In recent years, widespread gas supply shortage happens frequently in North China especially in winter heating seasons. The primary energy structure in China is characterized by rich coal, lean oil and less gas, and the coal-to-gas projects have been implemented extensively in recent years. And consequently, such tense situation of gas supply is aggravated. For the sake of increasing the guarantee degree of domestic natural gas supply, the causes of frequent natural gas shortage crisis in recent years and the features of currently common natural gas reserve schemes were analyzed in this paper. Then, it was proposed that the gaseous LNG blended with air, also called air/fuel mixture (AMG for short hereinafter), be used as an important gas source for peak-shaving reserves. In addition, the necessity and feasibility of this scheme was discussed. And the following research results were obtained. First, insufficient gas supply capacity is the bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of domestic natural gas industry, and the practice of abundant LNG imports leads to a crisis of high dependence on foreign natural gas. Second, air mixture gas can be used as a suitable substitute for natural gas and a gas source for peak-shaving reserves. Third, AMG is advantageous with less construction investment, convenient maintenance and strong safety. Besides, no extra gas system is needed, its underground pipeline networks and pressure control facilities can be also used for natural gas to avoid repeated investment, point supply is more convenient and flexible, and real-time startup can be realized. It is concluded that AMG is the practical reserve gas source for natural gas peak shaving, and piped gas consumers shall select rationally compressed natural gas, LNG, AMG or their combinations as the gas source for reserves according to their own characteristics and actual demands. It is recommended that the energy development in the future shall focus on diversification of types and channels and satisfy the reserve demand of local gas peak shaving to the uttermost from the viewpoint of national energy strategic reserve security, so as to realize the integrated development of multiple gas sources and multiple gas types. © 2018, Natural Gas Industry Journal Agency. All right reserved.
