Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what activities they funded for identifying carbon capture utilisation and storage development opportunities in Xinjiang between 2016 and 2018; and whether they received any representations from Shell in that time about (1) that funding, or (2) the company’s deal with the China National Petroleum Corporation to collaborate on enhanced oil recovery.

In 2017, the Government explored potential opportunities to integrate carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the coal-to-chemicals sector in Xinjiang into China’s emissions trading scheme.

Officials have been unable to locate any information sought by the noble Lord that UK funding was provided to Xinjiang during this period, nor any information indicating that representations were received from Shell regarding this potential funding or its Enhanced Oil Recovery partnership with CNPC in Xinjiang at that time.