How to resolve the natural gas shortage in Winter

According to KUN.UZ report, due to the cold snap, all 54 gas stations in Tashkent, Uzbekistan will be cut off from 17:00 to 05:00 in order to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to the population, social and strategic facilities. 

The news was confirmed citing the fact that gas filling stations for cars are connected to large-diameter gas pipelines of heat supply companies. Earlier, the residents of Tashkent complained about low gas pressure in the central part of the capital. According to reports, some places have no gas at all.

Since the beginning of winter, the country's natural gas supply has continued to  be tight due to various factors. Recently, as the temperature continues to drop,  the upstream gas pipeline network inventory has dropped sharply, causing gas  shortages in Tashkent.

As the second largest natural gas consumer in the world, China also faced the problem of winter gas shortage in recent years. What measures China has taken to may give some useful conclusions. 

1. Increase the supply of natural gas

Unconventional natural gas, mainly shale gas, coal-bed methane and coal-based gas, has become a breakthrough in domestic natural gas development.

Measures such as mutual protection and mutual supply between major enterprises, gas transmission from south to north, and compressed natural gas power generation to ensure civilian use

2. Improve emergency response capabilities

China needs a large number of new gas storage facilities, especially underground gas storage facilities, to cope with the peak gas consumption in winter.

The current tight natural gas supply during the heating season is a way to balance the market, which can increase the enthusiasm of all parties to build gas storage facilities.

3. Change natural gas price mechanism

Place natural gas price to the competitive market, encourage more social entities to participate in natural gas extraction and import, speed up the construction and fair opening of pipelines, LNG receiving stations, gas storage and other infrastructures, and reduce costs by increasing competition.

The market system can restore the attributes of energy commodities and form a price mechanism determined by the market.