Research and Development (R&D) has been a core value for both technological innovation and corporate sustainability for CPC. Three major institutes are responsible for R&D in their respective areas: the Exploration & Development Research Institute (EDRI) in Miaoli, the Refining & Manufacturing Research Institute (RMRI) in Chiayi and the Green Technology Research Institute (GTRI) in Kaohsiung.

The EDRI primarily focuses on the analysis of domestic and foreign geological/stratigraphic data for the evaluation of oil and gas reserves, technological development on exploration, drilling and extraction methodology, environmental monitoring, geothermal resource development and carbon sequestration. The RMRI plays a leading role in the R&D of high value-added petrochemicals, the promotion of the circular economy, pollution control, the improvement of refinery structure or configuration, and resolving on-site production problems. The GTRI is dedicated to R&D related to biofuels, renewable energy and green materials, and is responsible for pilot production on advanced projects.

CPC's expenditure on R&D in 2024 amounted to about NT$3.718 billion. The R&D achievements are described below:

Exploration & Development Research Institute

• The exploration potential of offshore southwest Taiwan has been significantly enhanced through a comprehensive three-year integrated study encompassing geology, geophysics, and geochemistry. The results of this study underpin the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the region, revealing evidence for the potential presence of two distinct petroleum systems within the Tainan Basin. Furthermore, the findings suggest the presence of multiple reservoirs with substantial hydrocarbon accumulations across various exploration play types.

• The project evaluated the exploration potential of permit areas within the offshore Canning region, northwest Australia, through an integrated approach involving well correlation, seismic interpretation, source rock evaluation, and basin modeling. The results provide critical insights to inform exploration strategies and mitigate exploration risks within permit area WA-533-P.

• Conducted an assessment of the hydrocarbon potential in the Nogal basin, Africa, and the Somaliland oil field. The study included a detailed analysis of the Cretaceous stratigraphic sequence within the Nogal basin and a comprehensive screening of exploration prospects in Somaliland oil field.

• Developed simulation and evaluation techniques for Enhanced Geothermal Systems(EGS) and Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS), applying them to analyze and quantify the power generation potential of target geothermal fields.

• Developed a discharge and productivity test for the applicability of different geothermal fields. Designed precise techniques for measuring enthalpy, incorporating analyses of geothermal fluids and non-condensable gas components. These methods were applied to optimize enthalpy assessments for geothermal wells.

• Integrated exploration data to construct a 3D geothermal conceptual model of the Matsao area in the Tatun Mountain region, delineating the volume and spatial distribution of the weak acidic reservoir. Based on the model, six potential drilling sites were proposed. Conducted autoclave experiments to identify suitable alloys for handling acidic geothermal fluids. Additionally, performed an economic analysis of developing acidic wells, incorporating the use of corrosion-resistant alloys and acid-base neutralization technologies to ensure operational feasibility and cost efficiency.

• To ensure the safety of TCS carbon sequestration demonstration site, continuous monitoring stations for atmospheric and soil gases are being established to promptly detect changes in carbon dioxide concentrations. Furthermore, techniques for ow-geomechanics coupling simulation and microseismic event localization are being developed to devise suitable injection strategies and clarify any correlations with seismic activities.

• To assess the potential of nearshore and offshore carbon sequestration sites, newly collected seismic data is being used to update the evaluation results of carbon sequestration potential. Furthermore, an investigation of carbon emission sources in the central and southern regions has been completed, along with an analysis of the CCS value chain under different capacity scenarios, which will serve as a reference for the development plan.

• Developed techniques to distinguish gasoline produced by CPC and Formosa Petrochemical Corporation using carbonhydrogen isotope ratios, and investigated the changes in gasoline composition caused by weathering factors.

• Investigated the bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soils with varying textures using bioslurry applications. Enhanced TPHd (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon as diesel) degradation efficiency by stimulating microbial activity through aeration and nutrient supplementation. Conducted a pilot-scale test employing the bioslurry method to evaluate bioremediation performance.

• Developed numerical simulation methods to analyze the transport behavior of diesel contamination and evaluated remediation efficiency and optimal operational conditions for CPC’s contaminated sites.

Refining & Manufacturing Research Institute

• Developed new processes, including the application of magnetic filters, development of waste liquid advanced oxidation processes, establishment of secondary hydrogenation catalyst evaluation procedures, research on improving efficiency of conversion process equipment, ROC (Residue Oil Cracking) unit catalyst formula adjustment and product composition optimization, research on waste cracking catalyst as base materials for denitrification catalysts, and building a machine learning platform for predictive analysis of critical equipment.

• Quality and performance evaluations for gasoline and diesel were completed. The performance tests were conducted for the gasoline cleaning additive as well as diesel. In order to reduce carbon emissions, the integration of the heating value of natural gas in northern and southern Taiwan was promoted. In addition, the standardization of stove specications were also integrated.

• Completed underground pollution improvement and testing services for refineries/petrochemical plants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) , monitoring in the air, oil gas recovery, VOCs health risk assessment, waste and wastewater treatment and recycling, pre-treatment of special waste liquids and odor reduction planning, to comply with environmental regulations and environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements.

• Successful conversion of CPC’s own heavy oil through a self-developed proprietary refining process for the development of long-life amorphous soft carbon materials, with the great potential to be used in the anode of lithium-ion batteries. Cooperating with motorcycle manufacturers to launch electric motorcycles by “separating vehicle from battery”. The battery in the battery swap cabinet is made of advanced soft carbon material developed by CPC. The high stability of the battery can help the battery charge and discharge quickly, which is significantly ahead of the battery charging speed on the market.

• Continuously optimized the Central Energy Management System (CEMS) to comprehensively display site data of smart green energy gas stations (including Xinyi Station in Chiayi, Chietong Station in Taoyuan, Qianfeng Station in Tainan and Guangfu Station in Hualien); enabling remote energy monitoring and scheduling, with a highly visual dashboard to present the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of each site; allowing system maintenance personnel to understand site operation status in a timely manner, to learn about abnormal events, and to deal with them immediately.

• Optimized the gasoline/diesel and petrochemical raw material production processes and offered advisory services to resolve on-site problems and enhance operational efficiency to achieve energy-saving goals.

• Launched a series of new lubricants, including KYMCO M1 800C multifunctional engine oil; CPC 4T fully synthetic motorcycle oil (SN 10W/40); CPC 9000SP motor oil (5W/30); CPC SP fully synthetic motor oil (0W/20); and CPC CO-400 Plus marine engine oil.

• Improved the dielectric properties of traditional substrate resin materials to meet the requirements of high frequency/speed transmission of 5G communications, and successfully entered ton-scale pilot production. Copper-Clad Laminate(CCL) manufacturers have certified the consequent novel resin material for subsequent downstream promotion.

• In accordance of the government’s policies on restricting the use of plastic, CPC has utilized its core fermentation technology to develop biodegradable plastics, biochemical and other raw materials. Also, with regard to the business prots and environmental requirements, CPC has been developing automobile cleaning products and microbial agents for pollution treatment.

• To enter the retail market, CPC uses self-developed biomaterials, such as whitening and moisturizing ingredients, to create cosmetics. So far, Eco-friendly Body Wash and Eco-friendly Shampoo have been launched.

• Completed equipment installation for carbon capture trials and began performance tests.

• Selected suitable oils at the refinery for hydrogenation and purification to produce non-toxic environmentally-friendly solvents.

Green Technology Research Institute

• Managed and maintained over 270 solar PV stations for CPC. Assisted in evaluating the construction of solar PV systems, developed cloud-based monitoring services for solar PV systems, and applied drones equipped with AI image recognition technology aid in site inspections. Researched and developed next-generation perovskite solar PV modules.

• Established a 30kW hybrid energy storage system and developed an anode material for sodium-ion batteries.

• Established verification fields for distributed SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) and PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) power generation systems, and established a hydrogen refueling station for a hydrogenpowered-vehicle demonstration project.

• Development of low-cost/long-life LTO materials and high-energy-intensity vanadium-based anode materials.

• Development of high-voltage lithium nickel manganese oxygenate cathode materials and trial production to verify the process technology.

• Performance verification on the vanadium electrolyte of Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB). The electrolyte came from used waste catalyst, in order to reduce the cost of waste catalyst treatment, which is benecial for the development of the circular economy.

• Development of high elastic insulation coating materials and applied it to high-solid polyol with ultra-low solvent and environmental-friendly products used for coating.

• Development of superhydrophobic coatings and anti-corrosion thermal insulation coatings for use in acidic environments. These were also applied to coatings for geothermal equipment under alkaline/acidic environments to prevent corrosion and scale formation.

• Pilot plant construction and product development from DCPD.

• Development of technology for cultivating Sarcodia sp. using LNG cold seawater discharge and extracting its bioactive ingredients with efficacy. These ingredients are applied to high-value beauty products. Among them, the “SeeClean Seony Shampoo” and “SeeClean Seony Body Wash” were launched in September 2024 and available at designated gas stations nationwide.

• Certified by the Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF) as a “Verification and Validation Body.” The certification scope covers organizational-level voluntary greenhouse gas programs and organizational-level greenhouse gas environmental programs, to provide customers with high-quality third-party verication services for greenhouse gas inventories.

• Pilot plant construction for the trial production of Fatty Acid Ester(FAE) to high-value cutting oil/ base oil products.

• Development of a 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) process to be applied to high-value derivative products.

2022