Gazprom technicians will be assigned to Chinese shale gas fields under development by China National Petroleum Corp. in a partnership program the companies have discussed extending.

The Russian company said its technicians first will visit production facilities of Changning field near the town of Yibin in Sichuan Province.

At a recent meeting in Chengdu, China, Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Wang Dongjin, CNPC vice-president, discussed a possible extension of a program formed under an "agreement of strategic cooperation" signed in October 2004, which has been developed through later agreements covering supply of gas to China by Gazprom.

The companies also are exploring cooperation in gas processing and chemical projects in eastern Russia and third countries.

The companies also are exploring cooperation in gas processing and chemical projects in eastern Russia and third countries. China's shale gas resource is considered highly promising (OGJ Online, June 5, 2012).