A large coal gas field with resources estimated at 400 billion cu m has been developed in Shanxi province of North China, according to the China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC).

The CNPC source said that the coal gas field, covering an area of 1,768 sq. km, contains 47.4 billion cu m of coal gas, expected to help accelerate energy development in the central parts of China and reduce pollution.

Experts with CNPC noted that China is very rich in coal gas resources which are expected to become one of China's major energy sources after coal, petroleum and natural gas.