Zhong Guo Neng Yuan Wang·2025-08-14 07:56Core Insights - China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has achieved a significant breakthrough in the "Deep Earth Engineering · Sichuan-Chongqing Natural Gas Base" with the confirmation of an additional proven geological reserve of 124.588 billion cubic meters in the Yongchuan shale gas field, marking the establishment of another large-scale deep shale gas field in China with reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters [1][2] Group 1: Geological and Technical Developments - The Yongchuan shale gas field is located in the Yongchuan District of Chongqing, within the complex structural area of the southern Sichuan Basin, with the main section buried deeper than 3,500 meters [2] - The initial exploration well, Yongye 1HF, drilled in 2016, led to a major breakthrough in discovering the Yongchuan shale gas field, with an additional proven geological reserve of 23.453 billion cubic meters confirmed in 2019 [2] - The total proven geological reserves of the Yongchuan shale gas field have reached 148.041 billion cubic meters following ongoing exploration efforts [2] Group 2: Innovative Techniques and Efficiency Improvements - The research team collected extensive high-precision 3D seismic data and conducted multiple rounds of integrated geological, geophysical, and engineering research, leading to the development of new structural imaging techniques and high-precision imaging technologies [4] - Innovations in differential transformation strategies for deep shale gas and the creation of strong support volume fracturing technology have significantly improved the efficiency of shale gas extraction, resulting in a notable increase in the average economic recoverable reserves per well [4] Group 3: Strategic Importance and Future Plans - The Yongchuan shale gas field is situated in the core area for increasing reserves and production of shale gas in southern Sichuan, which is crucial for ensuring national energy security [6] - The company plans to advance shale gas development in the southern Sichuan region by following a strategy of "building one area, evaluating one area, and tackling challenges in one area," aiming to steadily enhance reserve utilization rates and gas field recovery rates [6] - Sinopec has been actively promoting deep natural gas exploration and development in the Sichuan Basin, which is rich in deep oil and gas resources, contributing significantly to the country's green and low-carbon development [6]