Water problems solved at the Ordos Recycling Base
From February 23 to 25, the National Geological Survey Working Conference took place in Beijing. Wang Min, deputy director of the Ministry of Land and Resources, highlighted that significant progress has been made in the national geological survey since 1999. One key achievement is the exploration of groundwater resources in the Ordos region, which has identified numerous large-scale projects supporting the development of the national energy and chemical industry base. These efforts have helped secure a reliable water source for the area, especially with the rapid growth of energy and chemical projects, such as Shenhua Group’s coal-to-oil initiative. This has ensured sufficient water supply for both industrial and domestic use in the near to medium term.
As major energy and chemical projects, including large-scale coal and natural gas chemical plants, are being built in Ordos, concerns have arisen about whether the water required for these developments can be sustained. For example, producing one ton of refined oil from coal requires approximately 12 tons of industrial water, and other large-scale projects like fertilizer and PVC production also demand substantial water resources. According to Li Xiang, director of the Xi’an Geological Survey Center, the state has conducted continuous groundwater investigations in the Ordos region for decades. However, the process was not always systematic, leading to uncertainty about how much water is available for energy and chemical projects. Instances of multiple projects applying for the same water source have occasionally occurred.
Currently, the causes, distribution, and recoverable reserves of groundwater in the region have been largely mapped out, providing a solid foundation for informed decision-making by government authorities. The Ordos region spans 280,000 square kilometers, covering parts of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi. It holds 38.8% of China’s coal reserves, 50% of its natural gas, and 4.4% of its petroleum. Despite this rich resource base, the area is arid or semi-arid, with limited surface water, making it a critical challenge for energy development.
According to the national geological survey, the region’s annual groundwater recharge is about 10.5 billion cubic meters, with 5.8 billion cubic meters recoverable. Current extraction stands at 1.1 billion cubic meters per year, leaving a mining potential of 47 million cubic meters annually. The 161 identified groundwater sources are expected to meet the water needs of energy and chemical projects from 2010 to 2020. However, Li Xiang emphasized that the region remains water-scarce and that sustainable and scientific water management strategies must be implemented to support long-term development.
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