Guizhou estimates huge shale gas reserves

Beijing-based oil and gas group SINOPEC recently discovered 145.97 billion cubic meters of gas in the Qijiang shale gas field in the Qijiang district of Southwest China's municipality of Chongqing and in Xishui county in Southwest China's Guizhou province.

Of that, the shale gas reserve discovered in Xishui county alone totals 33.05 billion cu m.

The Qijiang shale gas field is the first middle-deep to deep shale gas field discovered in China. Usually, shale gas located at a depth of more than 3,500 meters is called deep shale gas, while the depth of shale gas in the Qijiang field ranges from 1,900-4,500 meters and most lies under more than 3,500 meters.

The overlying strata of deep shale gas are complex, making it difficult to exploit. But SINOPEC's research team has come up with an efficient technology and achieved more than 500,000 cu-m of stable daily output from a single well.

The SINOPEC Southwest China petroleum bureau has completed a draft development plan for the shale gas field and will select two areas to kick-start exploitation.

Wei Xiangfeng, project department manager of SINOPEC Exploration Co, said that the discovery of Qijiang shale would help fill the country's demand for oil and gas, and optimize the energy structure in Guizhou.

It is also expected to boost the development of energy related industrial sectors in neighboring areas and enable locals to access safe, cheap and clean energy.