ISO approves seven China-led natural gas standards, regulator says
In short
The International Organization for Standardization has approved all seven natural gas international standards led by China, according to information from the State Administration for Market Regulation cited in Chinese media reports. The batch covers upstream segments including shale gas exploration and development, natural gas carbon footprint accounting, gas reservoir core sampling and gas hydrate testing, with three standards devoted to shale gas testing. The reports say the standards are intended to build globally unified technical rules for natural gas and to support a clean, low-carbon energy system.
Why it matters
International standards set the technical ground rules that equipment makers, project developers and certifiers work to, so China leading a batch of them in upstream gas and shale gas testing can shape how such projects are assessed and specified abroad. The documents frame the main consequence as a single global technical rule set for natural gas and a fillip to shale gas reserve assessment and engineering safety norms; they give no detail on adoption dates or market effects.
Key facts
- The International Organization for Standardization approved all seven natural gas international standards led by China, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Chinese outlets reported the approval under the headline that China advanced seven natural gas international standards to successful project approval. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The standards cover upstream parts of the industry chain: shale gas exploration and development, natural gas carbon footprint accounting, natural gas reservoir core sampling and natural gas hydrate testing. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Three of the standards concern shale gas testing and are meant to give unconventional oil and gas development a unified technical basis. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The reports say the standards are expected to help fill shortfalls in shale gas reserve assessment and engineering safety norms. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The stated aim is to build globally unified technical rules for natural gas and to promote a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient global energy system. [ 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Seven China-led natural gas international standards have been approved by the International Organization for Standardization, with the information attributed to the State Administration for Market Regulation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The batch covers upstream fields including shale gas exploration and development, carbon footprint accounting, reservoir core sampling and hydrate testing, and includes three shale gas testing standards. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date the International Organization for Standardization approved the standards. The reports say only that the approval came “recently”, without giving a date, and no time is stated in any document.
- When the standards take effect, how long drafting and publication will take, and which other countries took part. None of the documents give an effective date, schedule or list of participating countries.
- Where the work was managed or announced, beyond the national market regulator being the source. No document names a city or venue, so the location cannot be stated.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Xinhua and Yicai publish reports that seven China-led natural gas international standards have been approved. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Jiemian publishes the detailed account from the State Administration for Market Regulation, listing the fields covered and the three shale gas testing standards. [ 3 ]
- 36Kr carries the same detailed account, attributed to Xinhua. [ 4 ]