Russia’s Role in Supplying LNG and Pipeline Gas to China in Early 2023
In the opening months of 2023, Russia solidified its position as a leading supplier of natural gas to China in liquefied form. Interfax reported that Russian LNG shipments to China reached significant levels as part of a broader strategy to diversify energy exports. The total gas deliveries from Russia to China during January 2023 reached about 2.7 billion cubic meters in LNG and pipeline forms, placing Russia well ahead of other major suppliers such as Turkmenistan and Qatar, each delivering around 2.2 billion cubic meters, and Australia at roughly 1.9 billion cubic meters. This snapshot marks a pivotal moment in Russia China energy ties and highlights the ongoing shifts in global gas markets.
Gazprom contributed substantially in January by delivering roughly 2 billion cubic meters of gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline. In addition, approximately 770 million cubic meters of LNG resources were allocated to meet demand. These figures underscore the growing capacity of Russia to supply both pipeline gas and LNG to meet China’s energy needs. Attribution for these numbers goes to industry sources and state communications that traced the early 2023 supply dynamics.
Comparative data for the month show a modest year over year rise in total gas imports to China. January 2023 imports reached 11.3 billion cubic meters, a 1 percent increase from January 2022, signaling a steady upward trend in Chinese gas demand during the period. Trade analytics and press briefings from a range of observers corroborate this trajectory and frame it within broader energy security and pricing discussions that characterized energy markets at the start of the year.
In terms of LNG demand, China imported 5,210 million tons in January 2023, which represented a 7 percent increase from the 4,864 million tons imported in January 2022. The year over year expansion reflects ongoing diversification of LNG supply sources for China as it continues to solidify its role as a major global LNG market. These LNG import figures are frequently cited by industry analysts and official trade tallies that monitor the evolving balance of LNG trade between top producers and consumers.
Earlier analyses noted an escalation in the cost of pipeline gas from Russia to China in 2022, with reports indicating a rise by about 2.6 times. Market observers attributed this growth to shifts in contract pricing, exchange rates, and evolving export terms that affected the overall cost structure of cross-border gas flows. The cost dynamics of pipeline gas, alongside LNG pricing, have remained a focal point for policymakers and industry participants who follow Sino-Russian energy relations closely.
Looking at the wider picture for January, officials confirmed that gas supplies to China through the Power of Siberia pipeline reached record levels in the previous year. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak highlighted that the year prior saw a peak of 15.5 billion cubic meters channeled through the pipeline, illustrating sustained momentum in Russia’s gas export channels to China. This milestone is cited in government statements and by industry commentators as evidence of the deepening energy corridor between the two countries and the importance of the Power of Siberia project in the broader energy strategy.