On Friday (February 17th) from the national energy board estimates show that China's natural gas production will increase by 1/4 this year, from the 2016 increase of 136 billion 800 million cubic meters to 170 billion cubic meters.



The forecast by the National Energy Agency is based on the worsening pollution in the north and will continue to promote the use of cleaner fuels and national crude oil production continues to decline.



National Energy Board said in its annual report on the energy sector, in order to shift to cleaner fuels, China will increase this year, 3 billion 500 million cubic meters of new shale gas production capacity. At the same time this year will also start running 3 new gas storage facilities, with a total storage capacity of 300 million cubic meters.



Statistics from the national energy board show that China's crude oil production this year is likely to stabilize at 2 tons, slightly higher than in 2016, the annual output of 1.997 tons.



National Energy Board said that despite the promotion of cleaner fuels, China is still likely to produce 36.5 tons of coal this year, slightly higher than in 2016, the annual output of 36.4 tons.