Workers conduct inspection of oil and gas pipeline in Yinchuan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on September 28, 2025. Photo: VCG

The resilience of China's oil and gas industry and its capability to flexibly respond to risks and challenges have been constantly strengthened, supported by multiple factors, a Chinese official said on Monday, in response to a question about China's oil and gas supply security as the recent energy crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East has affected many countries.

Guided by the new strategy of energy security since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the National Energy Administration (NEA) has been actively promoting the high-quality development of the oil and gas industry to ensure supply security under all circumstances, Zhang Xing, an official with the NEA, said at a press conference on Monday, the People's Daily reported.

First, efforts have been made to intensify oil and gas exploration, steadily increasing domestic output. The country's crude oil production has maintained above 200 million tons per year, reaching new highs, while natural gas production has seen annual increases of over 10 billion cubic meters for nine consecutive years, Zhang said.

Second, the NEA has accelerated the planning and construction of oil and gas infrastructure. The total length of long-distance oil and gas pipelines has surpassed 200,000 kilometers, while the receiving capacity for liquefied natural gas (LNG) now exceeds 120 million tons per year, according to the official.

In addition, efforts have been made to consolidate and improve a diversified import system. China conducts oil and gas trade with nearly 50 countries worldwide, with import sources covering all major global oil and gas exporters, ensuring stable and reliable imports of oil and gas resources. Furthermore, the country continuously promotes the reliable and orderly substitution of oil and gas consumption, the official said.

Since the beginning of this year, the National Development and Reform Commission and the NEA have worked with relevant parties to actively respond to changes in the external environment and spared no effort in ensuring oil and gas supply. Through stabilizing production, diversifying imports and implementing temporary price adjustments, a smooth and orderly supply of oil and gas has been ensured, effectively supporting stable economic performance and meeting public livelihood needs, Zhang said.

According to industry monitoring, from January to March, China's crude oil output reached 54.8 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 1.3 percent. Crude oil imports totaled 146.84 million tons, up 8.9 percent year-on-year. Crude oil processing volume is estimated to have reached 181.7 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.1 percent, the People's Daily reported.