China Issues First Shale Gas Tenders

Chinese state media reports that the country has issued its first shale gas exploration tender with an offering of four blocks.

Xinhua News Agency reported that the blocks are mostly in the southwestern provinces of Chongqing and Guizhou and cover an area of 11,000 square kilometers.

The initial offering is smaller than previously announced plan to offer eight blocks totaling an area of 18,000 sq km.

The Ministry of Land and Resources issued the tender to PetroChina Co Ltd., China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec), CNOOC Ltd., Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group, China United Coal Bed Methane Co., and Henan Provincial Coal Seam Gas Development and Utilisation Co.

A Ministry official has said that more tenders would follow but they would target only Chinese companies. Foreign companies were welcome to join with Chinese partners for evaluation and exploration of shale gas concessions.