China plans to produce 6.5 billion cubic meters (628,600 Mcf/day) of shale gas by 2015, the National Energy Administration said Friday at a press briefing, according to local media.
The figure is an official target set by the agency under a new development plan for shale gas during China's current five-year economic plan which ends in 2015.
The shale gas plan was formulated by the NEA, the National Development and Reform Commission and the ministries of finance and land and resources.
The priority to 2015 will be on exploring and developing reserves, with large-scale commercial production possibly being realized by 2020, the NEA reportedly said at the press briefing.
The plan calls for the acceleration of exploration and development, technological advancement and innovation to exploit shale reserves.
By 2015, China should complete the evaluation and assessment of its shale potential and reserves across the country, establish 19 shale development zones and implement measures to produce the gas on a larger scale.
China currently has no commercial production of shale gas.
State firms are in the early stages of exploration, focusing on the central provinces and existing gas-rich basins.
Last week, Sinopec said it had successfully flowed shale gas at an average 17,900 Mcf/day from 21 test wells in the Yuanba gas field in Sichuan province.
In December China's Ministry of Land and Resources said that the State Council, or cabinet, had approved the designation of shale gas as an independent mineral resource in the country, signaling its strategic importance in the overall energy mix in future.
The government also said shale gas exploration would be stepped up this year.
MLR Vice Minister Wang Min reportedly said last month that China's shale gas resources are estimated at 31 trillion cubic meters, equivalent to its reserves of conventional natural gas.
