China launches first offshore carbon capture project

China has launched its first offshore carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) project, located on the Enping 15-1 oil platform in the South China Sea, the China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) announced Thursday.

The facility is designed to capture, purify, and pressurize the carbon dioxide generated during oil and gas exploitation into the seabed through a CCUS well at an initial rate of 8 metric tons per hour, simultaneously enhancing oil recovery and achieving carbon dioxide sequestration.

Located off the mouth of the Pearl River at a depth of about 90 meters, the Enping 15-1 facility, Asia's largest offshore oil production platform produces over 7,500 metric tons of crude oil daily.

Enping 15-1 has a high carbon dioxide content. Traditionally, tapping such reserves would release carbon dioxide from the reservoir into the atmosphere, risking corrosion of platforms and pipelines while polluting the environment.

As an advanced technology for the low-carbon and efficient development of fossil energy, CCUS has become a key focus area for the global energy industry. Currently, there are 65 commercial CCUS projects worldwide, with the vast majority located onshore.

Since the CCUS project launched in June 2023, it has already injected and stored 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide beneath the seabed, marking a major step in China's fight against climate change, offering a viable solution for rapid carbon reduction in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even across the entire country.

The successful commissioning of the CCUS project marks an upgrade of China's offshore carbon capture, utilization, and storage technology. Over the next decade, the project will inject over 1 million tons of carbon dioxide into the Enping 15-1 oilfield, increasing crude oil production by 200,000 metric tons, said Wan Nianhui, Enping oil field manager.

With further upgrades to the CCUS project, the carbon dioxide injection rate is expected to increase to 17 metric tons per hour. At peak performance, a single well could enhance oil production by up to 15,000 metric tons per year.