Inner Mongolia Oilfield Achieves Milestone in Carbon Capture and Storage

The Bayan Oilfield in Inner Mongolia has achieved a significant milestone in its carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) project. The project, located in Bayannur, has successfully injected over 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into its oil reservoirs. This achievement signifies the creation of a substantial CO2 utilization and storage base within the region, as reported by the Bayannur municipal government.

The Bayan Oilfield, with its extensive network of over 300 production wells, has traditionally employed water-flooding techniques to extract crude oil from its deep deposits. This method involves injecting water into the reservoirs to propel the oil towards the production wells, resulting in an oil recovery rate of approximately 20 percent.

In a move towards water conservation and reduced carbon emissions, the oilfield initiated its exploration of CO2 for oil recovery in 2020. The implementation of the CCUS project has yielded impressive results, boosting the oil recovery rate to around 45 percent, according to Yang Xuesong, the chief geologist of the Bayan Exploration and Development Branch of PetroChina Huabei Oilfield Company.

CCUS technology is an innovative approach to the efficient and low-carbon development of fossil energy resources. As a technological solution to global warming, CCUS involves capturing and either storing or utilizing CO2, thereby mitigating carbon emissions. This aligns with China's commitment to reaching peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

China has witnessed substantial advancements in its CCUS technology in recent years. A national carbon-capture roadmap, released late last year, revealed that 126 CCUS projects were operational across the country, representing a significant increase compared to the 2020 figures.

Furthermore, China's inaugural offshore CCUS project commenced operations in May in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. This project, situated on the Enping 15-1 platform, captures CO2 generated during oil development, purifies and pressurizes it into a supercritical state, and then injects it into underground oil reservoirs. This process not only enhances oil production but also contributes to carbon sequestration.