China has completed what it says is the world’s first floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel equipped with a carbon capture system, marking a significant step toward reducing emissions in offshore oil production.
According to Science and Technology Daily, the 330-meter FPSO was built in Shanghai and will be delivered by the end of this month.
Developed by the state-owned Cosco Ocean Shipping Heavy Industry Company, the vessel boasts a daily oil production capacity of up to 120,000 barrels while capturing and storing carbon dioxide generated during its voyage and extraction processes.
World’s first carbon-sucking oil ship
This new approach is designed to mitigate the environmental impact of offshore drilling, especially given that gas-fired turbines commonly used on FPSOs are the primary emitters of carbon dioxide.
The Chinese-built vessel captures its emissions and harnesses electricity from the heat of exhaust gases.
It aims to reconcile high-output oil production with innovative emission control, highlighting China’s desire to meet its carbon targets.
The country has pledged to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2060.
Other major global oil and gas companies are also eyeing similar designs. In January, the American Bureau of Shipping approved an ammonia production unit with on-board carbon capture technology.
Separately, Dutch multinational SBM Offshore is gearing up to launch an FPSO with a carbon capture system.
These developments reflect a growing momentum in the industry to embrace cleaner technologies, spurred on by the urgency of limiting global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
China’s move to equip a floating oil facility with carbon capture technology is a broader push to reduce the sizable emissions linked to oil and gas extraction.
According to the International Energy Agency, extraction, transport, and processing of oil and gas generated around 5.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2022, which accounted for about 15 percent of total energy-related emissions worldwide.
Beyond offshore drilling
SCMP reports that China has made strides in developing carbon capture and storage facilities as the world’s largest carbon emitter.
In 2023, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation launched the country’s first offshore carbon capture demonstration at the Enping 15-1 oilfield in Guangdong, with the capacity to store about 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Beyond offshore drilling, China continues to pursue large-scale renewable projects.
The country’s equipment manufacturers have built increasingly powerful wind turbines that generate more energy per rotation.
However, China also faces the challenge of disposing of or reusing these massive turbine components when they reach the end of their 20-to-25-year life span.
Researchers are finding ways to repurpose the blades into construction materials by blending physical and chemical treatments with cement and asphalt mixtures.
Hydroelectricity remains another prominent part of China’s energy blueprint. The government recently approved a massive hydroelectric project over the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, projected to dwarf the current Three Gorges Dam output.
Once completed, the new facility could generate approximately 300 billion kilowatt-hours of power each year, underscoring China’s commitment to meeting energy demand while trying to curb emissions.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
0COMMENT
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Kaif Shaikh Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. Kaif's bylines can be found in Times of India, Techopedia, and Kitaab. Apart from the long list of things he does outside work, he likes to read, breathe, and practice gratitude.
NEWSLETTER
The Blueprint Daily
Stay up-to-date on engineering, tech, space, and science news with The Blueprint.
