Note: The following is an English translation of the Japanese-language original

May 30, 2022
Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd.
Tel: +81-3-6268-7110 (Media Relations)
https://www.japex.co.jp/en/contact/

JAPEX to Promote Feasibility Study for a Hub & Cluster Type CCUS Projectin Niigata East Port Area
Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX, Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative
Director and President: FUJITA Masahiro) announced that our proposal for a feasibility study for a hub &cluster type CCUS(*1) project (hereinafter “the study”), connecting CO2 emission source sites and CO2reservoir, in the Niigata East Port area is accepted by Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation(JOGMEC) for a study of the distribution of CO2 emissions and its transportation, as a part of the publicly
solicited project “Studies of CO2 emission source and its capture and transport for specific areas in Japan” inFY2022.
The study is a publicly solicited project for nine months until the end of February 2023, aiming to obtainbasic data for realizing CCS(*2), which will play a significant role toward the “carbon neutrality in 2050”
declared by the Japanese government in October 2020. The target area of the study is the Niigata East Portand its surrounding area, which has leading candidates, including our operating oil and gas fields. Then wewill proceed with the study in the area regarding surveys of CO2 potential volume to be captured andtransported from CO2 emission sites and appropriate measures for CO2 capture and transportation, such aspipeline routes that connect emission source sites and reservoirs, with an estimation of realization costs basedon the results of these surveys. The study will collaborate with companies or business sites that are candidates
for CO2 emission and/or utilization sites.
In addition, JAPEX has been proceeding with a joint feasibility study of CO2-EGR(*3) in the Higashi-Niigata
gas field since May 2021 with MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC. (MGC), a joint holder of its
interest, including utilizing CO2 emitted by MGC’s Niigata Plant for the source of making methanol andsurplus CO2 after making methanol for others. The consideration of infrastructure for CO2 capture andtransportation in the study will appropriately proceed by cooperation with MGC as well as specific companiesof plant engineering and others.
JAPEX positions the realization and commercialization of CCS/CCUS as a contribution item in“JAPEX2050: toward the realization of a carbon-neutral society” developed in May 2021, and a propriety itemof “JAPEX Management Plan 2022-2030” formulated in March 2022. Based on these priorities, we set animmediate target to launch projects of hub & cluster model CCS/CCUS by 2030, and the Niigata area is oneof our leading candidates because of its active area aiming to realize carbon neutrality.
JAPEX will aim to continuously contribute to realizing carbon neutrality by 2050 in Japan and abroad,including the Niigata area, collaborating and cooperating with related organizations.
Note)*1: Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Storage, *2: Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage,*3: Enhanced Gas Recovery, one of wider CCUS measure since utilization and storage by CO2 injection###1/1