China, the world’s largest LNG buyer, lays out plans to double import capacity

China, which has surpassed Japan as the world’s leading LNG importer, has laid out massive plans for further import terminal construction.

It was in 2006 that the People’s Republic opened its first LNG import terminal, in Guangdong in the south of the country. Today, the country boasts 28 terminals with a total receiving capacity of 112.77m tons per year.

Beijing has now approved a further 23 new receiving stations projects, with a receiving capacity of 86.6m tons per year, stretching the country’s lead as the world’s dominant gas buyer. On top of this, there are 12 expansion projects of existing facilities have been approved, adding a further 44.5m tons of capacity per year. All these expansion projects are planned to be completed by the end of 2025.

China’s LNG imports rose for the sixth month in a row in July, according to customs data.

Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that the country received about 5.86m tons in July, a rise of 24.3% when compared to the same month last year.