(Dailytimes, Dec 24, 2006) State oil giant China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) is shooting for a 23 percent rise in its natural gas output in 2007 to meet the country¡¯s fast-growing energy demand, the Shanghai Securities News said on Saturday.

CNPC, the parent of Hong Kong and New York-listed PetroChina, is expected to pump 44 billion cubic metres of natural gas in 2006, up 20.5 percent, the official newspaper said. The output target for 2007 had been set at 54 billion cubic metres, up 22.7%, the newspaper said. Its annual output would rise further to 65.8 billion cubic metres in 2010, it said.

Source:Dailytimes