Sinopec Spearheads Global CCUS Initiative in Astana

The agreement, unveiled during the 2026 International CCUS Technology Conference, involves a coalition including Sinopec, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, and Nazarbayev University’s Institute of New Materials and Energy Technologies. Attendees from the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Kazakhstan focused on the policy frameworks and logistical models necessary to scale carbon mineralization and storage hubs.

Sinopec vice president Tian Hongbin characterized CCUS as a critical enabling technology for current climate targets. The company is leveraging its existing infrastructure—including China’s first 100-kilometer dense-phase CO2 pipeline and a one-million-metric-ton demonstration project—to anchor the collaboration. Sinopec is simultaneously partnering with Shell, BASF, and China Baowu on an open-access cluster designed to handle 10 million metric tons of CO2, aiming to bridge the gap between engineering experience and international research through the International CCUS Technology Innovation Cooperation Organization (ICTO).