China discovers 1.6 bln metric tons of fossil oil in 2021

(ECNS) -- China discovered over 1.6 billion metric tons of fossil oil, and 1.6 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, shale gas, and coalbed methane in 2021, the latest data released by the Ministry of Natural Resources showed.

The output of major mineral products continued to grow, making important contributions to the supply of basic raw materials, the ministry said.

By the end of 2021, the remaining recoverable reserves of fossil oil and natural gas in China reached 3.689 billion metric tons and 6,339.267 billion cubic meters, respectively.

Significant progress has been made in the geological exploration of non-fossil oil and gas minerals. In 2021, 95 new mineral deposits had been discovered across the country, of which 38 were large and 34, medium.

A total 173 kinds of minerals had been discovered nationwide by the end of 2021, including 13 kinds of energy, 59 kinds of metal, 95 kinds of non-metal, and six kinds of water and gas minerals.