CNOOC has successfully carried out pilot production of a high-purity helium extraction unit developed in Ningxia, with the purity of the helium product remaining stable at 99.999%

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Recently, the high-purity helium extraction unit developed independently by the Technology R&D Center of CNOOC Gas & Power Group completed its trial production in Yanchi County, Ningxia, and was successfully loaded for shipment. Tests have shown that the helium produced by this device maintains a purity of over 99.999%, which signifies a significant breakthrough by CNOOC in the efficient extraction and comprehensive utilization of helium, a strategically important and scarce resource. This achievement represents a crucial leap from technology development to practical engineering applications. As a strategically scarce resource crucial for **safety and the development of high-tech industries, helium plays an irreplaceable key role in fields such as aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing, medical equipment, large-scale scientific facilities, and cutting-edge research. Data shows that by 2025, China’s helium imports will reach 27.59 million standard cubic meters, with a foreign dependence rate of over 85%. Recently, due to the situation in the Middle East, Qatar’s helium supply has been disrupted, and coupled with Russia’s export controls on helium, China’s helium supply chain is facing severe challenges. This highlights the urgency and strategic importance of enhancing the country’s ability to ensure self-sufficiency in helium resources. The helium extraction unit used in this trial production is deeply integrated with the natural gas liquefaction unit, and it adopts a core technological approach based on \"low-temperature distillation + crude helium purification + staged composite low-temperature adsorption\" to achieve the integration of a complex process system for the efficient extraction of high-purity helium from natural gas boil-off gas (BOG). In the critical stage of deep cryogenic neon removal, the project innovatively adopts a hierarchical composite cryogenic adsorption system, which can rapidly lower the temperature of the adsorption beds and maintain it at a deep cryogenic level, thereby enabling efficient capture of neon and other trace impurities. This provides a key technical foundation for obtaining ultra-high-purity helium. In addition, a full-thrust turbine expansion helium liquefaction device developed independently by the Gas and Electricity Group has been installed at the project site; it is currently in the intensive testing phase, with production of both gaseous helium and liquid helium expected to begin by June this year. Once the project is put into full operation, it will be able to produce 200,000 cubic meters of high-purity helium or 55 tons of liquid helium per year, thereby significantly enhancing China’s capacity for self-sufficiency in helium supply. Next, the Gas and Electricity Group will make full use of the helium resources generated by this project to ensure supply for helium needs in key sectors of our country. At the same time, efforts will continue to be made to advance research and development as well as the iterative improvement of key helium-related technologies. By relying on self-controlled technologies, the development and utilization of helium resources will be enhanced, with the aim of accelerating the establishment of a self-controlled helium industry chain for China National Offshore Oil Corporation, so as to make greater contributions to ensuring the security of strategic resources in our country.