China produced 4.88 billion cubic meters of natural gas in October or 16.4% more than in the same month of 2005, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
This meant that output of natural gas in the first ten months of this year totaled 47.96 billion cubic meters, which was 20.8% above the same level of the corresponding period a year earlier.
The data also showed that fuel oil output in October rose by 11.1% to 2.13 million metric tons, or an average of 443,000 barrels a day. However, fuel oil production between January and October fell by 7.6% on year to 18.79 million tons, or an average of 398,000 barrels a day.
China's natural gas output has grown as major producers including China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., or Sinopec Corp. (SNP), and PetroChina Co. (PTR) answered the call of the government to increase the proportion of natural gas in the country's energy mix.
At the time of its third quarter results last month, PetroChina said it was expecting to raise annual gas output by 26% in 2006 compared with a year earlier, as it cashed in on higher selling prices.
Sinopec, which is developing gas fields in the Ordos Basin in the northern autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, told investors at the time of its results that its natural gas output in the first nine months of this year was up 18.1% on year.
Output growth comes against a background of major gas finds including the Puguang Gas Field by Sinopec in the southwestern province of Sichuan last year, which is the largest gas field in China to date.
Investment in infrastructure that can bring gas to densely populated areas on the eastern seaboard is also being ramped up by China's oil titans, with Sinopec vowing to link its newly found gas fields in Sichuan with its existing pipeline networks.
Monday's data showed that production of lubricant oil rose by 1.5% on year in October to 449,920 tons and was 1% higher in the first ten months of this year at 4.75 million tons. It completes the picture of China's energy production in October, with other data such as Chinese refinery throughput having been released at the end of last week.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, crude runs rose 5.4% on year in October to 25.65 million metric tons or an average of 6.06 million barrels a day. Gasoline output was up 3.8% on year at 4.76 million tons last month, while kerosene output was up 10.1% on year at 819,000 tons. Diesel output in October was up 4.6% on year at 9.85 million tons.
Source:佚名