Gas-producing and gas-hungry countries the world over are keenly watching what happens in China as it continues to negotiate with various suppliers over the price of its natural gas imports while examining the possibility of developing its unconventional gas reserves.
The UK is reported to be sitting on enough shale gas to cover its gas consumption for more than 60 years. But unlike the US, concerns surrounding mineral rights, a greater population density and its impact on the environment means pushing ahead with exploration is easier said than done.
For more than a decade, commodity markets have attracted increasing levels of investment, a trend that accelerated when returns from equity markets fell away in the financial crisis. Jim Banks asks what Asia's growing appetite means for commodities in the future: will investment lead to oversupply, or will demand from rapidly growing nations mean scarcity and price hikes?