Shanxi province's unconventional natural gas production in the first half of the year has reached a new historical peak, driven by continuous breakthroughs in extraction technology and the ongoing improvement of the supply pipeline network.

The commissioning of several large gas fields has consistently supported the province's green transition and solidified its strategic position as a national base for unconventional natural gas.

Data released by the provincial statistics bureau on July 21 shows that Shanxi has continuously intensified efforts to increase the production and supply of unconventional natural gas in the first half of this year, with total output reaching 10.05 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%, setting a new record for the same period in history.

This marks another significant achievement from Shanxi's advancement of the comprehensive energy revolution reform pilot and the accelerated construction of the unconventional natural gas base.

Unconventional natural gas, which includes shale gas, tight sandstone gas, and coalbed methane, is a crucial component of clean, low-carbon energy.

In recent years, Shanxi has prioritized increasing reserves and production of unconventional natural gas as a key measure for ensuring energy supply and facilitating green transformation, leading to consecutive annual increases in output.

The rapid growth in production is underpinned by continuous breakthroughs in core technologies.

Currently, the province has established a three-tier innovation system led by the national key laboratory for coal and coalbed methane co-mining, with close collaboration between provincial-level technology innovation centers and corporate R&D platforms.

Technological innovations have been achieved in core processes such as drilling, fracturing, and drainage, while models like the commercial development of deep coalbed methane and the integrated mining of coal and gas have been successfully demonstrated and applied, significantly enhancing resource extraction efficiency.

Simultaneously, Shanxi continues to promote the efficient development of unconventional natural gas resources across different strata and depths and is accelerating pipeline interconnectivity.

The province has already built six large gas fields with an annual output exceeding 1 billion cubic meters each, and the total length of long-distance natural gas pipelines has reached 9,477 kilometers, achieving basic coverage across all counties and significantly improving convenience for residential gas use.

It is reported that the province's unconventional natural gas production is projected to reach 18.23 billion cubic meters in 2025, representing an 8.9% year-on-year increase.

The breakthrough of 10 billion cubic meters in the first half of this year continues the rapid growth trend, further consolidating Shanxi's status as a national unconventional natural gas base and providing a crucial safeguard for national energy security.