CAGS3 Workshop

The Chinese government has increased its supported of CCUS technology and projects in recent years and Xinjiang is considered a prospective area for large scale CCUS projects due to the co-location of comparatively inexpensive CO₂ sources from the coal chemical plants and adjacent oilfields for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The Chinese government is also exploring possible CO₂ storage sites for enhanced water recovery (EWR) as water resources are scarce in the region.

To promote CCUS in Xinjiang and explore its potential, CAGS organised a technical workshop in Urumqi, Xinjiang in June 2017. Attended by around 100 international and Chinese delegates, the workshop covered topics such as international and domestic policies for CCUS, updates on CCUS financial environment, and progress of CCUS demonstration projects. CAGS funded research projects also reported on project progress and achievements.

The bilingual workshop was one of the first CCUS international workshops to be held in Xinjiang, bringing international expertise and knowledge from Australia, US, and the EU. It also provided a unique opportunity for Australia and international participants to gain firsthand knowledge of CCUS development in the region and to establish networks for future collaboration. The workshop was regarded as a very successful knowledge sharing and networking opportunity by both Chinese and international participants.

During the opening session of the workshop, senior officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Geoscience Australia and Xinjiang University officially launched the Xinjiang CCS Engineering Research Centre. The establishment of the research centre provides a route for attracting significant national funding to Xinjiang for CCUS research and is recognised as a significant achievement for CAGS project.