China boasts the second largest economy and largest population in the world. In addition, the country occupies the top spot in crude oil imports and the fourth spot in production figures, making it a central figure in the global energy markets. Three national oil companies in China, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corporation) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), account for the lion’s share of upstream and downstream oil and gas activity in the country.
Currently, China is undergoing a shift in focus from a country with economic drivers based in manufacturing and heavy industries to one based in services and domestic consumption. Adding to the nation’s economic shift, the Chinese government is determined to curb environmental pollution by switching its heavy reliance on coal burning to cleaner energy sources such as natural gas.