The 3rd China Petroleum & Petrochemical Carbon Neutrality Technology Exchange Conference Held

From September 18 to 19, reporters learned at the 3rd China Petroleum & Petrochemical Carbon Neutrality Technology Exchange Conference held in Xi'an that, guided by the "Dual Carbon" goals, China's petroleum and petrochemical industry is steadily advancing toward a low-carbon transformation. Notably, the industry has achieved systematic breakthroughs in key technologies for low-energy consumption and cost-effective carbon neutrality, significantly enhancing the economic viability of its emission-reduction measures.

This conference systematically explored comprehensive carbon-reduction pathways spanning the entire oil and gas value chain, including extraction, transportation, and refining. In the upstream sector, pilot projects for electrification upgrades are being widely advanced, while methane recovery technologies have already been scaled up for practical application—both of which can significantly cut energy consumption and carbon emissions in production processes. Meanwhile, the refining and chemical sectors have also made remarkable strides: breakthroughs have been achieved in green hydrogen-based refining technologies, and substantial progress has been made in developing bio-based fuels. Multiple technology routes are now advancing in parallel, not only enhancing energy efficiency but also markedly improving the economic viability of these processes.

CCUS technology drew significant attention at this conference. Yuan Shiyi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, pointed out that CCUS can effectively support the low-carbon utilization of fossil fuels, and improvements in economic viability have laid a solid foundation for its large-scale application. China National Petroleum Corporation has particularly excelled in this field: as of May this year, it has cumulatively injected over 10.14 million tons of carbon dioxide, accounting for more than 65% of the national total. Addressing the unique geological characteristics of China's continental oil reservoirs, CNPC has innovatively established refined reservoir screening standards and potential evaluation methods. Moreover, CNPC has built Asia's largest, full-chain CCUS national demonstration project at the Jilin Oilfield, providing crucial practical evidence for advancing cost-effective geological storage and enhanced oil recovery through CO2 injection. Wu Hao, Secretary-General of the Carbon Neutrality Professional Committee of the China Petroleum Society, noted that thanks to recent technological innovations, carbon capture costs have dropped by more than one-third, significantly boosting the economic competitiveness of the CCUS industry chain.

During the conference, the white paper titled "Charting the Path to a Low-Carbon Future: The Petrochemical Industry's Journey Toward a Low-Carbon Transformation" was released, offering systematic solutions for enterprises looking to transition toward low-carbon operations. Experts noted that, backed by China's carbon peak targets and supportive national policies, CCUS-EOR—due to its remarkable environmental and economic benefits—will emerge as the most practical and economically viable approach to carbon utilization. Moving forward, efforts should continue to focus on breakthroughs in core technologies that deliver both low energy consumption and reduced costs, while proactively planning infrastructure such as pipeline networks. This will help establish a scalable, cost-effective carbon management industrial chain.

Source: China Petroleum News