China is likely to miss its 2020 shale gas production target as technical and commercial challenges dog efforts to tap into what are considered the largest shale gas resources outside the US, according to production estimates compiled by market participants. China is expected to produce between 13 to 17 billion cu m of shale gas in 2020, which falls short of the targeted 30 billion cu m volume in the 13th Five Year Plan, despite a strong ramp-up in upstream activity, according to analysts. This is a setback for Beijing’s long-term energy security goals, and will increase reliance […]