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China to double

gas production

capacity

BEIJING: China aims to double gas production capacity to 30 billion cubic metres by 2005, the Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

China also expects to verify additional onshore gas reserves of one trillion cubic metres by the end of the century, with the cumulative total hitting two trillion cubic metres, it quoted experts of the China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) as saying.

By 2000, China's gas production capacity will increase by another 10 billion cubic metres, with the cumulative total topping 25 billion cubic metres.

Through further exploration, major breakthroughs are forecast in the expansion of proven gas reserves and production capacity in the northwestern Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia region, the Tarim basin in northwestern Xinjiang and central Sichuan province, a CNPC official said.

Annual gas output will reach 30 billion cubic metres by 2005.-Reuter