A shale gas field in Nanchuang, Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality over the weekend. A subsidiary of Sinopec Group has successfully used automated electronic fracking equipment to extract shale gas from a well, with costs reduced by 24 percent and noise lowered by 30 percent. Photo: CNSphoto

China's state-owned oil company Sinopec passed a major gas field review by the Ministry of Natural Resources, with a newly proved reserve of 83 billion cubic meters, the company said on Thursday, which is considered a boon to China's energy security.

The Chuanxi shale gas field, located in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, has cumulative reserves of 114 billion cubic meters after the discovery of new reserves, equivalent to a 100-million-ton oilfield, said Sinopec.

The sour gas field, belonging to Sinopec's Southwest Petroleum Bureau, covers 138 square kilometers. Its main gas reservoir is at a depth of 6,000 meters, said Sinopec. 

At present, Sinopec's cumulative proven shale gas reserves stand at 940.8 billion cubic meters, with a new reserve of 191.8 billion cubic meters found in Fuling gas field in October, said Sinopec.

Global Times