BEIJING - China's domestic natural gas output is expected to reach 174 billion to 175 billion cubic metres (bcm)this year, with shale gas output accounting for around 15 bcm, a research official from the Ministry of Natural Resources told a conference on Tuesday.

Shale gas output is expected to increase further over the next five to six years, said Pan Jiping, director of the strategic research center of oil and gas resources at the ministry.

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and Shivani Singh, writing by Jessica Jaganathan; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) ((Jessica.Jaganathan@thomsonreuters.com; +65 6870 3822; Reuters Messaging: jessica.jaganathan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net; Twitter: https://twitter.com/j3ssi3))