The Pattern of Freshwater Consumption by Fossil Fuel Extraction in China Based on Geospatial Datasets

Despite the wide study of energy‐related water consumption and virtual water, the water consumption of fossil fuel extraction and virtual water related to fossil fuel trade are not fully understood at the level of fossil fuel sites. Here, we assess the water consumption of primary fossil fuel extraction based on a fossil fuel inventory. We find that the total freshwater consumption of fossil fuel extraction is 1.2 billion m 3 in China, with coal, oil, and gas accounting for 52.6%, 44.7%, and 2.8% of the total, respectively. The virtual water transfer via fossil fuel trade across provinces is 798 million m 3 , amounting to 66% of the freshwater consumption for fossil fuel extraction. Coal‐related virtual water accounts for 48% of total virtual water whereas oil‐ and gas‐related virtual water transfer accounts for 52%. The freshwater consumption related to fossil fuel extraction is driven by the domestic consumption of China rather than the international exports to other nations. The construction sector is responsible for 36% of the total freshwater consumption due to its use of fossil‐fuel‐intensive products (i.e., petroleum, coking, metal and electricity). The study fills the gap in the assessment of freshwater consumption by fossil fuel extraction and reveals the water inequalities caused by fossil fuel trade.