China marks major milestone in exploration with discovery of deep shale gas field

China has achieved a significant milestone in shale gas exploration with the discovery of a new large-scale deep shale gas field with proven reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters in the country's southwestern region.

With newly proven geological reserves of 124.59 billion cubic meters, the discovery is expected to boost domestic energy security and spur further exploration in the area, said its operator China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, also known as Sinopec.

The discovery brings the total proven geological reserves of the Yongchuan field to 148.04 billion cubic meters, making it a significant addition to China's shale gas resources, it said.

The Yongchuan field is classified as a deep shale gas deposit, with the main body buried at depths greater than 3,500 meters in the complex geological structure of the southern Sichuan Basin.

China has been actively working to enhance its oil and natural gas production in recent years, including intensifying exploration and development of unconventional resources like shale oil and gas.

Resources like low-maturity shale oil and underground coal gasification, currently unexploited, hold the key to unlocking significant new opportunities in the decades ahead.