Sinopec Southwest Petroleum Bureau Natural Gas Annual Output Exceeds 10 Billion Cubic Meters

According to Sinopec's News Office, in 2024, the Sinopec Southwest Petroleum Bureau achieved a historic milestone, with natural gas production exceeding 10 billion cubic meters, equivalent to an oil equivalent of 8 million tons, matching the total thermal energy generated by the Three Gorges Dam in a year. This accomplishment can satisfy the annual gas consumption needs of 27.4 million households. The Southwest Petroleum Bureau has cumulatively produced 110 billion cubic meters of natural gas, with proven geological reserves surpassing 1 trillion cubic meters, making a significant contribution to national energy security.

As Sinopec's largest oil and gas production enterprise in the Sichuan Basin, the Southwest Petroleum Bureau has successfully developed 28 gas fields, including Yuanba, Weirong, Chuanxi, and Qijiang gas fields. Since transitioning into an oil and gas production company in 1979, the bureau has achieved a leap in production from zero to 10 billion cubic meters over 45 years. Specifically, the annual natural gas output exceeded 1 billion cubic meters for the first time in 1999, reached 2 billion cubic meters by 2005, surpassed 3 billion cubic meters in 2013, exceeded 8 billion cubic meters in 2021, and crossed the 10 billion cubic meters mark by 2024, achieving this historic leap within just three years.

In terms of technological innovation, the Southwest Petroleum Bureau has tackled world-class challenges, advancing natural gas exploration and development in the Sichuan Basin. By independently developing a series of ultra-deep drilling and reservoir prediction technologies, it successfully established Yuanba Gas Field, the world’s first ultra-deep, high-sulfur biological reef gas field at depths exceeding 7,000 meters. Since its commissioning in 2014, the Yuanba Gas Field has cumulatively produced more than 35 billion cubic meters of gas, offering invaluable experience for large-scale, efficient development of ultra-deep oil and gas resources worldwide. Moreover, the bureau has innovatively developed efficient development technologies for tight sandstone gas reservoirs in complex narrow channels, establishing six large and medium-sized gas fields, including Xinchang and Zhongjiang, with cumulative production exceeding 62.6 billion cubic meters, maintaining a stable annual output of 2 billion cubic meters for over 20 years, earning its reputation as a model for efficient development of tight gas in China. As of 2024, the bureau has obtained over 1,200 national patents, established a deep earth engineering innovation platform, and actively participated in building a technologically strong nation, supporting the future smart and green development of the oil and gas industry.

In environmental protection, the Southwest Petroleum Bureau adheres to the concept of green development, promoting clustered and platform well construction methods to reduce land occupation and planting 15,000 square meters of trees on its premises. Additionally, five photovoltaic power projects have been operational, earning the bureau the "Green Enterprise" title from Sinopec Group for five consecutive years. The Yuanba Purification Plant, designated as a "National Green Factory," has operated stably for 10 years, with an annual gas purification capacity of 3.4 billion cubic meters and annual sulfur production capacity of 300,000 tons. Its green energy output replaces coal use, contributing to an annual CO2 reduction of over 4.5 million tons.

According to Sinopec Vice President Niu Shuanwen, Sinopec has continuously increased its oil and gas exploration and production efforts, accelerating the construction of a new energy system and achieving record-breaking domestic oil and gas output. The Southwest Petroleum Bureau seized significant national strategic opportunities, establishing Sinopec’s first "trillion-reserve, hundred-billion-production" large gas zone, adding a new growth pole to China’s oil and gas energy landscape. Looking ahead, Sinopec plans to further intensify natural gas exploration and development, enhance large-scale reserve growth and efficient development, strengthen original and leading technological innovations, and expedite its green and low-carbon transition, contributing more significantly to ensuring national energy security and advancing Chinese-style modernization.

Liu Wei, Executive Director and Party Secretary of the Southwest Petroleum Bureau Co., Ltd., stated that the bureau will harness its strong technological competitiveness to foster new production capacities and contribute to building a 100-billion-cubic-meter-scale natural gas production base in the Sichuan-Chongqing region, fulfilling strategic national energy needs with more wisdom and strength.

Sinopec continues to advance the high-quality development of the natural gas industry in the Sichuan Basin, which is rich in natural gas resources. Over the years, Sinopec has sustained exploration and development efforts in the Sichuan Basin, establishing two marine carbonate gas fields—Puguang and Yuanba—as well as China’s first 100-billion-cubic-meter shale gas field—Fuling Shale Gas Field—and the country’s first deep shale gas field with proven reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters—Weirong Shale Gas Field. To date, Sinopec has proven nearly 3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas geological reserves in the Sichuan Basin, with an annual output of 25.6 billion cubic meters and cumulative production exceeding 200 billion cubic meters.