Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-08-24 20:21Core Viewpoint - The article highlights China's significant advancements in its energy strategy, particularly in shale gas exploration, which undermines U.S. efforts to impose trade sanctions and control energy exports to China [1][2]. Group 1: Energy Discoveries and Developments - China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has discovered a shale gas field with a geological reserve of 1,650 billion cubic meters, sufficient to meet China's natural gas demand for six months [1][3]. - The shale gas project in the Hongxing block is equivalent to the annual power generation capacity of two and a half Three Gorges Dam projects, showcasing China's technological capabilities in overcoming complex geological challenges [3]. - A large energy facility in Sichuan, known as the "super low-temperature natural gas carrier," has begun operations, utilizing advanced deep-cooling technology to convert shale gas into seven high-value chemical products with a 95% cold energy utilization efficiency [3]. Group 2: Trade and Economic Implications - Recent trade data indicates that U.S. energy exports to China, including crude oil, LNG, and coal, have dropped to zero, marking an unprecedented decline [2]. - China's energy import distance has decreased from 12,000 kilometers to under 5,000 kilometers, reducing transportation costs by 40% [5]. - Saudi Aramco's decision to use the renminbi for oil transactions in 2025 has caused significant concern in the global financial community, indicating a shift in the international oil market [5]. Group 3: Technological Advancements and Market Dynamics - Sichuan Zhongtai's new deep condensation and separation process has increased the recovery rate of ethane from shale gas from 60% to 95%, allowing the company to produce over 500,000 tons annually, capturing 10% of the global ethane export market [4]. - The U.S. shale gas producers are facing a crisis, with ethane prices plummeting by 17% in two weeks, leading to storage facilities being overwhelmed [8]. - The U.S. military-industrial complex is experiencing challenges due to China's export controls on rare earth elements, which are critical for the production of military equipment like the F-35 [8]. Group 4: Investment Trends and Currency Shifts - Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds have invested $4.7 billion in China's new energy sector within a month, reflecting a structural change in capital flows [14]. - The proportion of oil trade settled in renminbi has steadily increased to 38%, drawing attention from the New York futures exchange [14].