After scoring some "important late runs" in 2016, Australia's only natural gas developer in China, Sino Gas & Energy, is forecasting a steady increase in production this year ahead of a commitment to develop a full-scale project.

Managing director Glenn Corrie said healthy price increases secured last month, official Chinese approval of a reserves report and the restart of production at one licence were all important milestones for the junior producer, the only locally listed company among RBC Capital Markets' global energy stock picks.