【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】China’s first set of 40-megapascal high-pressure centrifugal compressors for gas storage facilities was put into operation in 3100–2026

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Let’s give praise and encouragement to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】A continuously updated summary post is available – feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** On April 22nd, the Tarim Oil Field, in collaboration with Shenyang Gas Turbine Group Co., Ltd., brought into operation China’s first set of high-pressure centrifugal compressors with a pressure of 40 megapascals – compressors that serve as the “heart” of the Yaha gas storage facility. These compressors were put into use after completing all necessary tests. Thereafter, 5.5 million cubic meters of natural gas per day will be pumped underground through injection and production wells via this powerful \"Chinese heart\", coming from the Ke Lun line and the Ke Lun double track line. At the same time, the Yaaha gas storage facility has a daily injection capacity of over 10 million cubic meters. As an important part of China’s energy strategy, the Yaha gas storage facility is the largest in terms of storage capacity and working gas volume among those built at depths of over 5,000 meters beneath the ground. It also features the highest injection pressure and the highest gas extraction temperature of any such facility in the country. Built in two phases, it plays a crucial role in providing seasonal peak shaving, emergency gas supply, and energy storage for the five regions in southern Xinjiang as well as for the West-East Gas Transmission pipeline network. Gas storage facilities operate on a principle of injection in summer and extraction in winter. The compressor is the most important device during the injection phase; it pressurizes the gas using its rapidly rotating impeller and injects it underground for storage. Given the characteristics of the Yaha gas storage facility, it is necessary to design compressors with a high pressure of 40 megapascals, a large capacity of 5.5 million cubic meters per day, and a motor power of 23.5 megawatts. Previously, the core technologies for this grade had been under the control of foreign manufacturers for a long time, resulting in issues such as high prices and long supply cycles, which posed serious constraints. To this end, the oil field adopted a \"challenge-based\" approach by including the project \"Research on the Localization of High-Capacity, High-Pressure Centrifugal Gas Injection Compressors and Their Application in Gas Storage Facilities under Variable Operating Conditions\" as a key scientific and technological project, thereby carrying out for the first time in China the research and development of centrifugal units for gas storage facilities at 40 megapascal levels. After more than two years of effort, the oil field, in collaboration with Shenyang Gas Turbine Group Co., Ltd., pooled its expertise to overcome various challenges. By developing a new drive structure, innovating in impeller manufacturing, optimizing rotor design, and solving sealing problems, it was successful in creating China’s first set of high-pressure 40 MPa two-cylinder two-stage centrifugal compressors. The key performance indicators of these compressors meet international advanced standards, marking the first time that China has managed to produce complete sets of equipment for gas storage facilities domestically. This achievement fills a gap in China’s industry and breaks the foreign technological monopoly. These series of innovative achievements not only contribute significantly to the technological advancement of high-end compression equipment in our country, but also provide a solid technical foundation and practical experience for the large-scale construction and operation of deep gas storage facilities in the future. As designed, the Yaaha gas storage facility uses two centrifugal gas injection compressors, one domestic and one imported; the unit configuration consists of a motor + speed increase gearbox + low-pressure cylinder + high-pressure cylinder. In July 2025, the newly developed domestic compressor was hoisted into place at the Yaaha gas storage facility; in September, the motor was installed there as well, and in October, the compressor began to be installed and tested. This successful commissioning effectively resolved the key supporting issues associated with the Yaaha gas storage facility, significantly reducing the project costs; compared to using imported equipment, the costs were reduced by over 30%. The imported compressors, motors, and associated dry gas seal equipment have also arrived and been installed.