The IEA’s Q3 global gas market report, released last week, sees the agency hike its forecast for China’s 2021 gas demand to 359bcm, up 10.5% (24bcm) on 2020’s 325bcm, and a full 10bcm higher than the 2021 demand forecast made in the IEA’s Q1 report (MEES, 5 February).

China alone accounts for two-thirds of the IEA’s forecast for global net gas demand growth in 2021, with almost all of the remainder – a further 31% of the total – accounted for by other emerging Asian economies. Already for the first half of 2021, China’s LNG imports are up 28% at a record 40mn tons (MEES, 16 July). (CONTINUED - 984 WORDS)