Karamay city center in 1958

Karamay city center in 1972

Karamay city center in 2016

Oil and Gas Production Development

Karamay is an important oil and gas producing base in Western China. Over the past 60 years, its accumulated crude oil output has reached 340 million tons, while the accumulated natural gas output has exceeded 70 billion cubic meters.

In 2015, 12.82 million tons of crude oil and 3.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas were produced by the two major oil companies in Karamay, Petro China Xinjiang Oilfield Company and Sinopec Xinchun Oil Production Plant. The city has also been granted a mining concession to develop its oil sands. It is the first concession granted to a local government to develop oil sands.

Technology Development

Karamay is one of the CNPC's regional oil and gas technical service centers. The Karamay center contains a full-spectrum of technical service companies, such as CNPC's West Drilling Company, Xinjiang Petroleum Engineering Co., Ltd, and Xinjiang Petroleum Engineering Construction Co., Ltd. Local technical service companies, such as Zhengtong, Beiken, Keli and Hongdu are also growing in importance.

The city is home to 34 scientific research institutions, which also provide technical services such as the Central Asia Research Institute. These organizations provide oil and gas technical services for 12 countries and regions, including Russia, Sudan, and Pakistan.

Mechanical Manufacturing Development

Karamay has been manufacturing oilfield machinery and equipment for more than 60 years. The equipment manufactured includes items such as pumping units, steam-injection boilers, wellhead equipment, pressure vessels and automated welding machines. It has the corresponding R & D capabilities and patented technologies.

Engineering Education Development

In recent years, the Karamay local government has focused heavily on the development of its engineering education. Statistics show that the city’s engineering facilities cover 4.8 million square meters and will accommodate 20,000 faculties and students when fully completed. A cooperative school-running model (government-university-enterprise cooperation) has been adopted. The three education institutions of China University of Petroleum Karamay Campus, Karamay Vocational Technical Institute and Karamay Technician Training Institute will share resources and cooperate in the management of their schools. The schools will offer vocational, technical, engineering, and diploma education, and provide training for technicians and training for qualifications.

Tourism Development

In recent years, Karamay has successfully held a number of grand gatherings, such as the "Xinjiang International Tourist Festival" and "Silk Road International Tourist Commodity Expo." It has actively cultivated its gold-silk jade and purple stoneware brands, and established the "Xinjiang Self-driving Travel Association." City authorities have been actively building Karamay into a regional tourist distribution center, helping it to win honorary titles as "National Outstanding Tourism City" and "National Industrial Tourism Demonstration Spot". It has been designated as a pioneering area in national tourism reform and innovation.