China found more than 200 new oil and 13 gas fields (gas fields more than global import)

With energy supplies strained, China says it found more than 200 new oil and gas fields.
China has found 225 new oil and gas fields within its borders over the past five years, Beijing officials said Thursday, a potential boost as the world is battered by energy shortages and cost increases.

Among the newly discovered sites are 13 oil fields holding more than 100 million tons and 26 gas fields with reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters, the Natural Resources Ministry said.

Though it didn’t specify how much of that fossil-fuel bounty is currently available, it said the country’s natural gas production could increase year by year and oil production was holding steady at 200 million tons per year, “thanks to the significant increase in the newly discovered energy reserves.”

Officials vowed to “resolutely safeguard our energy security,” and push ahead with oil and gas exploration.

The ministry said it has invested over 450 billion yuan ($66 billion) to almost double China’s known crude oil and natural gas reserves, compared with a decade ago.

The move comes as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in the transit much of the world’s oil, has led to a global energy shortage.

China is the world’s biggest energy importer. It imports around 10% of its oil from Iran and so isn’t insulated from the shocks. But it is so far faring better than most major economies due to a long-running energy self-reliance drive.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/30/world/live-news/iran-war-news

Australia is the number 1 country (data from 2024) from which China import natural gas. I have zero doubt that Australia is in trouble in the next few years given its economy being low on innovation with a complete reliance on commodity exports.

Using information from WITS: in that year, the amount of natural gas imported is 26,181,900,000 (kg).

Running the math using some information from back in University: At 100 Billion cubic meters at standard condition (13-15 degree celsius and 101 kpa), this is the equivalent to 71,700,000,000 (kg) which is far greater than what it imports from Australia.

In fact, using information from WITS: the amount of natural gas imported globally is 76,572,100,000 (kg).

https://preview.redd.it/e748rgb9qayg1.png?width=2533&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc525dd23092aa59325080e6786bf056af3b11bf

Indeed, 71,700,000,000 (kg) < 76,572,100,000 (kg) but the difference is extremely negligible.

If China fully utilises these 13 gas fields, it does seem as though China might achieve close to 100% energy independence which what they have been moving towards for the past 2 decades to play the long game of being completely independent from the US global system in areas of finance, semiconductor, energy, manufacturing and critical minerals.

Edit: "26" instead of "13" in title.