Nation to boost gas production

In a move aimed at meeting rising domestic demand for oil and natural gas, China plans to boost production of these essential fuels by 4 percent and 58 percent, respectively, by 2011.

Crude oil output is expected to touch 198 million tons, while natural gas production will be 120 billion cu m in 2011, a three-year plan chalked out by the National Energy Administration has outlined.

Under the blueprint, China will build some large oil and gas production bases over the next three years. The country will stabilize the output from oil fields in northeast China and the Bohai Sea Bay area, while speeding development of fields in the Tarim, Junggar, Erdos and Sichuan basins.