Working gas in storage was 2,053 Bcf as of Friday, May 25, 2007, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 107 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 179 Bcf less than last year at this time and 355 Bcf above the 5-year average of 1,698 Bcf. In the East Region, stocks were 123 Bcf above the 5-year average following net injections of 65 Bcf. Stocks in the Producing Region were 175 Bcf above the 5-year average of 593 Bcf after a net injection of 28 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 57 Bcf above the 5-year average after a net addition of 14 Bcf. At 2,053 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range.

China's state run media is reporting that a large natural gas reserve has been discovered in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

A total of 3.8 trillion cubic metres (133 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas deposits have been found in the western part of the Sichuan Basin, the China Daily said, citing officials in Dazhou city, near the reserve.

The discovery is equivalent to about 60 years of China's total production at current output levels.

The deposits include proven exploitable reserves of a newly-discovered 244 billion cubic metres of gas alongside the 356 billion cubic metres in Puguang gas field, which was announced in March, the report said.

It has become the largest gas field in the country, topping the Sulige gas field in north China's Inner Mongolia Region discovered last year with exploitable reserves of 533.6 billion cubic metres, the newspaper said.

China plans to boost its annual natural gas output from 49.3 billion cubic metres in 2005 to 92 billion cubic metres by 2010, as consumption is expected to more than double the 2005 figure to top 100 billion cubic metres by 2010.

The government has strengthened exploration efforts in a bid to feed the country's brisk economic expansion that has seen double-digit growth for four consecutive years.

Last week, a large gas field with reserves of nearly 30 billion cubic metres was discovered in Karamay in the Xinjiang region in the northwest.

A major oil field, the Jidong Nanpu oil field in Bohai Bay in the north, has also been announced recently.

The oil field is the largest discovery in the country in more than four decades, with expected reserves reaching one billion tonnes or about 7.35 billion barrels.

Working gas in storage was 1,946 Bcf as of Friday, May 18, 2007, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 104 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 205 Bcf less than last year at this time and 334 Bcf above the 5-year average of 1,612 Bcf. In the East Region, stocks were 111 Bcf above the 5-year average following net injections of 67 Bcf. Stocks in the Producing Region were 169 Bcf above the 5-year average of 571 Bcf after a net injection of 23 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 55 Bcf above the 5-year average after a net addition of 14 Bcf. At 1,946 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range.

Working gas in storage was 1,842 Bcf as of Friday, May 11, 2007, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 95 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 225 Bcf less than last year at this time and 315 Bcf above the 5-year average of 1,527 Bcf. In the East Region, stocks were 96 Bcf above the 5-year average following net injections of 61 Bcf. Stocks in the Producing Region were 168 Bcf above the 5-year average of 549 Bcf after a net injection of 22 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 51 Bcf above the 5-year average after a net addition of 12 Bcf. At 1,842 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range.

Working gas in storage was 1,747 Bcf as of Friday, May 4, 2007, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 96 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 230 Bcf less than last year at this time and 297 Bcf above the 5-year average of 1,450 Bcf. In the East Region, stocks were 83 Bcf above the 5-year average following net injections of 61 Bcf. Stocks in the Producing Region were 166 Bcf above the 5-year average of 529 Bcf after a net injection of 23 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 49 Bcf above the 5-year average after a net addition of 12 Bcf. At 1,747 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range.

Working gas in storage was 1,651 Bcf as of Friday, April 27, 2007, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 87 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 245 Bcf less than last year at this time and 266 Bcf above the 5-year average of 1,385 Bcf. In the East Region, stocks were 58 Bcf above the 5-year average following net injections of 52 Bcf. Stocks in the Producing Region were 161 Bcf above the 5-year average of 511 Bcf after a net injection of 25 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 46 Bcf above the 5-year average after a net addition of 10 Bcf. At 1,651 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range.