China's First Offshore Carbon Capture and Gas Reinjection Platform Completed

The main construction of China's first offshore carbon capture and gas reinjection project has been completed, according to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). The new central platform for the Dongfang 1-1 gas field has finished its structural build and is now moving into the testing phase.

Upon commissioning, the project is designed to annually sequester over one million tons of carbon dioxide in geological formations beneath the seabed. This initiative is considered significant for advancing deep decarbonization within China's offshore energy sector.

The Dongfang 1-1 gas field is China's first independently operated offshore gas field and is characterized as a representative high-carbon gas field. Since commencing operations in 2003, it has produced over 50 billion cubic meters of gas. As the field development enters its later stages, the produced natural gas exhibits a trend of decreasing volume and increasing carbon dioxide content, making carbon capture and reinjection technologically viable.

The new central platform weighs nearly 17,000 tons and its full-scale deployment will mark the first large-scale application of carbon capture and gas reinjection technology offshore in China. This process captures associated carbon dioxide, purifies it, and reinjects it into the ground. The system aims to enhance the recovery rate of difficult-to-extract natural gas while ensuring permanent storage of the carbon dioxide. The project is expected to bolster China's offshore carbon sequestration industry and promote wider resource utilization of carbon dioxide.