CHENGDU - China's largest shale gas production base in the southern Sichuan Basin, Southwest China's Sichuan province, has achieved a cumulative output exceeding 100 billion cubic meters, making it the country's first shale gas field to reach this milestone.

Despite complex geological conditions, including deep burial and thin layers, PetroChina Southwest Oil and Gasfield Company and its partners developed key technologies such as 3D geological modeling, optimized drilling, and precision fracturing, enabling efficient extraction from challenging reserves.

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From January to August, the field added 237 new wells and 4.5 billion cubic meters of capacity. Daily output surpassed 48 million cubic meters, a historic high. Annual production is expected to exceed 16 billion cubic meters by year-end, accounting for 60 percent of China's shale gas output and 7 percent of total natural gas production, the company said.

Since the first shale gas well began production, the base has contributed over 1.5 trillion cubic meters of proven reserves and more than 2,300 operational wells, solidifying its role as a pillar of China's energy security and a major driver of future gas supply growth.

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Shale gas is mainly methane. It is considered a clean, new energy resource.