Tarim Oilfield: From black gold to living green

Tarim Oilfield of the Tarim Basin in Northwest China's Xinjiang, the country's largest ultra-deep oil and gas production base, is writing an epic of reconciliation between industry and ecology.

Where rigs once roared, poplars now sway

At the Jila 101 well site deep inside the Tarim Poplar Forest National Nature Reserve, the once-bustling oil and gas facilities have vanished, replaced by sturdy poplars, clumps of camel thorn, and dogbane swaying in the wind. "The greatest contribution we can make to this environment is to give this land back to the poplars," said He Weijiang, an engineer with Tarim Oilfield's Lunnan Oil and Gas Management Zone.

Planned withdrawal, science-based restoration

Tarim Oilfield's exploration and production areas overlap with several ecologically sensitive zones. To protect these ecosystems, the company has established a full-chain restoration mechanism covering well decommissioning, land rehabilitation, and ongoing maintenance. It has successfully decommissioned 65 oil and gas wells and stations across the Lunnan, Hade, and Donghe areas. Meanwhile, ecological restoration and land reclamation efforts have been launched, including manual irrigation and sowing of drought-resistant grass seeds. The vegetation coverage rate in these areas now exceeds 95%.

Long-term stewardship, harmonious coexistence

Committed to green development and shared benefits with local communities, Tarim Oilfield repurposes materials from decommissioned well sites for flood control and forest protection in surrounding townships. Over the past seven years, the company has conducted monthly inspections and maintenance of the retired facilities. The reclaimed areas are now lush with vegetation, with over 12,000 sea buckthorn trees planted. The improved ecology has attracted a large number of wildlife, with a significant increase in the number of wintering waterfowl. "We are committed to advancing ecological restoration and protecting biodiversity, so that more wildflowers may bloom across this vast desert," said He Jiangbo, deputy manager and safety director of the Donghe Oil and Gas Management Zone.