China Begins Winter Gas Buying Spree at the Worst Possible Time

  • Sinopec seeks LNG cargoes for November-March delivery
  • China’s importers had paused buying after prices surged
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

China is escalating its purchases of liquefied natural gas for the winter, exacerbating a global supply shortage and leaving less fuel for energy-parched Europe.

China is struggling to secure enough coal to power factories and heat homes this winter, as the world’s second-biggest economy faces a potential energy-crunch scenario similar to the chaos gripping Europe. That’s spurred some of the nation’s energy giants, such as state-owned Sinopec, to dive back into the LNG spot market, seeking shipments of the heating fuel in preparation for when temperatures turn colder.