China's energy sector has achieved a significant breakthrough with the discovery of 165 billion cubic meters of proven shale gas reserves at the newly identified Hongxing field. Located at the intersection of Hubei Province and Chongqing Municipality, this find reinforces China's position as a global leader in unconventional energy exploration.
The China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) announced the discovery on Thursday, highlighting its potential to bolster domestic energy security. The Hongxing field's reserves lie at depths of 3,300 to 5,500 meters, presenting complex geological challenges that required advanced drilling technologies to overcome.
Through innovative engineering solutions, Sinopec achieved a remarkable single-well test production rate of 323,500 cubic meters per day – a 263% increase from initial yields. This technological leap could set new benchmarks for deep-layer shale gas extraction worldwide.
The discovery adds to China's growing portfolio of shale resources, which already includes the massive Fuling field in Chongqing with over 1 trillion cubic meters of reserves. Four additional deep shale gas fields exceeding 100 billion cubic meters each have now been confirmed, signaling sustained growth in China's clean energy transition.
Analysts suggest this development may reshape regional energy markets while providing new opportunities for sustainable infrastructure investment. The find comes as global demand for cleaner-burning natural gas continues to rise amid climate change mitigation efforts.
