A joint venture of China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and domestic companies has started drilling its first shale gas well in the southwest Sichuan province, CNPC said on Wednesday. Sichuan Changning Natural Gas Development Co last week started drilling the Changning H3-6 well in Changning block and is expected to finish drilling in 70 days, CNPC said on its website (news.cnpc.com.cn). Sichuan Changning Natural Gas Development Co was founded in Dec 2013 by CNPC, Sichuan Energy Investment Co, Yibin State Assets Operation Co and a Beijing investment fund. The company is China’s first joint venture by an oil major and domestic companies dedicated for shale gas development, it said. CNPC, parent of PetroChina , plans to drill some 50 shale gas wells in Changning block this year. Shale gas production in Changning block is expected to be 1.0 billion cubic metres in 2015, it […]