Mabei UGS (underground gas storage), with a designed storage capacity of 829 million cubic meters and a working gas capacity of about 261 million cubic meters, puts into use in August 2024, according to China Petroleum Qinghai Oilfield Branch. The construction began in April 2024, primarily involving underground drilling, above-ground construction, and related supporting projects.
Discovered in 2003, the Mabei gas field is located on the northern fringe of the Qaidam Basin at an altitude of nearly 3,000 meters. It is the world's highest-altitude gas storage facility and the first on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The site is characterized by simple structure, good sealing of the cap rock, moderate burial depth, excellent physical properties of the reservoir, and weak water energy, making it suitable for gas storage construction.
Mabei UGS is part of the six major gas storage and peak-shaving centers across Northeast, North China, Northwest, Southwest, Central and Western, and Central and Eastern China. The gas source for injection comes from key fields such as Sebei in Qinghai Province. Once completed, the Mabei UGS will provide peak-shaving and emergency services for parts of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Gansu.
Mabei UGS project includes 27 injection wells, a new centralized injection station, and supporting infrastructure. The total investment for the project is about $ 120 million. By August 2024, it is expected that one centralized injection station, five injection well sites, and an 8,000-meter bidirectional gas gathering mainline will be completed.