A recent article about China Shenhua Energy, the world’s second largest coal company, says they are planning to create a JV between a U.S. subsidiary and a private Pennsylvania natural gas producer to drill 25 natural gas wells in the US and in the meantime, learn how to tap into natural gas embedded in shale.

China has more abundant supplies of shale gas than shale oil, so they have good reason to learn how to tap into this natural resource.

It is another example of the Chinese learning for themselves. While foreign money and technology is always welcome, those are a means to a greater end for China. China always wants these things for itself, as any country does, but in China’s case, companies such as this have the means to go out and learn for themselves. There is no doubt they have the full blessing from Beijing.

Wonder if there will be any resistance in the USA to a Chinese company taking a role in the supply of energy…