The energy game by the Huangpu River has quietly come to an end. When traditional oil and gas giants enter the deep water zone of transformation, a handshake across Shanghai and Shaanxi deeply binds the refining heritage with cutting-edge technology. No longer limited to underground mining, CNPC is leveraging the momentum of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation to launch an impact on the peak of materials and the blue ocean of fusion.

Shanghai New Energy Bureau

On August 10, 2026, Dai Houliang, Chairman of CNPC Group, met with Chen Jie, member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Deputy Mayor, in Beijing, and a deep dialogue on the transformation of energy central enterprises and the upgrading of local industries began.

Dai Houliang thanked Shanghai for its long-term support and stated that PetroChina will rely on Shanghai's scientific and technological innovation advantages to tackle new materials and fine chemicals, lay out future industries, and consolidate energy supply. Chen Jie hopes that CNPC can leverage its advantages in the entire refining and chemical industry chain and engineering general contracting, focus on new chemical materials and fusion energy, and assist in the construction of Shanghai's five centers and the upgrading of its urban level.

Precise transformation incision

This meeting focuses on two key keywords: new chemical materials and fusion energy. This is not simply cross-border, but a deep extension based on decades of oil and gas refining and engineering accumulation. Unlike previous homogeneous layouts such as photovoltaics and energy storage, CNPC is entering the core track with high technological barriers and strong synergy with its main business, demonstrating a robust industrial extension logic.

Bet on the fusion track

Although controllable nuclear fusion is a cutting-edge science, its industrialization heavily relies on special materials and low-temperature engineering. With its profound accumulation in high-temperature resistant coatings, isotope separation, and cryogenic technology, PetroChina has precisely entered the hidden high-value links outside of tokamak devices. In terms of core materials, its research institutes are tackling cutting-edge radiation resistant consumables such as tritium permeation barrier membranes; In the fuel cycle, relying on the experience of extracting helium from natural gas, we can solve the problem of self-sustaining tritium supply; In terms of project implementation, CPC Engineering has undertaken the Hefei BEST final assembly project and established a three-dimensional layout of technology, engineering, and capital through strategic investment in fusion new energy and other capital operations. Keywords: fusion energy, carbon fiber, high-end materials

Compared to the long-term vision of fusion, high-end carbon fiber is the current landing tool. PetroChina Shanghai New Materials Research Institute has landed in Lingang, focusing on the research and development of T800 and T1000 grade small wire bundle products, directly targeting high-end fields such as aerospace. Through the division of labor model of Shanghai R&D+Jilin mass production, it not only avoids low-end capacity competition, but also ensures the independent controllability of high-precision and cutting-edge technology, cultivating a solid second growth curve.Editor/Gong Ziwei