China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Tarim Oilfields Co. Ltd. on Tuesday announced it will boost gas production and be in a position to supply fuel to 60 million Chinese homes by the year 2010.

 

Sun Longde, general manager of CNPC Tarim Oilfields Co. Ltd., said his company is aiming to become the world's first-class gas-producing base, producing 20 billion cu m of gas.

 

CNPC Tarim Oilfields Co. Ltd. is a key actor in the 4,000-km pipeline project designed to bring natural gas from western China -- primarily Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Shaanxi Province -- to 34 cities in the economically developed but energy-starved eastern areas of the country.

 

It has pumped 10 billion cu m of gas through the west-to-east gas pipeline since the beginning of the year.

 

On the basis that each household consumes one cu m of gas per day, Sun said his company is currently capable of providing fuel to 30 million Chinese homes or 100 million people.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2006)