中国天然气产业市场结构优化构想

An analysis of market structure optimization of Chinese natural gas industry

自1998年中国天然气产业重组以来,产业基本框架已初步形成,但目前国内学者对于天然气产业市场结构和绩效方面的研究较少,而上述课题事关天然气产业的顺利发展,亟待厘清。为此,运用产业组织理论对中国天然气产业进行了市场结构优化分析。首先对天然气产业的市场集中度、进入壁垒和产品差别化等影响市场结构的主要因素进行了分析,结果表明:中国天然气产业生产和管道输送环节为高寡占型结构,配送和销售环节是低集中度竞争型结构。在此基础上,利用税后资产利润率、人均天然气产量等指标对天然气产业市场绩效进行了评价,评价结果显示,中国天然气产业市场绩效偏低。最后,针对天然气上、中、下游市场结构分别提出了优化构想:上游,降低进入门槛、公开招标探矿权和采矿权等、分离油气业务;中游,设立一家独立公司经营管道、建立管道监管委员会、制定管道使用强制准入制度;下游,建立区域运营效率评价机制、推进天然气价格市场化改革、鼓励非国有资本进入。

Since being restructured in 1998, Chinese natural gas industry has preliminarily presented its basic framework. However, few domestic literatures have ever been found on the research of market structure and performance in this sector. Therefore, such an issue related to the smooth development in this industry is to be made clear. The theory of industrial organization was applied to make an analysis of market structure optimization of the Chinese natural gas industry. First, the major factors controlling the market structure were analyzed including the gas market concentration degree, access and entry barrier, natural gas product differentiation, and so forth. The result showed that the links of production and pipeline transportation belong to a high oligopolistic structure, while the allocation and sales links are of a competitive market structure with a low concentration degree. On this basis, it was also conclu- ded that the market performance is in a relatively low degree through being evaluated by use of some indicators such as after-tax prof- it ratio and per capita gas output. Finally, some ideas were presented on the optimization respectively of the upstream, midstream and downstream market structure. In the upstream market, it is important to lower the entry threshold, openly sell the bid for the mining rights ownership, and separate the business between oil and gas. In the midstream market, it is imperative to found an inde- pendent company running its pipeline business, establish a pipeline supervision committee, and lay down the rules of mandatory ac- cess to pipeline usage. In the downstream market, it is necessary to establish the regional operational efficiency evaluation mechanism, determine gas price followed by the market discipline, and allow more private operators to enter this industry.