China homes in on shale gas

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), the country's largest state-owned petroleum and gas company, is evaluating potential shale gas resources to help meet growing energy demand, CNPC’s Deputy General Manager Liao Yongyuan told a state-run publication.
   
At present, there is no shale gas production in China and the evaluation of potential resources is only at a preliminary stage, Liao said, adding that the company aims to produce 500 million cubic meters (mcm) of shale gas by 2015.

Analysts say