China ordered coal mines, chemical plants and oil and gas wells to halt production to avoid further casualties after the country's strongest earthquake in 58 years killed almost 10,000 people.
Companies in affected areas must evacuate workers and can't resume output until conditions allow for safe operations, the Beijing-based State Administration of Work Safety said on its Web site today. Sichuan province, where yesterday's 7.9 magnitude temblor struck, holds about 40 percent of China's natural gas reserves and accounted for 22 percent of its output in 2006.

The earthquake damaged power plants and transmission lines and may cut the nation's energy demand. ... Read full article