China's crude oil output rises in H1, reversing three-year decline

BEIJING - China's crude oil output reached 95.39 million tons in the first half of the year, up 0.8 percent over the same period last year, reversing the downward trend of the past three years, an official said Thursday.

Natural gas output was 86.41 billion cubic meters in the first six months, up 10.3 percent year-on-year, said Li Fulong, head of the development and planning office of the National Energy Administration, at a press conference.

The upgrading of refined oil quality has been carried out steadily and the supply of refined oil was sufficient, he said.

China has been upgrading the coal sector. Coal mines with an annual output of less than 300,000 tons would be closed, while large- and medium-sized modern coal mines would be approved for operation in an orderly manner, Li said.