China has discovered an ultra-deep shale gas field!

5 13th of the month

Sinopec’s “Deep-Earth Project: Sichuan–Chongqing Natural Gas Base” has achieved another breakthrough.
 

The Ministry of Natural Resources has released its mineral exploration results.
 

Submitted by the Southwest Oil and Gas Branch of Sinopec.

Dongfeng Shale Gas Field, Ziyang, Sichuan
 

235.687 billion cubic meters of proven geological reserves

Approved by the expert panel of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
 

This marks the discovery of China’s ultra-deep, hundred-billion-cubic-meter-scale shale gas field.

Successfully advanced shale gas exploration and development to

A new ultra-deep domain with burial depths exceeding 4,500 meters
 

China has achieved a strategic leap in shale gas development, advancing from deep to ultra-deep formations.
 

To further strengthen the foundation of national energy security

Expanding scale and enhancing reserves to ensure a strategic succession in production.

Of milestone significance

In terms of theoretical understanding, The research team transcended the conventional limitations in shale‑gas exploration, innovatively developed a new understanding of the enrichment and accumulation of shale gas within the Qiongzhusi Formation of the Cambrian System, and opened up an entirely new strategic frontier for shale‑gas development.
 

In terms of technological breakthroughs, Integrating artificial intelligence into the geophysical exploration technology framework is akin to performing a CT scan of subsurface formations, enabling clear reservoir delineation and visualized gas‑field identification. At the same time, by tackling key technologies such as ultra‑deep shale‑gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing, a fully independent exploration and development system for Cambrian‑age ultra‑deep shale gas has been established.

Liu Wei, a director and Party secretary of Sinopec Southwest Petroleum Bureau Co., Ltd. and representative of the Southwest Oil and Gas Branch, stated that, After more than a decade of meticulous cultivation and sustained efforts to overcome technical challenges, the company… It has achieved a breakthrough, transforming shale gas resources in the Qiongzhusi Formation of the Cambrian System from “zero” to reserves on the order of hundreds of billions of cubic meters. It has been confirmed that this shale formation system possesses significant potential for large-scale development. and has established a replicable and scalable technical roadmap, Significantly expand China’s shale gas resource development sector.
 

Going forward, the company will continue to deepen high-quality exploration and efficient development of oil and gas resources, accelerate the expansion of reserves and increase production at the Dongfeng Shale Gas Field in Ziyang, and contribute to safeguarding national energy security.

China is characterized by abundant coal resources, limited oil reserves, and scarce natural gas. For a long time, it has been a major importer of oil and gas, and the exploration and development of shale gas holds significant strategic importance for optimizing China’s energy structure.

Sinopec has actively shouldered the responsibility of bringing honor to the nation, In 2012, the Fuling shale gas field was discovered. This marked the beginning of commercial shale gas development in China, making the country the third nation—after the United States and Canada—to achieve such commercialization.
 

In 2017, China completed its first shale gas field with a production capacity of 10 billion cubic meters— Fuling Shale Gas Field 。 Subsequently, Sinopec continued to push into deeper formations; in 2018, it discovered China’s first deep‑layer shale gas field with proven reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters— Weirong Shale Gas Field 。
 

In 2022, a deep shale gas field with proven reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters was discovered— Qijiang Shale Gas Field 。 2025, proven Yongchuan and Hongxing, two fields each exceeding 100 billion cubic meters. of the deep shale gas field.
 

In the same year, an appraisal well drilled at the Dongfeng Shale Gas Field in Ziyang achieved a production rate that set a new national record for shale gas testing, further confirming the field’s promising prospects for profitable development and underscoring its significance in advancing the exploitation of ultra-deep shale gas in the Sichuan Basin.