On November 17, 2023, Wang Guanghua, the Party Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Chief Inspector of National Natural Resources, visited the ZPEC Wensu Block in Xinjiang for investigation. He spoke highly of ZPEC's active participation in the exploration block bidding process and its efficient promotion of oil and gas resource exploration and production after winning the bid. He encouraged the company to increase exploration and production, increase reserves and production, and actively participate in a new round of oil and gas mineral rights transfers. He further went on to encourage the company to make new and greater contributions to increase reserves and production of national oil and gas resources and the reform of the mineral rights system.

Xie Chengxiang, the Director of the General Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Du Guanyin, the Director of the Comprehensive Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiong Zili, the Director of the Geological Exploration and Management Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Yin Jinlong, the Deputy Director of the Minister’s Office (General Duty Office) of the General Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Maierdan Mugeti, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region Vice Chairman of the People's Government, Liu Jianguo, the Deputy Secretary-General of the People's Government of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Adili Aili, the Deputy Secretary of the Aksu Prefectural Committee and Commissioner of the Administrative Office, Chang Yuxuan, the Member of the Aksu Prefectural Committee and Director of the Propaganda Department, Peng Gang, the Deputy Secretary of the Aksu Administrative Office Commissioner, Yang Yong, the Party Secretary and Deputy Director of Aksu Prefecture Natural Resources Bureau, and Alia Setiniyaz, the Wensu County Magistrate, accompanied the investigation.

The purpose of this survey was to gain an on-site understanding of the institutional practices and pilot results of private enterprises participating in oil and gas resource exploration and production mechanisms. At 18:00 that day, Wang Guanghua and his party came to the Wen 7 Oil Production Well Station of the ZPEC Wenbei Oilfield discovery well located in Wensu County. He visited the production site and listened to Li Xuesong, the Vice President of ZPEC Group and the General Manager of ZPEC (Aksu) Oil and Gas Company, speak about the company's development, mining rights transfer, oilfield exploration and production, and the national 14th Five-Year Plan.

Wang Guanghua pointed out that ZPEC is a pioneer and "Model Enterprise" for private enterprises to participate in the National Oil and Gas System Reform. The company has made positive contributions to national energy security and local economic and social development, and has also set a benchmark and demonstration for the competitive transfer of exploration blocks. He congratulated the company on a series of achievements and hoped to further accelerate the pace of oil and gas exploration and production, increase reserves and increase production, play a leading role in a new round of strategic actions for mineral prospecting breakthroughs, and strive to achieve new breakthroughs. At the same time, he emphasized that enterprises should combine their own advantages with Xinjiang's resource endowment advantages, actively participate in a new round of oil and gas exploration rights transfers, help speed up the reform of exploration rights, stimulate market vitality, and improve the country's ability to guarantee oil and gas resources.

 Li Xuesong expressed his deep gratitude to the Ministry of Natural Resources and other central ministries and local governments at all levels including the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Aksu Prefecture, and Wensu County for their care and assistance to the Wensu Project. He said that the reform of the national mineral rights system had brought good opportunities to enterprises. In the future, the company will actively leverage its integration advantages, actively participate in the transfer and bidding of national oil and gas blocks, strive to obtain more blocks, accelerate the pace of exploration and development, promote new results and breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration, and make greater contributions to ensuring national energy security.

(Zhongman Oil and Gas Text/Chen Lulu Photo/Shang Zhigang)