China firms curb conventional gas output

Beijing

CHINA'S state energy giants are reducing output from conventional natural gas fields as demand growth for the fuel eases to a multi-year low, local media and sources said, although shale gas targets are being maintained.

Sinopec Corp and PetroChina have restricted production at two major conventional fields - Puguang and Anyue - in the Sichuan gas basin, as a cooling economy curbs fuel use by industries such as chemical plants and glass and ceramics makers.

By end-August, Sinopec had closed 12 wells at Puguang, one of the country's largest with annual production capacity of 12 billion cubic metres (bcm), and planned to shut in another 15 wells, the Sichuan Daily reported, citi…