China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has obtained approval to develop 235.687 billion cubic metres (bcm) of proven geological reserves at the Ziyang Dongfeng shale gas field in the Sichuan basin, China.
This development is China’s first ultra-deep shale gas field exceeding 100bcm, with exploration reaching depths beyond 4,500m.
The reserves, approved by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, represent a significant milestone for Sinopec’s Project Deep Earth – Sichuan and Chongqing Natural Gas Base initiative.
The Ziyang Dongfeng field taps into the Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation, which dates back 540 million years.
Located at depths of 4,500–5,200m, the field presented significant exploration challenges including unclear reservoir characteristics and extreme conditions.
Sinopec adopted advanced methods, integrating AI with geophysical imaging to effectively analyse subsurface formations, aiding in reservoir and gas identification.
Ultra-deep drilling and fracturing innovations contributed to a proprietary technology system for Cambrian ultra-deep shale gas exploration.
Sinopec Southwest Petroleum Bureau director and representative of Sinopec Southwest Oil & Gas Company Liu Wei said: “After over a decade of persistent effort, we have taken Cambrian shale gas from zero to a hundred-billion-cubic-metre-scale reserve base.
“This validates the formation's vast potential and gives us a replicable technical pathway to expand China's shale gas development frontier.
“Our next step is to drive high-quality exploration and production, accelerate capacity growth at Ziyang Dongfeng and contribute to secure national energy security.”
Sinopec has played a key role in advancing China’s shale gas sector.
The company discovered the Fuling shale gas field in 2012, marking the start of commercial-scale shale gas production in China. By 2017, Fuling had reached a capacity of 10bcm.
Sinopec further expanded into deeper reserves with the Weirong field in 2018, the Qijiang field in 2022, and plans for the Yongchuan and Hongxing fields by 2025, each exceeding 100bcm in reserves.
