The Tarim oilfield in China's western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region expected to see its combined output of crude oil and natural gas reach 50 million tonnes in 2020, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) announced on Friday.

Output stood at 20.3 million tonnes in 2008, with 6.45 million tonnes of crude oil and 17.3 billion cubic meters of gas (1 tonne of crude equals 1,255 cubic meters of gas), according to CNPC, which manages the field.

The Daqing oilfield in the northeastern Heilongjiang Province ranked top with annual output exceeding 40 million tonnes.

The the Tarim Basin, covering 560,000 square kilometers, has a reserve of 16 billion tonnes and is the country's fourth largest oilfield by annual output. So far only 12 percent of the total has been explored.

"With its huge potential in oil and gas exploration and production, the Tarim oilfield will help enhance China's resources supply and economic growth," said CNPC general manager Jiang Jiemin at a meeting marking the 20th anniversary of the exploration.

China's largest natural gas producer, the Tarim field has been a key provider for the 4,000-km pipeline project to bring natural gas from western China -- primarily Xinjiang and Shaanxi Province -- to the economically developed eastern regions since 2004.

The oilfield had supplied a total of 48.6 billion cubic meters of gas to more than 80 cities in 14 provinces and regions by March.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2009)