The  Journal  of  Natural  Gas Chemistry,  formerly sponsored by the Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been a quarterly  published academic journal with about 96 pages per issue  since February 1992. From January 2002, the Journal has been jointly edited by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics and the Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and published by Science Press of China and Elsevier BV. From 2006, all papers published on JNGC have been covered by EI compendex. From 2007, Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry has been included in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E), Chemistry Citation Index and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition published by Thomson Scientific. The journal will receive an impact factor in 2010. 　This Journal functions as a medium for reporting original research papers dealing with topics in the fields of natural gas chemistry,  C1 chemistry, lower hydrocarbons chemistry as well as hydrogen energy sources. It is devoted to up-to-date progress in the following fields all over the world: 1. Direct and indirect conversions of methane 2. Methane conversion by enzymatic and biological catalysis 3. CO/CO2 conversion and C1 chemistry 4. Synthesis or conversion of lower hydrocarbons 5. Synthesis of O-, S-, and N-containing derivatives of lower hydrocarbons 6. Purification and separation processes concerning natural gas 7. Characterization of catalysts relating to the above processes 8. Production of hydrogen energy 9. Methane hydrates and related scientific problems 10. New approaches or processes of relevant fields 11. Synthesis, production and utilization of new catalytic materials 12. Environmental protection relating to the above processes    The aim of the Journal is to transmit new information to readers who are scientific and technical workers of related research organizations and enterprises, as well as staff  members, graduates and senior students of university departments of chemistry and chemical engineering, especially to those who are engaging in the chemistry and chemical processes of natural gas, petroleum and coal. 　The Journal will also provide abstracts of new developments selected from relevant journals on catalysis and chemical engineering aspects concerning natural gas chemistry. We hope that with this Journal you will enjoy a useful and convenient source for obtaining the relevant research information from the whole world. To authors 　An article may be submitted in the form of Articles, Communications, Reviews and Research notes.  Submitting articles are accepted only in English, and submissions are  requested to send to the Editorial Office of the Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry .