China's shale-gas supply won't be able to keep up with growing demand, forcing the country to boost imports of the fuel, the consultancy Wood Mackenzie said.

Coal-gasification and coalbed-methane resources will also be needed in China before shale-gas production can accelerate after 2020, the Edinburgh, Scotland-based firm said. China's natural gas consumption will increase fourfold by 2030 to 600 billion cubic meters, contributing 30 percent of the global growth in gas demand.

China Daily-Agencies