CHONGQING - Fuling, China's largest shale gas field, generated more than 6 billion cubic meters of shale gas in 2017, according to its developer Sinopec.
 
The field's gas sales reached nearly 5.8 billion cubic meters last year, an increase of 20 percent year-on-year.
 
By 2017, the Fuling shale gas field, developed by China's leading oil refiner Sinopec in the southwest municipality of Chongqing, had produced more than 15 billion cubic meters.
 
The new industry has helped the region improve its energy structure and shift away from traditional energy sources such as coal in recent years.
 
It is estimated that 3 billion cubic meters of shale gas is equivalent to burning 6 million metric tons of coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 4.2 million tons.
 
China has made breakthroughs in shale gas exploration both in capacity and drilling techniques, making it one of the top shale gas suppliers in the world.
 
By 2020, proven reserves of shale gas will surpass 1.5 trillion cubic meters, according to plans released by authorities in 2017.