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China  

Country Analysis Brief ›

  • China is the world's most populous country and the largest energy consumer in the world. Rapidly increasing energy demand has made China extremely influential in world energy markets.
  • China is the world's second-largest consumer of oil behind the United States, and the second-largest net importer of oil as of 2009.
  • China's largest oil fields are mature and production has peaked, leading companies to focus on developing largely untapped reserves in the western interior provinces and offshore fields.
  • Although natural gas use is rapidly increasing in China, the fuel comprised less than 4 percent of the country's total primary energy consumption in 2009.
  • China is the largest producer and consumer of coal in the world, and accounts for almost half of the world's coal consumption.
  • China's electricity generation continues to be dominated by fossil fuel sources, particularly coal. The Chinese government has made the expansion of natural gas-fired and renewable power plants as well as electricity transmission a priority.
  • The Three Gorges Dam hydroelectric facility, the largest hydroelectric project in the world, started operations in 2003 and completed construction in 2012.

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Find statistics on China

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Petroleum (Thousand Barrels per Day)
2011
2012
   
30 Year History
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
    
China
Total Oil Production 4,298.88 8,752 87,093 4  
Crude Oil Production 4,068.88 7,631 74,080 4  
Consumption 8,924.00 27,902 87,421 2   FF
Net Export/Imports(-) -4,625.12 -19,150 -- 2   NA
Total Oil Exports to U.S. NA NA   NA
Refinery Capacity 6,806 24,875 88,097 2   6,866
Proved Reserves(Billion Barrels) 20.35 40 NA 13   20.35
Natural Gas (Billion Cubic Feet)
2010
2011
   
29 Year History
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
China
Production 3,334 16,936 111,346 7   3,629
Consumption 3,768 20,565 112,864 5   4,624
Net Export/Imports(-) -435 -3,425 -- 16   -995
Proved Reserves
(Trillion Cubic Feet)
107 539 NA 12   107
Coal (Million Short Tons)
2009
2010
   
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
China
Production 3,226.094 4,758 7,546 1   3,522.973
Consumption 3,188.139 4,637 7,318 1   3,695.378
Net Export/Imports(-) -113.655 -22 -- 2   -172.405
Electricity (Billion Kilowatthours)
2009
2010
   
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
China
Net Generation 3,508.39 7,073 19,071 2   3,904.12
Net Consumption 3,271.19 6,474 17,360 2   3,633.79
Installed Capacity (GWe) 890.88 1,761 4,843 2   987.94
Total Primary Energy (Quadrillion Btu)
2008
2009
   
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
China
Production 78.348 136 489 1   81.887
Consumption 84.673 172 491 2   90.258
Energy Intensity
(Btu per 2005 U.S. Dollars)
11,036 7,933 7,454 30   10,782
Carbon Dioxide Emissions (Million Metric Tons of CO₂)
2009
2010
   
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
China
Total from Consumption of Fossil Fuels 7,204.89 12,800 29,778 1   8,320.96

-- = Not applicable; NA = Not available; F = Forecast value
Sources: EIA, International Energy Statistics

Last Update: October 16, 2012
For the most recent data, please visit International Energy Statistics

Related Information

International Energy Statistics

International Energy Outlook yearly energy projections through 2035

Short Term Energy Outlook monthly energy projections through 2012

Annual Energy Outlook yearly US energy projections through 2035

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