China Launches First Oil Production Ship with CO₂ Capture
- The ship reduces carbon emissions during the oil extraction process using carbon capture and storage technology.
- The oil and gas industry alone emitted 5.1 billion tonnes of GHG emissions in 2022, about 15% of global energy-related emissions.
China has introduced the world's first offshore oil production and storage ship with carbon capture and storage equipment.
China said this floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) has been designed by the state-owned Cosco Ocean Shipping Heavy Industry Company to extract oil without harming the environment. The vessel, which is 330 meters long, can produce up to 120,000 barrels of crude oil daily, expecting delivery by the end of February 2025.
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The FPSO is uniquely designed to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) during oil production. It also converts heat from exhaust gases into electricity, increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact and carbon footprint, unlike other ships.
Offshore oil and gas production is a major source of global carbon emissions, producing 5.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency. Carbon capture technologies are increasingly important for reducing the oil and gas industry's carbon footprint.
Some other companies working on similar projects include, for example, the American Bureau of Shipping, which recently announced the approval of a design for an ammonia production unit with onboard capture, and SBM Offshore, which is building its own FPSO with similar technology and capabilities.
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China is one of the largest emitters of carbon, and the world's second-most populous nation has set net-zero goals for 2060. To this end, China National Offshore Oil Corporation announced a carbon capture and storage project in 2023 at the Enping 15-1 oilfield, with a capacity to store 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to planting 14 million trees.
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Source: South China Morning Post
