South China Morning Post: State firms seek tech help to tap China shale gas

State-backed oil and gas firms are increasingly looking to tap the expertise of technology companies - mainly in the private sector - to enhance their technical capabilities, operating efficiency and profitability.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec), the mainland's second-largest oil and gas firm, has taken the lead in the trend, forming partnerships with foreign firms which have technology that could help it tap the mainland's vast shale gas resources. It is also looking at potential cooperative ties with internet firms that could open up revenue streams for its vast petrol station network.

PetroChina, the mainland's largest oil and gas producer, has taken a less direct approach, tapping into domestic suppliers which have partnerships with foreign firms with advanced drilling technology, or entering into joint ventures with foreign oil and gas firms that already work with suppliers with such technology.

Beijing has tasked both with enhancing national energy security by lifting domestic output of hard-to-extract unconventional oil and gas, with the help of advanced foreign technology. MORE