China's Ministry of Natural Resources said on Wednesday that during the 14th Five-Year Plan(2021-25)period,225 large and medium-sized crude oil and natural gas fields were discovered,including 13 oil fields with reserves exceeding 100 million tons and 26 gas fields with reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters.
The ministry said that,during period,in collaboration with relevant departments,it made oil and gas the top priority of the new round of strategic mineral exploration breakthroughs,with a cumulative investment of nearly 450 billion yuan($65.81 billion),and vowed to resolutely ensure that China's energy supply remains firmly within its own control.
The remarks were made at the regular press briefing held by the ministry,which introduces the achievements of China's new round of strategic mineral exploration breakthroughs,including the oil and gas resources.
The ministry said the newly proven geological reserves of petroleum and hydrocarbon natural gas rose by 51.7 percent and 44.2 percent,respectively,compared to the last year of the 13th Five-Year Plan(2016-20)period.
Newly proven geological reserves of deep coal-bed methane exceeded 1 trillion cubic meters,surpassing the total cumulative proven reserves of shallow coal-bed methane in history.
In 2025,there reported shale oil proven geological reserves scatter across five major basins and eight oil fields,accounting for 38 percent of the year's new proven crude oil reserves.Unconventional oil and natural gas exploration has become a new engine driving high-growth increases,according to the ministry.
In 2025,China's crude oil production hit a record high of 216 million tons.Natural gas output exceeded 260 billion cubic meters,rising by over 10 billion cubic meters annually for nine straight years.Shale oil output topped 8.5 million tons,and shale gas remained above 27 billion cubic meters,providing key support for increasing reserves and production.
Total oil and gas production reached 420 million tons of oil equivalent,making a vital contribution to national energy security,the ministry said.
In the deep-sea sector,the ultra-deep-water gas field,Deep Sea No.1 was successfully brought into production,positioning China among the world's leaders in deep-water oil and gas exploration and development.Total offshore oil and gas output surpassed 90 million tons of oil equivalent,representing a major substantive breakthrough in the strategic expansion of exploration from shallow to deep strata and from land to sea.
The significance of the oil and gas exploration breakthroughs achieved during the 14th Five-Year Plan period goes beyond mere numerical growth in reserves and production,Niu Li,an official from the ministry,said.
More importantly,"we have extended our exploration reach into deeper and more challenging frontiers,expanding the space for exploration and development,and firmly placing the initiative for energy security in our own hands,"Niu added.
Moving forward,"we will continue to advance oil and gas exploration and development,consolidate the positive trend of stable oil and increased gas,"and resolutely ensure that China's energy supply remains firmly within its own control,Niu said.
