Oilfield keeps production, conservation in balance

JINAN — Strolling through a wetland park in early spring, visitors are greeted by nature's awakening-tender green grass emerging from the earth, a pond shedding its icy cover and flocks of wild ducks gliding across the water.

Yet amid this serene landscape, a different rhythm sounds. Oil workers in neat orange suits move about, tanker trucks roll in and out, and pumping engines hum tirelessly.

Guangli River Forest Wetland Park, located in the city of Dongying, Shandong province, is both a popular tourist destination and home to an oilfield management area owned by Sinopec's Shengli Oilfield. Over nearly a decade of development, the management area has expanded to include 284 oil-water wells, producing 267,000 metric tons of crude oil annually.

As the main oil-producing region of Shengli Oilfield, the second-largest in China, Dongying has a well-established petrochemical industry. The city, situated on an estuary of the Yellow River, also boasts an intricate wetland ecosystem.

While oil recovery and wetland conservation might seem worlds apart, the two are harmoniously balanced in the park.

"We are committed to ensuring that every aspect of oil extraction meets environmental standards, and to integrating oil extraction equipment with the park's natural surroundings," said Peng Mingfu, an official of the management area. "We follow strict rules, including no oil spills, no gas emissions, no water discharge and no excessive noise."

Along a patrol path, creative installations blend seamlessly with the landscape. A mushroom sculpture, for instance, serves as a water injection station, treating industrial wastewater before reinjecting it into the groundwater, while pumping engines are painted in various colors to match the park's natural beauty.

"The noise from the pumping engines is only 30 decibels — quieter than the sound of wind in the winter or bird calls in the summer," Peng added.

Shengli Oilfield is committed to sustainable oil development and environmental protection. It has adopted a green approach across well drilling, production, transportation and maintenance. Last year, its oil and gas output reached 24.3 million metric tons.

"In recent years, we have also developed some 39 new technologies to extend the service life of the equipment and update it to minimize emissions and keep noise levels low," Peng said.

"Beyond environmentally friendly equipment, we also foster a sense of environmental consciousness," Peng added. "We make sure not to drop welding rods, pick up any litter immediately, and minimize horn use while driving."

Before 27-year-old oil worker Fan Jiliang started his current job, he imagined oilfields to be a harsh environment with stubborn oil stains, rumbling sounds of machines and acrid smells.

"But now, when I think of the oilfields, all I see is the beautiful scenery and clear skies," he said.

Xinhua