BEIJING (Reuters) – Energy giant China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) will keep drilling through the winter at oilfields in the west of the country to boost domestic crude output, answering calls from Beijing to bolster the nation’s energy independence. Some of CNPC’s oilfields in western Chinese regions such as Qinghai, Xinjiang and Shaanxi will not take their usual four-month winter break this year, CNPC’s official newspaper said on Thursday, citing a document from the firm’s oil engineering and services unit. Fields in western China typically take such breaks due to harsh winter conditions that make drilling more difficult and expensive. More easterly fields tend to operate year-round. “CNPC will need to take more forceful measure to boost domestic production as China stresses the […]