島根・山口沖でガス田調査　３０年ぶり国産へ３月から試掘―ＩＮＰＥＸ

　資源開発大手ＩＮＰＥＸ（インペックス）は１７日、島根・山口両県の沖合で、海洋ガス田の試掘調査を３月から７月まで実施すると発表した。関係者によると、十分な埋蔵量が見つかれば、２０３２年ごろに生産を開始できる見通しという。国産天然ガスの本格的な生産が実現すれば、陸上を含むガス田では約２０年ぶり、海洋ガス田では約３０年ぶりの新規案件となる。（2022/01/17-19:57）

Inpex Corp. said Monday that it will conduct an exploratory drilling survey off Japan's western coast from March to July, expecting natural gas production from around 2032 if sufficient reserves are discovered.
   It would be Japan's first full-fledged natural gas production in some 20 years and the first in an offshore field in about 30 years.
   In 2019, Japan's natural gas imports totaled around 76.5 million tons, accounting for 97.8 pct of domestic consumption, while gas production at home came to about 1.73 million tons, or only 2.2 pct.
   The potential gas field off the coast of Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures is hoped to produce over 900,000 tons per year, pushing up the proportion of domestically supplied natural gas to 3.4 pct.
   The exploratory drilling survey will take place at a depth of approximately 240 meters, some 130 kilometers to the northwest of the Shimane city of Hamada and some 150 kilometers to the north of the Yamaguchi city of Hagi.