China - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
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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 very 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 increasing in China, the fuel only comprised 3 percent of the country’s total energy consumption in 2008.
  • 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 is slated to be fully complete by 2012.

Read full Country Analysis Brief

Find statistics on China

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Petroleum (Thousand Barrels per Day)
2008
 2009
   
30 Year History
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
    
 China
Total Oil Production 3,986.93 8,617 85,319 5   4,025.87
Crude Oil Production 3,790.18 7,536 73,575 5   3,798.87
Consumption 7,948.27 25,346 85,436 2   8,537.86 FF
Net Export/Imports(-) -3,961.34 -16,729 -- 3   -4,511.99
Total Oil Exports to U.S. 16 203 12,915 37   10
Refinery Capacity 6,246 22,214 85,460 2   6,446
Proved Reserves(Billion Barrels) 16.00 34 1,330 13   16.00
Natural Gas (Billion Cubic Feet)
2009
 2010
   
29 Year History
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
 China
Production 2,975 15,441 104,787 7   3,334
Consumption 3,125 18,405 105,225 6   3,768
Net Export/Imports(-) -150 -2,831 -- 28   -435
Proved Reserves
(Trillion Cubic Feet)		 80 430 6,289 16   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)
2008
 2009
   
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
 China
Net Generation 3,222.81 6,726 19,104 2   3,445.72
Net Consumption 3,018.20 6,184 17,420 2   3,253.19
Installed Capacity (GWe) 797.14 1,638 4,635 2   877.69
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 7,937 7,457 30   10,782
Carbon Dioxide Emissions (Million Metric Tons of CO₂)
2008
 2009
   
China
Asia & Oceania
World
Rank
 
 China
Total from Consumption of Fossil Fuels 6,800.47 12,313 30,400 1   7,706.83

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

Last Update: June 30, 2010 (All Fuels) | July 14, 2010 (Petroleum)
Next Update: August 1, 2010 (All Fuels)
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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