China’s first offshore carbon storage project was put into operation on June 1 in the South China Sea.

With an annual capacity of 300,000 tons, the project is designed to store a total of more than 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is equal to planting nearly 14 million trees.

The operation of the project means China’s achievement in acquiring a complete set of technologies and equipment for capturing, processing, injecting, storing and monitoring CO2 at sea.

The project, serving the En ping 15-1 oil platform 200km southwest of Shenzhen, captures and processes CO2 from oilfields and then injects CO2 into a dome geological structure at a depth of around 800 meters under the seabed.

What needs to be done to inject CO 2 into the seabed?

Firstly, a location appropriate for storage shall be found. The “dome” geological structure discovered by Chinese experts, which resembles a massive bowl, is a natural “can” that is able to hold CO2 stably.

After the location is decided, a 900-meter-deep well with ad is pia cement(位移) of over 3,000 meters needs to be drilled so that CO2 can be sent to the “dome” geological structure.

Given such a huge di placement, the friction (摩擦力) on the sidewall of the well is expected to multiply, so the drill would probably stick inside the well. In addition, the well is likely to suffer from collapse and drilling fluid loss because of the loose soil under the seabed.

To cope with these challenges, drilling experts tailored anti-corrosion(耐腐蚀) drilling fluid that’s able to support the sidewall, which makes the injection of CO2 smooth.

Besides, a monitoring system has been fixed to the CO2 injection tube to see if the tube is leaked.

China’s sea area creates a sound environment for the storage of CO2. Its potential CO2 storage capacity is estimated to be 2.58 trillion tons, offering important support for the country to reach its goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

【小题1】What is the purpose of the project?

A．To store CO2 at sea.	B．To build an offshore structure.
C．To process oil in a new way.	D．To capture carbon from the air.

【小题2】How many steps are taken during the operation of the project?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

【小题3】What may the friction on the sidewall of the well lead to?

A．The drill getting stuck.	B．The loss of drilling fluid.
C．The seabed getting looser.	D．The collapse of the well.

【小题4】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Realization of China’s carbon goals.	B．Advantageous geology of South China Sea.
C．New stage in China’s carbon storage capacity.	D．Breakthrough in China’s oilfield construction.