After two and a half years of contructing drilling facilities, the Donghae No. 1 Gas Field has begun commercially pumping natural gas in the East Sea.

The Korea National Oil Corporation announced that production began Friday following a ceremony marking the completion of the gas facility, located in waters some 60 kilometers off the southeastern city of Ulsan.

The Donghae No.1 gas field, which was discovered in 1998, is estimated to have gas deposits of five million tons.

The state-run oil company said that, over the next 15 years, it would produce 300,000 to 400,000 tons of gas annually, bringing the nation some 350 million dollars in development profits.

It is the first time for South Korea to produce liquefied natural gas since it started exploring the continental shelf in 1964.