The government has approved the program on the study of functional microbial genes in connection with oil extraction, saidan official from the Ministry of Science and Technology Friday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, An Daochang of the ministry said China could largely improve its oil extraction technology and increase its attainable oil reserve if the program succeeds.

The program, which is expected to be completed between 2005 and2010, is now being jointly carried out by the Daqing Petroleum Administration, a large oilfield in northeast China's HeilongjiangProvince, and at a national laboratory on viral genes in Beijing.

"We are confident of reaching the goal," said Jin Qi, a chief scientist from the lab.

According to the experts, the attainable amount of petroleum merely accounts for a small portion of the existing oil reserve. Chinese scientists hope that the new technology could help extractsix to ten percent more from the geological oil reserves in the country.

The new oil extraction technology is based on the theory that in the hundreds or thousands of meters-deep oil strata, there exist a large number of microbes living under conditions of high temperatures, high pressure, high content of salt, and absence of oxygen.

In the process of metabolism, these microbes work to separate heavy components and other impurities while producing acidic materials, solvents, macromolecular polymers and gas, which propels oil to move out of the terrain, thus making it easier for oil extraction.

The study aims to use genetic engineering methods to restructure the functions of natural germs and create a kind of fluid that could be injected into the strata to extract oil, according Qi Danhua, head of the research team.

So far, the scientists have selected two species of microbial germs with the function of oil extraction and built up the database of their genomes. Meanwhile, the scientists have sequenced part of their genes and drawn up working drafts for them.

The scientists plan to complete the entire sequencing and the precise drawing of the complete genes for these germs.

Jin said that the new technology causes no pollution and could be adopted in most geological conditions in China and in some other parts of the world.

Only a few nations like China and the United States have started similar research programs so far, according to the Chinesescientists.

China, which has been a net oil importer since 1993, imported 69.41 million tons of crude oil last year.

With greater concern over its oil security, China has begun to build up its own strategic oil stocks. Meanwhile, the country is cooperating with Russia, Central Asian nations, Japan and Korea toestablish strategic cooperation on oil security.

(People's Daily March 22, 2003)