Developers of two key oilfields in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have pledged to further tap oil and gas reserves and boost their production capacity in the coming years.

Karamay Oilfield is expected to realize an annual crude oil output of 16 million tonnes and 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas by 2015, according to Chen Xinfa, general manager of Xinjiang Oilfield Company, a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

The oilfield, reporting 28 consecutive years of increase in crude oil output, produced 12.2 million tonnes of oil in 2008. Natural gas output hit 3.42 billion cubic meters last year, 520 million cubic meters more than that of 2007.

Chen said its company will further explore oil and gas reserves in the area and adjust and improve production methods to realize the goal.

Another key oilfield of Tahe, being developed by Sinopec, is expected to produce more than 10 million tonnes of crude oil annually by next year, a huge jump from last year's output of 6 million tonnes.

Sinopec plans to invest 9.8 billion yuan (US$1.43 billion) in the oilfield this year to produce 6.59 million tonnes of crude oil and 1.21 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

According to a medium and long-term development plan, Sinopec will strive to increase the oilfield's combined oil and gas output capacity to 15 million tonnes annually by 2015. By 2020, the figure is expected to increase to between 20 million and 25 million tonnes.

Both oilfields are located in Xinjiang's Junggar Basin, which stores oil and gas reserves totaling 10.7 billion tonnes, only 21percent of which has been ascertained by now.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2009)