Fuling gas field

The Fuling gas field is a major shale gas field located in the Fuling District of Chongqing Municipality, southwestern China. Developed and operated by China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), it is the first commercially developed large-scale shale gas field in China and remains one of the most productive in the country.¹

Sinopec began exploration in the Fuling area in 2012, identifying substantial shale gas reserves. Commercial production commenced in 2014, making Fuling a milestone project in China’s drive toward unconventional energy development.² By 2017, the gas field had reached an annual production capacity of 10 billion cubic meters (bcm), playing a significant role in reducing China's dependence on coal and imported natural gas.²

As of early 2024, the Fuling gas field held proven geological reserves of over 1 trillion cubic meters (tcm) of shale gas. The annual production has reached approximately 8.5 bcm, and daily output exceeds 25 million cubic meters, enough to meet the energy needs of nearly 50 million households.³ Cumulatively, the field has produced over 70 bcm since the start of its operations.⁴

The Fuling gas field lies within the eastern Sichuan Basin, an area known for complex geological structures such as anticlines and synclines. The primary gas-bearing formations are the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation and the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation, both noted for their high organic matter content, thermal maturity, and favorable porosity and permeability for shale gas production.⁵

The development of the field has contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by displacing coal-based energy. Sinopec has reported that shale gas production from Fuling reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 12 million tonnes annually, equivalent to planting 110 million trees or removing 8 million cars from the roads each year.⁴

The Fuling gas field's success has established China as the third country in the world—after the United States and Canada—to achieve commercial-scale shale gas production. It is regarded as a model for large-scale shale gas development in geologically challenging environments and aligns with China’s broader goals of energy security and decarbonization.²

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• Shale gas in China
• Sinopec
• Natural gas in China

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1. "Sinopec Fuling Shale Gas Field Sets New Cumulative Production Record", PR Newswire, 12 October 2021. Link↩
2. "Production of shale gas field in Chongqing exceeds 70 bln cubic meters", State Council of the People's Republic of China, 14 November 2024. Link ↩ ↩² ↩³
3. "China's major shale gas field puts into operation 15 new wells",

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:*{{cite news |last1=Xin |first1=Zheng |title=China's largest sale gas field produced 400 million cubic meters |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202312/11/WS6576fac8a31040ac301a7361.html |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=China Daily}}

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Category:Natural gas fields in China

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