Russian gas exports to China reach all-time high in May, exceed 3 bcm for first time
MOSCOW. July 20 (Interfax) - Russian natural gas supplies to China, including overall via pipelines and in liquefied form, totaled 3.09 billion cubic meters in May 2023, thereby reaching the all-time high for Russian exports to China, this country's customs service said in a statement.
Russian exports exceeded 3 bcm for the first time ever. Gazprom supplied nearly 2 bcm of gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline. LNG supplies added another 1.1 bcm in around 13 consignments. Russian large-capacity LNG is produced at the plants of Sakhalin Energy, whose co-owners are Gazprom, Mitsui, and Mitsubishi; as well as Yamal LNG, whose participants are Novatek , TotalEnergies , and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and SRF.
Regarding supplies in May 2023, Russia once again was China's largest supplier of gas, bypassing Australia, which supplied 2.8 bcm; and Turkmenistan, which supplied 2.7 bcm. Russian supplies previously placed first in China's portfolio in January and February. Exports of pipeline gas had been expected to be slightly lower in March and April owing to the planned maintenance work on the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.
GAS PIPELINES
China imported 13.51 bcm of natural gas in May 2023, including overall pipeline deliveries and LNG, which set an all-time high for the month. Growth in the Chinese economy in 2023, following the lifting of restrictive measures, has been one of the main factors in the dynamics of the global energy market.
China imported 5.761 bcm of natural gas through pipelines in May, which set an all-time high for the month, with the previous all-time high having been 5.53 bcm in August 2022. Turkmenistan also supplied 2.73 bcm in May 2023, a rise of 5% year-on-year; Kazakhstan supplied 550 million cubic meters, growth of 14%; Uzbekistan supplied around 350 million cubic meters, a decline of 18%; and Myanmar supplied around 250 million cubic meters.
The picture concerning supplies of pipeline gas to China is currently determined by the possibilities of sellers in Central Asia, which increased after the end of the heating season, rather than by the policy of the purchaser.
LNG
China boosted imports of liquefied natural gas 24% year-on-year to 5.96 million tonnes, or 7.75 bcm, in May 2023, though the figure was somewhat lower than imports of 6.717 million tonnes in April 2021. China surpassed Japan regarding imported LNG for the second consecutive month in May, having received 4.614 million tonnes.
Australia supplied the most LNG to China at 2.823 bcm, or 2.2 million tonnes, in May 2023, growth of 20% year-on-year; then Qatar at 1.525 bcm, up 22%; and Russia at 1.12 bcm, a surge of 65% year-on-year.
A single United States tanker supplied LNG to China in May. Mozambique shipped a LNG consignment to the Chinese market for the first time.
Re-exports of LNG from China were less than 0.5% of imports in May, after rising to 3%-4% in the winter.