Rock, Hole & Choke

Much has been written about China, yet little is known about its role as the world’s largest energy consumer, often obscured by misinformation. This book offers a rare historical account of China’s oil and gas industry from its origins, tracing back to 1000 AD when the country drilled the world’s first well using bamboo. Filled with details and anecdotes, this exploration delves into the complete history of China’s oil and gas industry, covering upstream, downstream, onshore, and offshore developments; it also addresses how geopolitics influences China's energy security.

" Rock, Hole and Choke : The Odyssey of China’s Oil and Gas Industry is an impressively comprehensive account of China’s energy evolution… It excels in integrating technological history, geopolitical analysis, and policy insight, offering rich data and compelling narrative across 20 fact-filled chapters. Author Xu Yihe, a highly accomplished energy journalist with decades of experience, has skillfully examined how a resource-scarce country used science, statecraft, and scale to pursue energy sovereignty. Particularly strong is his coverage of offshore expansion, unconventional gas, and the delicate interplay between energy security and transition. A valuable resource for scholars, strategists, and energy professionals.

" Erik Means, Partner & Head of Analytics, Rystad Energy, and former Editor-in-Chief of the global oil and gas newspaper Upstream .

Xu Yihe is an energy journalist with more than 30 years of experience reporting on China’s oil and gas industry. He holds a BA in English Language and Literature from Beijing Foreign Studies University and a Bachelor of Journalism from the China School of Journalism, combining rigorous language training with professional reporting expertise. His career spans Xinhua News Agency, Asia Pacific Energy Publications, Dow Jones Newswires, the Wall Street Journal ,  and   Upstream. He was a founding member and editor of Xinhua’s English-language energy newsletter  China OGP , and editor of the WPC English Bulletin (1997 edition).  Rock, Hole and Choke is his first book chronicling China’s oil and gas industry.