China searching for more gas for winter

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BEIJING, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- China National Petroleum Corp. aims to secure natural gas supplies from domestic and Central Asian suppliers to address surging winter demand, a spokesman said.

China is in the grips of a harsh winter, during which consistent rains and heavy snow are covering the country's north.

An unnamed spokesman for CNPC was cited by the country's official Xinhua news agency as saying more supplies were needed from domestic and regional gas companies to address growing domestic demand.

The company spokesman added CNPC was looking to secure liquefied natural gas deliveries during the winter months.

In late December, the company announced it started operations on the last section of a 5,400-mile natural gas pipeline, the world's longest. That pipeline carries natural gas from Central Asia to the major metropolitan areas like Hong Kong.

The International Energy Agency, in a mid-December report, said China and India are expected to lead the world in terms of coal consumption during the next five years. Only the United States, rich in domestic natural gas reserves, is predicted to have a decline in coal use.

CNPC said the natural gas pipeline can carry as much as 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas per year.