Gazprom gas supplies to China via Power of Siberia pipeline return to winter highs in June - Chinese customs
MOSCOW. Aug 20 (Interfax) - Russian pipeline gas supplies to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline returned to the highs first seen last winter in June this year, the Chinese General Customs Administration said.
Power of Siberia has hit its design capacity of 38 billion cubic meters annually, equivalent to a daily 110 million cubic meters. It pumped 112 mcm per day when winter demand peaked in December 2025 and January 2026, after which daily flows fell back to their previous 110 mcm. They rose again in June, according to customs statistics, and could remain elevated in July, as Gazprom has reported new records for daily supplies via the pipeline.
China receives pipeline gas from Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Myanmar. Total pipeline gas supplies to China fell 2% in June to 6.632 bcm. Temperatures in the Central Asian region have been way above normal this year, fueling demand for gas in the domestic markets of export countries. Turkmenistan has reduced exports 5% and Uzbekistan 60%, while Kazakhstan has increased them 15%.
Liquefied natural gas imports rose 2% in June to 5.5 million tonnes. Russia was the third biggest LNG supplier to China with 645,000 tonnes, up 19%, behind Australia with 2.25 million tonnes and Malaysia with 736,000 tonnes. Russia's bulk LNG producers are Sakhalin Energy, owned by Gazprom , Mitsui and Mitsubishi; and Yamal LNG, owned by Novatek , TotalEnergies and China's CNPC and SRF; and Cryogas-Vysotsk and Gazprom LNG Portovaya on the Baltic coast.
LNG imports from Qatar resumed, with seven cargoes received. Chinese customs statistics confirmed the receipt of one cargo of LNG from the United States after an 18-month pause. Media report that the gas was received at the Yangpu terminal in Hainan Province, which is actively involved in LNG re-export. China returned to active LNG trading in June, reselling 292 million tonnes or 5% of its total LNG imports. Two LNG cargoes were rerouted to Thailand and Japan.
China's total pipeline gas and LNG imports inched down 0.2% year-on-year in June to 13.706 bcm.
