BP, CNPC sign second shale gas production sharing contract

(Reuters) - Oil major BP Plc said on Thursday it had signed a second shale gas production sharing contract with China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) [CNPET.UL]. The contract with state-owned CNPC, signed in July, covers an area of about 1,000 square kilometres at Rong Chang Bei in the Sichuan Basin, BP said in a statement. The Sichuan Basin, also known as the Szechwan Basin, is a lowland region located in southwestern China.