The West Qurna-1 oilfield in Iraq, one of the world's largest oilfields, has reached a production milestone in PetroChina's first year as the lead contractor.
Located 50 kilometers northwest of Basra in southern Iraq, the West Qurna-1 oilfield holds geological reserves of 10 billion tons, with an estimated remaining recoverable amount of 3.06 billion tons. It's annual output of crude oil exceeds 25 million tons.
PetroChina, one of China's major oil and gas producers and distributors, replaced ExxonMobil as the lead contractor for the West Qurna-1 oilfield, holding the largest stake, with development officially kicking off on Jan 1, 2024.
Since then, PetroChina has helped steadily increase production at the oilfield to 550,000 barrels per day.
The Iraqi government has given credit to PetroChina for Iraq's energy development sector.
"The oilfield is currently being developed by PetroChina, which has made significant efforts to continue its development, increasing its daily production to 550,000 barrels. The company also prioritizes regional public welfare, delivering benefits to the local community by rebuilding roads, providing essential services, and creating more jobs in the area," said Hayyan Abdul Ghani, Iraqi deputy prime minister for energy affairs and minister of oil.
Looking ahead, the oilfield is aiming for further production increases.
"With the help of PetroChina, we have witnessed significant progress in both oilfield production and local livelihoods. The company has also provided services to local communities living near the oilfield. There have been notable improvements in the oilfield's development plans, production capacity, and crude oil quality. We are confident that we will ultimately achieve a daily production of 800,000 barrels, and even reach 1.2 million barrels," said Bassem Al-Ghalabi, deputy general manager of Basra Oil Company.
PetroChina-led operations push Iraqi oilfield to record output
Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province saw a soaring number of visitors from abroad on Thursday, the first day of 2026 and also the opening day of China's three-day New Year holiday, as festive celebrations unfolded across the city.
Major border checkpoints in the city recorded peak inbound passenger flows, with large numbers of travelers from Hong Kong, Macao and overseas entering the city to experience its vibrant holiday vibes.
"I'm so happy 'cause this is the first day of 2026, and I'm bringing my friends to visit Shenzhen," said a visitor from Hong Kong.
International tourists also shared their excitement.
"It's a very modern city and it's interesting to see such a New Year Eve in such a city," said an overseas visitor.
The inbound passenger flow at Luohu Port peaked from 8:00 to 20:00 on Thursday, said an officer there, adding the average daily passenger flow during the New Year break is expected to reach about 240,000.
At the West Kowloon Station port, eye-catching red decorations themed around the upcoming 2026 Spring Festival which will mark the beginning of the Year of the Horse added to the festive mood.
As a key transportation hub of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the port also saw heavy two-way passenger traffic. Daily cross-border passenger flow there is expected to average around 100,000 during the holiday.
An Australian tourist said he was looking forward to his trip to south China.
"I am from Melbourne, Australia and I'm coming to Guangzhou and Shenzhen in China. I'm excited to see all the tall buildings, especially all the ones that light up and experience a new culture in China." said a tourist.
Outside the ports, celebrations were in full swing as the city prepared for rising visitor numbers.
A large-scale parade featuring more than 30 themed formations kicked off in the morning along the 1.6-kilometer Festival Avenue in Shenzhen's Futian District.
The event drew huge crowds with inflatable cartoon characters, lively drum performances, and traditional Yingge Dance -- a form of folk dance popular in south China's Guangdong Province that merges opera, dance, and martial arts.
Nearby commercial zones also rolled out special consumption coupons, allowing visitors to enjoy a one-stop experience combining festive celebrations and shopping.
"The atmosphere is really nice. We feel very welcomed here. It's a very, very international vibe", said an international visitor.
China continues to grow in popularity as a destination for overseas travelers. Data from online tourism platforms show that inbound flight bookings to China rose 20 percent year on year on the first day of the holiday, with Shenzhen ranking fifth among the country's most popular inbound travel destinations.
"On the first day of holiday, international flight ticket purchases to Shenzhen has increased by 52.5 percent while the international flight bookings to the city has grown by 33 percent," said Shi Ke, a researcher from big data research institute of Qunar, an online travel service provider.
Shenzhen embraces influx of visitors on first day of 2026
