China’s LNG Imports Rise 29% in First Half; Coal Increases 61%

China’s imports of liquefied natural gas rose 29 percent in the first half of 2012 from a year earlier while purchases of coal climbed 61 percent, according to the Beijing-based General Administration of Customs.

LNG supplies increased to 6.7 million metric tons through June this year with the delivered unit cost of the fuel at $549 a ton, or $11.30 per million British thermal units, according to the data. Coal imports, excluding lignite and including metallurgical coal, climbed to 113 million tons, delivered at an average of $118.55 a ton.