The State Council issued a circular on Sept 5, pressing provincial-level authorities, ministries and administrations affiliated to the State Council for further efforts in pushing forward the natural gas production industry.

According to the circular, natural gas, a premium low-carbon energy source, should be better developed and utilized. Natural gas production is a mainstay of constructing a modern energy system as well as advancing the restructuring of energy production and consumption.

But there is an array of pressing matters that the industry faces, such as domestic output falling short of consumption, lack of diversity in importation, unbalanced consumption structure, and infrastructure facilities lagging behind.

As stated in the circular, the sustainable development of natural gas production and marketing will be strengthened under a set of principles, with emphasis on overall planning of the supply, reserves and sale of natural gas, adherence to the market-oriented mode, and orderly implementation of related policies.

In order to beef up the construction of an all-around system covering production, supply, reserves, and sale of natural gas, as well as promote a dynamic and balanced mechanism of supply and demand, the circular also presented a range of measures.

Further efforts should be made to usher in a wide spectrum of improvements, such as propelling domestic exploration and development of natural gas, building up an overseas supply system featuring diversity, constructing a multifaceted reserves system, and cementing the construction of infrastructure for natural gas production, the circular said.

In addition, specific mechanisms featuring balance and stability are highlighted in the circular, to forecast and forewarn of supply and demand, regulate demand, and to provide contingent support in case of short supply.