (49%) 29 2019
Shenzhen Gas LNG Shenzhen Gas (100%) 38 2019
Jiangsu Yancheng Binhai LNG CNOOC (100%) 144 2022
Jiaxing Pinghu LNG Jiaxing Gas Group (51%); Hangzhou Gas (49%) 48 2022
Qidong LNG 4 Xinjiang Guanghui Petroleum (100%) 96 2022
Hong Kong Offshore LNG Castle Peak Power Company Limited (70%); Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd. (30%) 293 2023
Huizhou LNG Guangdong Energy Group (100%) 293 2023
Total   5,715  

Data source: International Gas Union, 2023 World LNG Report Annual Report 2022
Note: LNG=liquified natural gas


Table 4. Regasification terminals under construction in China
Project name Owners Peak output (billion cubic feet per year) Start year
Chaozhou Huafeng LNG Sinoenergy (55%); Chaozhou Huafeng Group (45%) 48 2023
Chaozhou Huaying LNG Huaying Investment Holding Group (50%); Sinopec Natural Gas Co Ltd (50%) 288 2023
Jiangsu Guoxin Rudong LNG Jiangsu Guoxin (95%); Jiangsu Yangkou Port (5%) 144 2023
Jieyang (Yuedong) LNG 2 PipeChina (100%) 96 2023
Jiangsu Yancheng Binhai LNG 1 expansion CNOOC (100%) 144 2023
Shandong (Qingdao) LNG 3 Sinopec (99%); Qingdao Port(1%) 192 2023
Sinopec Longkou LNG Sinopec Gas (50%); Hengtong Logistics (32%); Longkou port (18%) 312 2023
Tangshan LNG 1 Suntien Green Energy (100%) 240 2023
Tianjin Nangang LNG 1 Beijing Gas (100%) 91 2023
Tianjin Sinopec LNG 2 Sinopec (98%); Tianjin Nangang Industrial Zone Developemnt Co (2%) 231 2023
Wenzhou Huagang LNG Huafeng Grop (100%) 144 2023
Wenzhou LNG Sinopec (41%); Zhejiang Energy Group (51%); Local firms (8%) 144 2014
Yantai LNG Shandong Poly-GCL Pan-Asia International Energy Co., Ltd. (100%) 283 2023
Zhangzhou LNG 1 PipeChina (60%); Fujian Investment and Development Co (40%) 144 2023
Zhuhai LNG 2 CNOOC (30%); Guangdong Energy (25%); Guangzhou Gas Group (25%); Local companies (20%) 168 2023
PipeChinaLongkou Nanshan LNG PipeChina (60%); Nanshan Group (40%) 240 2024
Tianjin PipeChina LNG 2 PipeChina (100%) 288 2024
Tianjin Nangang LNG 2 Beijing Gas (100%) 96 2024
Wuhu LNG Huaihe Energy (100%) 72 2024
Yangjiang LNG Guangdong Yudean Power (100%) 134 2024
Zhangzhou LNG 2 PipeChina (60%); Fujian Investment and Development Co (40%) 144 2024
Tianjian PipeChina LNG 3 PipeChina (100%) 312 2025
Shanghai LNG Shenergy Group (60%); Zhejiang Energy (20%); CNOOC (20%) 144 2025
Qidong LNG 5 Xinjiang Guanhui Petroleum (100%) 240 2025
Tianjin Nangang LNG 3 Beijing Gas (100%) 48 2025
Xiexin Huidong Jiangsu Rudong LNG Pacific Energy (49%); Xiexin Oil and Gas (26%); Huidon Investment (25%) 144 2025
Yingkou LNG China Urban Rural Energy (75%); Hebei Shenneng Industry Group (25%) 298 2025
Zhejiang Ningbo LNG 3 CNOOC (51%); Zhejiang Energy Company (29%); Ningbo Power (20%) 288 2025
Zhoushan ENN LNG 3 ENN (90%); Prism Energy (10%) 240 2025
Jiangsu Ganyu (Huadian) LNG Port Group (20%); SK (14%); BP (10%); JERA (5%) 144 2026
Total   5,504  

Data source: International Gas Union, 2023 World LNG Report
Note: LNG=liquified natural gas

Coal

Figure 4. China's coal production, consumption, and imports, 2013-2022
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Electricity

Figure 5. China's generation by source, 2013-2022
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  • Renewable generation, including hydropower, increased by the largest percentage in 2022.
    • Wind generation increased the most in 2022, rising 24% from 2021. It’s share of total generation also increased, from 8% to 9%.
    • Solar generation increased by 22% from 2021 and increased its share of total generation from 4% to 5%.
    • Hydropower generation increased by 2%, despite droughts that hindered generation. However, at 1,300 terawatthours, total hydropower was still slightly lower than its previous peak in 2020.36
  • China is adding energy storage as part of its goal to reach peak carbon emission by 2030.37
    • China is adding pumped-storage hydropower facilities to help maintain grid resilience with increasing wind and solar power capacity. At 50 GW, China has 30% of operational global capacity. An additional 89 GW of capacity is currently under construction, and another 276 GW of capacity are in various stages of developement.38
    • China is investing in battery storage and plans to add approximately 100 GW of storage capacity by 2030.39
  • China had 56 GW of installed nuclear capacity in 2022. As of October 2023, 26 GW of capacity were under construction and are expected to be operational by 2028 (Table 5). An additional 50 GW are in the early stages of development, according to the World Nuclear Association.40
  • China’s installed power capacity in 2022 was 2,594 GW, a 10% increase from 2021. Renewables added 151 GW of capacity in 2022, which accounted for 45% of total capacity and the majority of new capacity added (63%). Hydropower capacity increased by 16% to 414 GW. Solar increased by 15% to 393 GW, and wind grew by 11% to 365 GW. Fossil fuels added 87 GW of capacity.41

    • Table 5. China's under construction nuclear power reactors, 2023
    Project name Province Capacity (megawatts) Operator Expected start
    Xiapu 1 Fujian 600 CNNC 2023
    Xiapu 2 Fujian 600 CNNC 2026
    Zhangzhou 1 Fujian 1212 Guodian & CNNC 2024
    Zhangzhou 2 Fujian 1212 Guodian & CNNC 2025
    Huizhou Taipingling 1 Guangdong 1200 CGN 2025
    Huizhou Taipingling 2 Guangdong 1202 CGN 2026
    Lufeng 5 Guangdong 1200 CGN 2028
    Fangchenggang 4 Guangxi 1180 CGN 2024
    Changjiang 3 Hainan 1200 Huaneng & CNNC 2026
    Changjiang 4 Hainan 1200 Huaneng & CNNC 2027
    Changjiang SMR 1 Hainan 125 CNNC 2025
    Tianwan 7 Jiangsu 1200 CNNC 2026
    Tianwan 8 Jiangsu 1200 CNNC 2027
    Xudabao 3 Liaoning 1200 CNNC, Datang 2027
    Xudabao 4 Liaoning 1200 CNNC, Datang 2028
    Haiyang 3 Shandong 1250 SPIC 2027
    Haiyang 4 Shandong 1250 SPIC 2027
    Shidaowan 1 Shandong 1500 SPIC & Huaneng 2024
    Shidaowan 2 Shandong 1500 SPIC & Huaneng 2025
    Cangnan/San'ao 2 Zhejiang 1150 CGN 2026
    Cangnan/San'ao 2 Zhejiang 1150 CGN 2027
    Sanmen 3 Zhejiang 1250 CNNC 2027
    Sanmen 4 Zhejiang 1250 CNNC 2028
    Total   26,031    

    Data source: World Nuclear Association
    Note: MW=megawatt.
    Figure 6. China's installed electricity generating capacity by type, 2022
    figure data

Energy Trade

Petroleum and other liquids

  • Chinas’s crude oil imports decreased for the second year in a row: a 1% decrease to 10.2 million b/d in 2022 from 10.3 million b/d in 2021. Despite a significant increase in crude oil imports at the end of 2022, lower fuel demand and shrinking refining margins caused the decline in annual crude oil imports. The increase at the end of the year is attributed to lower prices on crude oil from Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as independent refiners needing to use their quotas before the end of the year.42
  • Nearly all of China’s crude oil imports arrive via seaborne shipments (97%), and the rest come via pipeline.43 The state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation purchases approximately 800,000 b/d from Rosneft through the Eastern Siberai-Pacific Ocean pipeline in the first quarter of 2023.44
  • Saudi Arabia and Russia were the two top sources of crude oil imports for China in 2022, both accounting for an 18% share of total imports.45 However, sanctions and a pricecap imposed on Russia’s crude oil in early 2023 has led to large discounts on crude oil from Russia. Because of these lower prices, Russia overtook Saudi Arabia in 2023 as China’s top source of crude oil imports (China has not agreed to the pricecap).46
  • The largest increases in crude oil imports in 2022 compared with 2021 from China’s top suppliers are:
    • Crude oil imports from Iran doubled from approximately 281,000 b/d to 561,000 b/d in 2022.47
    • Crude oil imports from Venezuela increased 52% from approximately 177,000 b/d to 270,000 b/d in 2022.48
    • Crude oil imports from the United Arab Emirates increased 40% from 480,000 b/d to 674,000 b/d in 2022.49
    • Crude oil imports from Russia increased 8% from just below 1.6 million b/d to over 1.7 million b/d in 2022.50
  • China’s petroleum product imports decreased by 8% to 2.4 million b/d. Imports from the United States, the top source of China’s petroleum product imports, increased 15% from 2021. A significant portion of imports came from the Middle East; however, China imports petroleum products from a diverse group, and only two countries (the United States and Saudi Arabia) account for shares that exceed 10%.51
    • Figure 7. China's crude oil and condensate imports by source, 2022
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    Figure 8. China's petroleum product imports by source, 2022
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Natural Gas

  • China imported 3.0 Tcf of LNG in 2022, a 20% decrease compared with 3.8 Tcf in 2021. As a result, China was the second-highest global LNG importer in 2022. This decline is the result of increased domestic production, high spot prices, and decreased demand.52
  • China’s total natural gas imports decreased in 2022. A decrease in LNG imports reduced its share of total natural gas imports to 59%, a 6% decrease from 2021 (Figure 9). Pipeline import volumes remained relatively flat in 2022, but its share of total natural gas imports increased.53
  • Turkmenistan surpassed Australia as China’s top source of natural gas imports. Australia dropped to second in overall natural gas imports but was the top source of LNG imports. Pipeline imports from Russia grew by 43%, and Russia’s LNG imports increased by 46%, making Russia the third-largest source of natural gas imports to China in 2022.54
Figure 9. China's natural gas imports by source, 2022
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Coal

  • China’s coal imports decreased by approximately 40% in 2022, from 357 million short tons in 2021 to just over 210 million tons,55 as a result of higher domestic production in response to higher prices.56 Lower coal imports resulted in China moving to the second-largest coal importer by weight in the world, behind India.57
  • Indonesia remained China’s top source of coal imports. Although Indonesia’s coal imports declined in 2022 by about 25 million short tons compared with 2021, its share of coal imports to China increased from 64% in 2021 to 89% in 2022. Most of the increase replaced coal from Russia and Mongolia. Russia’s share of coal imports fell from 17% in 2021 to 1% in 2022, and Mongolia’s share declined to 0% in 2022, compared with 6% in 2021.58
  • Australia, which was one of China’s top coal suppliers prior to 2021, did not export any coal to China in 2022 because of China’s unofficial coal ban on supplies from Australia. However, China lifted the ban and started importing coal again in 2023. From April through July of 2023, China’s average coal imports were over 5 million short tons per month from Australia.59
Figure 10. China's coal imports by source, 2022

Endnotes

  1. Hannah Ellis-Petersen, “India overtakes China to become world’s most populous country,“ The Guardian, April 24, 2023.
  2. The World Bank, accessed August 15, 2023; Navigating Uncertainty China’s Economy in 2023 (Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2022), Page 12-13.
  3. “Barclays cuts China’s 2023 GDP growth forecast to 4.5%,“ Reuters, last modified August 15, 2023.
  4. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  5. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  6. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  7. Vortexa (accessed May 2023).
  8. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  9. Fanny Zhang, “China’s Sinopec 2022 net profit falls 8.1% on weak demand, high cost,“ ICIS, last modified March 27, 2023; Yi Wei Wong, “Sinopec’s 2022 Net Profit Fell 6.9% as Domestic Demand Waned -- Update,“ Market Screener, last modified March 26, 2023.
  10. CNOOC Limited, “2023 Strategy Preview,“ January 11, 2022, page 7, 14, and 22.
  11. Chen Aizhu, “PetroChina expects oil demand recovery after record 2022 profit,“ Reuters, March 30, 2023.
  12. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; U.S. Energy Information Administration, hort-Term Energy OutlookS, August 2023.
  13. FACTS Global Energy Services, Asia Pacific Petroleum Databook 2: Refinery Configuration and Construction, Fall 2023, pages 18-21.
  14. Chen Aizhu, “China’s oil refinery runs fall for first year since 2001,“ Reuters, last modified January 16, 2023.
  15. Fitch Solutions Company, Mainland China’s Refineries Push for Refining and Petrochemicals Integration, July 5, 2023.
  16. FACTS Global Energy Services, Asia Pacific Petroleum Databook 1: Supply and Demand, Spring 2023, page 16.
  17. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; “Energy Production in December 2022,“ National Bureau of Statistics of China, last modified January 18, 2023.
  18. “PetroChina plans to raise 2023 natural gas production by 4.6% to 138 Bcm,“ S&P Global Commodity Insights, March 21, 2023.
  19. CNOOC Limited, “2023 Strategy Preview,“ January 11, 2022, page 15.
  20. “Sinopec Announces 2023 Interim Results,“ Bloomberg, last modified August 27, 2023.
  21. Alex Procyk, “Sinopec confirms discovery in Sichuan basin,“ Oil & Gas Journal, August 25, 2023.
  22. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  23. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; International Energy Agency, Gas Market Report, Q1-2023, Page 34, February 2023.
  24. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; International Energy Agency, Gas Market Report, Q1-2023, Page 20, February 2023.
  25. International Gas Union,World LNG Report 2022, July 12, 2023, page 88.
  26. International Gas Union, World LNG Report 2022, July 12, 2023, page 88; GIIGNL, The LNG GIIGNL Annual Report 2022, page 45.
  27. International Gas Union, World LNG Report 2022, July 12, 2023, page 33.
  28. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; International Energy Agency, World Energy Statistics; Coal Market Update July 2023, (International Energy Agency, 2023), Pages 4,8.
  29. “China’s property sector shrinks 5.1% in 2022 - NBS,“ Reuters, last modified January 17, 2023; International Energy Agency, Coal 2022, pages 6,11, 15-16.
  30. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; International Energy Agency, World Energy Statistics; Coal Market Update July 2023, (International Energy Agency, 2023), Pages 4,8.
  31. Sibi Arasu, "Almost all new coal projects announced last year came from China, says a new report," Fortune, last modified April 26, 2023.
  32. “China Releases New Climate Commitment ahead of COP26,“ World Resources Institute, October 28, 2021.
  33. Muyu Xu, “China solar power capacity could post record growth in 2023,“ Reuters, February 15, 2023; Carrie Xiao, “China adds 61.2GW of solar PV capacity until May this year,“ PV Tech, last modified June 26, 2023.
  34. “China on Track to Blow Past Xi’s Clean Power Goal Five Years Early,“ The Japan Times, last modified June 29, 2023.
  35. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; FACTS Global Energy Services, China Gas Monthly Market Report, January 20, 2023, page 6.
  36. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  37. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  38. Katherine Antonio, Jonathan Russo, and Elesia Fasching, “New pumped-storage capacity in China is helping to integrate growing wind and solar power,&ldquo; U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 9, 2023.
  39. Ameya Paleja, “Hydro energy storage gets a major boost in China’s plans to go green,“ Interesting Engineering, June 20, 2022.
  40. “Nuclear Power in China,“ World Nuclear Association, last modified June 2023.
  41. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
  42. Chen Aizhu, “China 2022 crude oil imports fall for second year despite Q4 pickup,“ Reuters, January 13, 2023.
  43. Vortexa (accessed June 2023); Global Trade Tracker (accessed August 2023).
  44. “Factbox: China’s oil, commodities import from Russia,“ Reuters, May 11, 2023.
  45. Vortexa (accessed June 2023); Global Trade Tracker (accessed August 2023).
  46. “Russia overtakes Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier,“ Aljazeera, March 20, 2023.
  47. Vortexa (accessed August 2023)
  48. Vortexa (accessed August 2023)
  49. Vortexa (accessed August 2023)
  50. Global Trade Tracker (accessed August 2023).
  51. Vortexa (accessed August 2023)
  52. GIIGNL, The LNG GIIGNL Annual Report 2022, page 8.
  53. Energy Institute, Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy 2022; GIIGNL, The LNG GIIGNL Annual Report 2022, page 8.
  54. Energy Institute, Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy 2022; GIIGNL, The LNG GIIGNL Annual Report 2022, page 8.
  55. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics; Global Trade Tracker (accessed August 2023).
  56. Coal Market Update July 2023, (International Energy Agency, 2023), Page 12.
  57. Global Trade Tracker (accessed August 2023).
  58. Global Trade Tracker (accessed August 2023).
  59. Clyde Russell, “Column: China’s renewed appetite for Australian coal disrupts Asia flows,“ Reuters, last modified August 10, 2023.