China has ordered the country’s biggest explorers to cut their use of natural gas to divert more of the fuel to the north, where a harsh winter is causing shortages. China National Petroleum Corp., China Petrochemical Corp. and China National Offshore Oil Corp. should reduce the consumption of natural gas in their refineries, oil drilling and liquefied natural gas factories to secure more supplies for residential use, National Development and Reform Commission official Meng Wei said at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday. The three companies should collectively cut gas consumption for their own use including to petrochemical factories by 15 million cubic meters a day, he said. China has been scrambling to secure more gas for residential use after the country’s push to implement coal-to-gas conversion projects led to an unprecedented increase in consumption of the fuel and caused shortages in northern provinces such as Hebei and […]