On December 18, CNPC and Chevron Corporation signed a production sharing contract in Beijing on the joint development of Chuandongbei natural gas resources in southwestern China's Sichuan Province.Hu Wenrui, Vice President of PetroChina, and John S. Watson, Vice President of Chevron, signed the contract on behalf of each side.
The Chuandongbei block, covering nearly 2,000 square kilometers, includes the Tieshanpo, Dukouhe-Qilibei and Luojiazhai gas fields and has proven reserves of 176 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The complex settings of both the surface and subsurface, along with the high sulfur content in the gas, mean that the development of the area faces great challenges. However, its abundant resources and the available gas pipeline nearby offer the project favorable prospects and convenience in terms of marketing.