SHENZHEN, China, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 18th China International Battery Fair (CIBF2026) officially commenced on May 13 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, marking the largest edition in the event's history. Coinciding with the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, this year's fair spans 280,000 square meters across 14 exhibition halls, reuniting over 3,200 global exhibitors. Widely recognized as the world's premier battery industry showcase, CIBF2026, hosted by China Industrial Association of Power Sources (CIAPS), has attracted more than 350,000 professional attendees from around the globe, further solidifying its role as a pivotal platform for industrial innovation and international cooperation.
During the opening ceremony, senior government officials, industry executives, academics, and researchers gathered to mark the start of CIBF2026. As a leading platform for industry exchange and cooperation, CIBF remains focused on fostering technological innovation, strengthening collaboration across the entire industrial chain, and supporting the continued development of the global battery and energy storage sector.
Turning Cutting-Edge Innovation Into Real-World Applications, Powering the Next Generation of Energy
As a global launch platform for emerging technologies, CIBF2026 presented a comprehensive showcase of next-generation battery innovations and commercial applications. From conventional lithium batteries to solid-state, sodium-ion, and flow batteries, the exhibition covered the full industry spectrum, including cell manufacturing, intelligent equipment, and recycling.
Leading global battery manufacturers including CATL, BYD, EVE Energy, and Sunwoda unveiled their latest battery technologies and solutions at the event. Across the broader supply chain, companies including Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation Co., Ltd., Yudian Automation, Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co., Ltd., Yantai Leawat Power Technology Co., Ltd., and Gaoneng Digital Manufacturing showcased innovations in smart manufacturing, battery materials, and energy storage technologies.
A dedicated "Disruptive Technology Experience Zone" gave attendees a close-up view of advances ranging from solid-state battery electrolyte research to innovations in dry-electrode equipment, illustrating how the industry's competitive focus is shifting from cost competition toward technology-driven differentiation.
In addition, this year's exhibition introduced an integrated showcase spanning electric vehicles, energy storage operations, smart home systems, and outdoor equipment applications. By connecting battery technologies with real-world use cases, the event created new opportunities for cross-sector cooperation and broader commercial adoption.
Premier Industry Gathering Shapes Direction and Convenes Leading Expertise
Alongside the exhibition, CIBF2026 also hosted a series of high-level forums and technical exchange sessions, bringing together more than 2,000 industry experts, researchers, and corporate representatives from China and around the world.
Among the key events, the CIBF2026 Conference on the Frontier Technology of Advanced Batteries featured an opening ceremony alongside multiple parallel sessions held throughout the event. The sessions included Advanced Sodium-ion Battery Technologies, Battery Safety and Evaluation, Solid-state Battery and Next-generation Battery Technologies, High-Power Battery and High-Power Fast Charging Technologies, Sodium-ion Batteries, Key Materials, Carbon Footprint and Aftermarket, AI for Battery, Smart Equipment and Manufacturing, as well as the Young Scholars Forum.
A parallel session, the Conference on Next-generation Battery Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing for Electric Aviation, focused on core aviation battery technologies, including high-rate discharge performance, lightweight packaging, and thermal runaway mitigation. Another session, the 6th Conference on New Energy Storage Technology and Engineering Application, examined key breakthroughs in energy storage batteries related to lifespan, safety, and cost efficiency, reflecting the sector's increasingly central role in future power systems.
CIBF2026 will run through May 15. More than a global barometer for the battery industry, the event also serves as a reflection of the expanding international role of China's battery and energy storage sector.
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CIBF2026 Opens in Shenzhen, Showcasing Next-Generation Battery Technologies Across the Global Energy Storage Value Chain
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ZIYANG, China, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation ("Sinopec", HKG: 0386) has announced a major shale gas exploration breakthrough of its "Project Deep Earth - Sichuan and Chongqing Natural Gas Base". The Ziyang Dongfeng shale gas field, operated by Sinopec, has secured official approval for proven geological reserves of 235.687 billion cubic meters from the Ministry of Natural Resources of China. This marks the birth of China's first ultra-deep, 100-billion-cubic-meter-level shale gas field, pushing exploration and development beyond 4,500 meters.
The Ziyang Dongfeng in the Sichuan Basin is a large, integrated shale gas field discovered in the Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation, the earth's oldest commercial shale layer, formed 540 million years ago. Buried 4,500–5,200 meters deep, it posed globally recognized exploration challenges such as unclear reservoir characteristics, complex accumulation mechanisms, thick difficult-to-drill formations, and extreme heat and pressure.
The Sinopec team moved beyond conventional exploration models. By integrating AI into geophysical imaging, they effectively "CT‑scanned" subsurface formations, enabling clear reservoir identification and gas detection. Combined with breakthroughs in ultra‑deep drilling and fracturing, these efforts have yielded a fully proprietary technology system for Cambrian ultra‑deep shale gas exploration.
"After over a decade of persistent effort, we have taken Cambrian shale gas from zero to a hundred-billion-cubic-meter-scale reserve base. This validates the formation's vast potential and gives us a replicable technical pathway to expand China's shale gas development frontier," said Liu Wei, director of Sinopec Southwest Petroleum Bureau and representative of Sinopec Southwest Oil & Gas Company. "Our next step is to drive high-quality exploration and production, accelerate capacity growth at Ziyang Dongfeng, and contribute to secure national energy security."
Sinopec continues to drive the high-quality development of China's shale gas industry. In 2012, Sinopec discovered the Fuling shale gas field, launching China's commercial shale gas development and making China the third country (after the U.S. and Canada) to achieve commercial-scale shale gas production. By 2017, Sinopec had built Fuling into China's first 10-billion-cubic-meter-capacity shale gas field.
Pushing into deeper formations, Sinopec proved the Weirong shale gas field (2018), the Qijiang shale gas field (2022), and, in 2025, the Yongchuan and Hongxing fields, each with reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters.
For more information about Sinopec's efforts and achieved milestones on shale gas exploration, please visit http://www.sinopec.com/listco/en/.
ZIYANG, China, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation ("Sinopec", HKG: 0386) has announced a major shale gas exploration breakthrough of its "Project Deep Earth - Sichuan and Chongqing Natural Gas Base". The Ziyang Dongfeng shale gas field, operated by Sinopec, has secured official approval for proven geological reserves of 235.687 billion cubic meters from the Ministry of Natural Resources of China. This marks the birth of China's first ultra-deep, 100-billion-cubic-meter-level shale gas field, pushing exploration and development beyond 4,500 meters.
The Ziyang Dongfeng in the Sichuan Basin is a large, integrated shale gas field discovered in the Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation, the earth's oldest commercial shale layer, formed 540 million years ago. Buried 4,500–5,200 meters deep, it posed globally recognized exploration challenges such as unclear reservoir characteristics, complex accumulation mechanisms, thick difficult-to-drill formations, and extreme heat and pressure.
The Sinopec team moved beyond conventional exploration models. By integrating AI into geophysical imaging, they effectively "CT‑scanned" subsurface formations, enabling clear reservoir identification and gas detection. Combined with breakthroughs in ultra‑deep drilling and fracturing, these efforts have yielded a fully proprietary technology system for Cambrian ultra‑deep shale gas exploration.
"After over a decade of persistent effort, we have taken Cambrian shale gas from zero to a hundred-billion-cubic-meter-scale reserve base. This validates the formation's vast potential and gives us a replicable technical pathway to expand China's shale gas development frontier," said Liu Wei, director of Sinopec Southwest Petroleum Bureau and representative of Sinopec Southwest Oil & Gas Company. "Our next step is to drive high-quality exploration and production, accelerate capacity growth at Ziyang Dongfeng, and contribute to secure national energy security."
Sinopec continues to drive the high-quality development of China's shale gas industry. In 2012, Sinopec discovered the Fuling shale gas field, launching China's commercial shale gas development and making China the third country (after the U.S. and Canada) to achieve commercial-scale shale gas production. By 2017, Sinopec had built Fuling into China's first 10-billion-cubic-meter-capacity shale gas field.
Pushing into deeper formations, Sinopec proved the Weirong shale gas field (2018), the Qijiang shale gas field (2022), and, in 2025, the Yongchuan and Hongxing fields, each with reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters.
For more information about Sinopec's efforts and achieved milestones on shale gas exploration, please visit http://www.sinopec.com/listco/en/.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Sinopec's Ziyang Dongfeng Shale Gas Field Reports Proven Reserve of 235.687 Billion Cubic Meters
