By the invitation of Professor Pang Zhonghe, an Italian delegation visited Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science from December 6 to 10, 2010. They attended the first "Sino-Italian workshop on CO₂ geological sequestration" and went to Tianjin for a field visit of pilot site. As the first activity in the bilateral cooperation on CO₂ sequestration funded by both authorities, the visit achieved its goals and the workshop was a remarkable success.

Professor Pang Zhonghe introduced the national project "CO₂ sequestration technologies" which is funded by of the National Tech R&D program, the 863 program as a key project during the 11th five-year-plan of the country. He provided an overview of major achievements made so far in the studies on CO₂ sequestration in saline aquifers in China. Taking Bohai Bay Basin as an example, he discussed key scientific and technological issues in CO₂ geological sequestration, such as genesis and evolution of formation matrix and pore fluid and assessment technologies of reservoir integrity, medium heterogeneity characterization and CO₂ migration dynamics, CO₂- water-rock interaction and monitoring for environmental safety. He also discussed the possibility of integration of CO₂ sequestration with geothermal resources development, especially the CO₂-EATER project which is under way.

Italian delegation was led by Professor G.M. Zuppi, Director of Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering, CNR, and accompanied by four other experts from the same institute as well as those from University of Rome, Institute of Geosciences and Earth-Resources in Pisa, Italy. Italian scientists introduced main progress of CO₂ geological sequestration in Italy as well as in Europe and gave lectures on soil gas monitoring and mapping, database construction, relationship of soil gases with volcanoes, geothermal systems and active tectonic structures, indicators of environmental safety, and geochemical modeling of CO₂ sequestration. After detailed discussions, Italian experts proposed joint work on soil gas monitoring of test site in Tianjin, which was well accepted by the Chinese counterpart.

During the visit, both sides discussed the scientific issues of CO₂ geological sequestration in details and recognized the need for cooperation on soil gas and agreed to initiate soil gas monitoring work on the field test site of Bohai Bay Basin.

Professor Zhao Ping, Deputy Director of IGGCAS, met with the Italian guests and treated them an official dinner.

Italian delegation also visited facilities in the institute, including the laboratory of water isotopes and water-rock interaction and SIMS laboratory.