Data released by the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Statistics on September 18 reveals that the region has intensified exploration and development of unconventional natural gas this year, achieving notable results in boosting production and ensuring supply. Cumulative output for the first eight months reached 13.32 billion cubic meters, setting a new historical high for the same period. August alone saw production of 1.68 billion cubic meters, a 7.7% year-on-year increase, demonstrating steady growth momentum.

As a major comprehensive energy base in China, Shanxi boasts outstanding unconventional natural gas resource endowments, with estimated total resources of approximately 20 trillion cubic meters, accounting for 8% of the nation's total predicted natural gas resources. In recent years, the province has focused on increasing reserves and production, overcoming technical development challenges, continuously optimizing block layouts, and advancing technological innovation, steadily improving industrial development quality and efficiency.

Zhang Xiang, Director of the Shanxi Provincial Energy Bureau, stated that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the province built six large-scale gas fields with an annual production capacity of 1 billion cubic meters each. It also established the nation's largest medium-shallow coalbed methane field, the largest deep coalbed methane field, and the province's first large-scale integrated tight gas field, continuously consolidating the industrial foundation. Looking ahead to the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Shanxi is promoting the transformation of resource advantages into industrial and economic advantages, implementing a zone-by-zone development strategy that maintains stable production from shallow coalbed methane, ramps up production from deep coalbed methane, and controls and reduces tight gas output. The goal is to exceed 30 billion cubic meters of annual unconventional natural gas production by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

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These developments underscore the province's robust expansion in the sector. The production data for August, which climbed 7.7% compared to the same month last year, reflects a sustained upward trajectory that has persisted throughout the year, reinforcing Shanxi's pivotal role in the national energy landscape.