Energy development and ecological protection “moving in the same direction””

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In the Mu Us Desert in April, flocks of grey cranes spread their wings, drawing beautiful arcs in the sky. This is a crucial stopover along the East Asia-Australia migratory route; it is a biodiversity conservation area of self-sustaining type in the Sunan-C3 zone established by the Changqing Oil Field, where tens of thousands of migratory birds stop here each year to rest and regain energy. “The future visions we envision in our minds are twofold: one is a plan for gas field development, and the other is a plan for ecological protection. ”Miao Zhen, the deputy chief safety engineer at the Sulige South Operation Branch of Changqing Oilfield (hereinafter referred to as Sunan Company), said. Today, the clean water sources and safe land in the sandy areas of the Surihe Gas Field provide a stable habitat for wild animals, enabling energy development and ecological protection to advance in tandem. Avoidance – Minimizing the ecological footprint: From the outset of gas field development, Sunan Company has elevated biodiversity protection to a strategic level on par with production and operations, implementing proactive avoidance measures in terms of well site layout, pipeline installation, construction timing, and scope of activities. Over the course of two years, Sunan Company conducted a comprehensive “health check” of the ecosystem within its production area. By comparing the engineering design drawings with the ecological protection maps, it was found that the locations of 12 well clusters and over 100 gas wells overlap significantly with the core habitats of cranes. “Then choose to take a detour. ”Miao Zhen said, “When calculating costs, one should not only consider immediate economic factors but also take into account the long-term ecological implications.” ”Now that the question of where to develop has been resolved, how can development be carried out to minimize the ecological footprint? Sunan Company abandoned the traditional model and innovatively adopted the intensive “cluster well” drilling technique. Data shows that this technology reduces land use by over 80% compared to conventional development. Repair – Protecting grassland biodiversity: Minimizing damage is a fundamental requirement; only through extensive repair can a complete cycle of green development be achieved. ”This has become the consensus among all employees of Sunan Company. In recent years, Sunan Company has adhered to the principle of restoration tailored to local conditions, planting more than 20 native plants adapted to the local climate in mobile dunes, semi-fixed sand areas, and road slopes. After the construction is completed, they will immediately carry out ecological restoration. After nearly five years of management and protection, the vegetation coverage in the restoration area has increased from less than 15% to over 60%. Today, the Maowusu Desert in the Sunan-C3 block resembles an \"ecological oasis\" – covered with lush grass and dense shrubs, with several shallow wet areas scattered throughout it, and birds can be seen flying over the water from time to time. “This is not a simple landscaping project, but a complete ecosystem created by simulating natural habitats. ”Ma Qian, deputy manager of Sunan Company, explained that through systematic efforts such as landform modification, soil improvement, water system construction, and vegetation restoration, a composite ecological environment comprising sandy lands, meadows, and wetlands has been formed here. Today, this sandy area is home to 28 species of plants and 81 species of birds; even the **white-naped crane, an animal under first-class protection, can be seen foraging leisurely near the shallow waters in the Sunan-C3 conservation area. Intelligent monitoring – comprehensive tracking of wild ecological patterns: To enable the monitoring and assessment of ecological changes in the sand deserts, Sunan Company has created \"life records\" for key species such as the Siberian crane and the grey crane, carrying out annual population surveys to build a detailed and long-term database on biodiversity. In core areas such as the Sunan-C3 Nature Reserve, infrared-triggered cameras, IoT sensors, HD PTZ cameras, and patrol drones form an intelligent “sky-ground” monitoring network that captures the movements of wildlife around the clock. Kang Bailè, deputy manager of Sunan Company, explained that in terms of ecological environment monitoring, technicians regularly collect samples from well sites, roads, and wetlands within the production area to analyze the air, groundwater, soil, and vegetation growth conditions. Meanwhile, real-time weather stations monitor changes in temperature, humidity, and wind speed in the area. This provides a data basis for the protection of key species. During the construction phase, they strictly adhere to the “ecological timeline”; for instance, during the bird breeding and nesting period, all noisy construction equipment is stationed in areas far away from their habitats ； At unattended stations, line inspection vehicles should move slowly and quietly, with honking prohibited; human activities should avoid bird habitats as much as possible. It is because of this protection that, during the migration season, flocks of grey cranes and spoon-billed cranes arrive as scheduled at this sandy wetland. This has also become an ecological spectacle that can be seen every year in the Sulige Gas Field. Following the green path – pushing clean production to its limits. At the drilling site of well cluster C212 at Sunan Company, drilling fluid is recycled within closed pipelines, and cuttings are processed professionally for reuse, ensuring that the entire drilling process is clean and orderly. “A single drop of polluted water or a patch of contaminated soil can ruin the local ecosystem; therefore, clean production must be carried out to the utmost degree. ”said Sun Limin, captain of the drilling team at Sunan Company. In recent years, Sunan Company has integrated the concepts of pollution control and resource recycling into every aspect of natural gas development. For liquid wastes such as fracturing fluids and flowback fluids, Sunan Company has established a full-process recycling and disposal system. All collected liquid wastes are sent to specialized treatment facilities for processing, thereby fundamentally preventing any possibility of such wastes contaminating soil, groundwater, and grassland wetlands. In terms of resource utilization, the company adopts a waste-free production model to minimize environmental impact; at the same time, it implements a closed-loop system for sorted recycling and reuse at the production site, thereby putting the concept of \"resource circulation\" into practice.