CNOOC, the state-owned energy giant, has confirmed a significant technical and environmental achievement: its offshore carbon dioxide storage project has passed the mark of 100 million cubic meters of CO₂ safely injected.
Enping Project 15-1 platform technology
The initiative focuses on the Enping 15-1 platform, located in the Pearl River mouth basin, about 200 kilometers from Shenzhen. Here, the CO₂ that accompanies crude oil is captured, treated and injected into subway geological formations, rather than being released into the atmosphere. Xu Xiaohu, vice president of CNOOC’s Enping operating company, commented on the feasibility of the model, “This approach, which fuses ecological protection and energy efficiency, offers a replicable route to a lower-carbon future for China’s offshore fields.”
To execute this complex operation, the project uses a layered injection and precision control system. Wang Lin, production supervisor on the Enping 15-1 platform, explained how it works, “Our method allows us to accurately direct CO₂ into specific layers, even in a well less than 20 centimeters in diameter.” This method improves oil recovery efficiency while ensuring the permanence of the gas deep in the seabed. The platform upgrade also included the installation of CO₂ compressors and cooling systems to ensure the quality of the injected gas.
Since start-up, the project has operated safely for more than 15,000 hours, demonstrating its reliability. Over 550 million cubic meters of CO₂ are projected to be injected over the next decade, resulting in an increase in crude oil production of up to 200,000 tons. With these results, the Enping 15-1 project establishes itself as a crucial benchmark in the achievement of China’s carbon targets and a practical example of how CCS technology can optimize both energy production and environmental protection
Source and photo: CGTN
