Sinopec discovers 105 bln cubic meters of shale gas in central China's Hubei

Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, has found over 105 billion cubic meters of shale gas in central China's Hubei Province.

The Sinopec Jianghan Oilfield on Tuesday said that the exploratory well it established in the Lichuan-Hongxing region of the Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture has been in trial operation for 20 days, with its daily shale gas output volume remaining stable.

Shale gas is mainly methane. It is considered a clean and new energy resource.

Sources at the oilfield said it is difficult to explore and develop the shale in the area due to its great burial depth and complex crustal stress.

The well is the second to have a stable output. The first well put into use in the region has produced more than 20 million cubic meters of shale gas.