China Revives Coal-to-Gas Projects as Energy Security Frays

A high-profile Chinese coal-to-gas venture that lay dormant for over a decade is set to launch this year, part of a wave of investments that will allow Beijing to mitigate threats to fuel supply at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — A high-profile Chinese coal-to-gas venture that lay dormant for over a decade is set to launch this year, part of a wave of investments that will allow Beijing to mitigate threats to fuel supply at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.State-owned power giant China Datang Corp. restarted construction in the northeastern city of Fuxin in the fall. The company aims to bring the plant online in October, according to a local newspaper report citing the project’s general manager, signaling the revival of an industry once sidelined for being too polluting and financially risky. The government is looking to tap cheap domestic coal to limit its exposure to natural gas imports. That need has grown this decade as sanctions and protectionism have disrupted global energy flows. It’s become particularly acute in recent weeks, after the war with Iran upended shipments from major gas producers in the Middle East. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Datang didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment on the Fuxin project’s timeline and prospects. The 25-billion-yuan ($3.7 billion) development broke ground in 2011, but was then shelved in 2014 due to a combination of logistical and technical challenges, environmental concerns and unfavorable market conditions.Project ShelvedThe industry has found new momentum thanks to China’s oversupply of coal and elevated gas prices. Other major investors in the technology include the country’s top two coal miners, China Energy Investment Corp. and China National Coal Group, and oil and gas majors Sinopec Group and China National Offshore Oil Corp. The country has 13 new projects either under construction or being planned. Plants can take up to five years to build, but the pipeline has the potential to raise synthetic gas output nearly sevenfold to more than 52 billion cubic meters a year, or 12% of national supply, according to Chinese consultancy OilChem.“China began planning those coal-based projects well before the Middle East war,” said OilChem analyst Wang Haohao. “Improved profitability is encouraging investors to accelerate construction.”There’s still a big gap to fill. Chinese projects, including Fuxin, should be able to deliver 12 bcm by the end of the year, according to OilChem. Qatar, China’s biggest source of gas in the Middle East, supplied 28 bcm in 2025. The technology also serves China’s political needs. Beijing’s latest five-year plan calls for more developments in remote, energy-rich regions like Xinjiang in the far west, which is home to most of the new coal-to-gas projects. Xinjiang’s coal is ultra cheap, which means outsized profits once it’s converted into gas and piped to customers in the east. BloombergNEF estimates production costs in the region would translate to $5 to $9 per million British thermal units. Spot Asian prices of seaborne liquefied natural gas have surged as high as $25 mmbtu because of the war, although they’ve since retreated to the mid-teens. BNEF said Xinjiang may bring 8 bcm a year online by 2028, double the nation’s current capacity.On the WireChina and Turkmenistan moved to deepen their energy partnership as Beijing’s top envoy attended the launch of a major gas project and signed cooperation deals, underscoring the strategic importance of natural gas ties and broader cooperation.China has approved imports of dairy products from Romania, the General Administration of Customs said in a statement on Saturday.China’s exports of clean technology climbed in March, reinforcing signs that manufacturers are benefiting from rising global demand for alternative energy sources as traditional supplies are roiled by the Iran war.This Week’s Diary(All times Beijing)Monday, April 20Tuesday, April 21Wednesday, April 22Thursday, April 23Friday, April 24Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. 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