China looks to geology for energy

BEIJING, April 5 (UPI) -- China is promoting energy exploration to help fulfill the country's growing energy needs.

Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday Chinese leaders have called for oil and natural gas prospecting to be made a priority of geological surveys.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, in a letter to a national meeting on geology, highlighted increased energy efficiency, exploration of mineral resources, preventing and controlling geological disasters and improving the ecological environment as the four key priorities for geological work.

Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, who attended the meeting, told Xinhua: "Facilitating geological work is an important way to ease resource bottlenecks and enhance domestic resource supply capacity."

China's geological goals, both short- and long-term, are focused on the use of energy resources to create "a batch of resource bases," Xinhua reported.

Technological innovation was a final key factor, emphasized for its ability to improve geological surveys and findings.