For much of the past two decades, China has been the main driver of global oil demand growth. In the coming two to three decades, China is expected to become the leading determinant in global natural gas demand as well, outpacing the U.S. as the biggest natural gas consumer at some point between 2040 and 2050. Economic and industrial production growth, coupled with efforts to reduce stifling pollution levels, will lead China’s surging natural gas demand over the next couple of decades, according to analysts and international projections. The latest forecast for China’s upcoming leading role in the world’s natural gas market comes from Sanford C. Bernstein & Co, whose analyst Neil Beveridge said in a research note earlier this week: “China’s gas market has entered a new golden age.” “Growth in 2017 has shown significant improvement over 2016, as government policies to stimulate gas demand growth are starting […]