ع
China National Petroleum Corporation announced on Monday that the Hade-Fuman oil field on the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has produced more than 26 million tonnes of oil and gas from reservoirs deeper than 6 000 meters. According to the CNPC statement the field has become China’s largest desert oil field and a major base for ultra-deep oil and gas production after operators drilled 485 ultra-deep wells. The corporation noted that 133 of those wells have each produced more than 100 000 tonnes of oil and gas while 464 have each exceeded 10 000 tonnes.
A CNPC statement noted that the Zhenshen-1 well recently retrieved a core sample from a depth of 8 080 meters marking the first time China has obtained such a sample from beyond 8 000 meters in the northwestern Tarim Basin. The corporation said the rock had remained underground for approximately 500 million years yielding valuable geological data for further ultra-deep exploration. CNPC added that the Tarim Basin holds proven oil and gas reserves exceeding 5 billion tonnes with more than half located in ultra-deep formations.
The National Energy Administration reported that China’s total crude oil output reached 208 million tonnes in 2023 representing an increase of more than 3 million tonnes from the previous year with offshore production accounting for over 60 percent of the growth. According to the administration shale oil production exceeded 4 million tonnes that year setting a new record while large onshore deep oil fields contributed 11.8 million tonnes. The administration’s data places China as the global leader in onshore ultra-deep oil and gas fields deeper than 6 000 meters.
U.S. Energy Information Administration figures show China’s average crude oil production stood at approximately 4.2 million barrels per day in 2023 while the International Energy Agency has projected further rises in the country’s overall oil demand through 2035. The IEA assessment found that Asia including China will drive most global oil demand growth in the coming decade amid expanding industrial and transportation needs. According to the Energy Information Administration China continues to rely on imports for the majority of its consumption despite gains in domestic output from fields such as those in the Tarim Basin.
CNPC stated that development at the Hade-Fuman field has accelerated in recent years focusing on ultra-deep resources beneath the desert to support national energy security objectives. The corporation’s data indicates the field now serves as a key contributor within the Tarim Oilfield operations that have expanded drilling and recovery efforts across the basin. Separate analysis from the National Energy Administration highlighted that unconventional gas including tight gas shale gas and coalbed methane accounted for a growing share of national natural gas output which reached 230 billion cubic meters in 2023.
