A large scale carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCUS) facility has entered construction in China.

Yanchang Petroleum’s project will reportedly be the first large facility of its kind on the continent.

Located near Xi’an in the Shaanxi Province, the facility is expected to capture more than 400,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide each year from two coal to gasification plants.

It will re-inject the captured waste gas into previously developed oil fields to release more oil from existing formations in a process known as Enhanced Oil Recovery.

It is expected to capture between six and eight million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide over the course of its lifetime.

Global CCS Institute, Asia Pacific General Manager, Alex Zapantis, said: “Four years ago, this was an industrial plant venting Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. Today, just four years later, it is a standard bearer for clean technology.

“We look forward to seeing Yanchang Petroleum and others like it continue to advance the climate change agenda across China and show the world how practical, cost effective and climate relevant CCS is.”

A contract has been awarded in the UK to review a range of ways to transport and store captured Carbon Dioxide.