Sinopec has always kept in mind the instructions of President Xi Jinping on "developing technology" and "maintaining a leading level", and shouldering the core responsibility of "the national strategic scientific and technological force". It is focused on making breakthroughs in key core technologies, continuing to strengthen cutting-edge basic research, promoting the reform of scientific and technological systems and mechanisms, and improving the ability to support and lead scientific and technological innovation.

Sci-tech innovation system and mechanism management

Sinopec has built a competition mechanism for tackling key core technologies, formulated the Implementation Plan for Open Competition to Select Best Candidates for New Sci-Tech Projects, and launched six cutting-edge basic projects. Also, it has launched a pilot project for the "Seed Plan", of which the first batch targeted key universities and institutions such as Tsinghua University, with a purpose to solicit innovative and forward-looking ideas and solutions in the field of chemical engineering and materials to expand new fields, new processes, and new technologies. It is actively integrated into the national innovation system, and has applied to build 5 new national energy innovation R&D platforms. Of them, the establishment of the national key lab for energy carbonate oil and gas was publicized; three were included in the "open competition" mechanism, and one participated in the assessment for the best candidates of leading forces. Sinopec is one of the original technology source enterprises of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission's (SASAC's) first batch. Also, it has systematically sorted out the systems of basic, urgent, cutting-edge, and disruptive technologies, brought together major scientific and technological tasks, announced the goals of leading development, and made great efforts to organize and carry out research and development to tackle key technical problems.

Building of scientific and technological talent teams

Sinopec has introduced talents through its talents and projects scheme and implemented plans for the flexible use of talents. Also, it has strengthened the integration advantages of sci-tech research teams, and promoted sci-tech innovation and talent training. As a result, it has a group of talents with high education levels, leading expertise and cutting-edge technologies, as well as urgently-needed talents, and a higher proportion of R&D personnel compared with its peers. Sinopec has built a team of leading scientific research talents, designed incentives for young sci-tech talents, and accelerated the establishment of an evaluation system for sci-tech talents based on innovative value, ability and contribution. Focusing on national key fields and industries, Sinopec has organized industry-university-research institute collaborative research, cultivated talents in major scientific research tasks, and implemented special policies for building the talent echelons, supporting scientific research conditions, and management mechanisms. Also, it has implemented an academician reserve support plan, and focused on strengthening the building of high-level talent teams and innovation teams.

Transformation and application of scientific and technological innovation achievements

Sinopec has actively tapped its leading and supportive role in scientific and technological development, and continued to promote the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements, so as to add impetus to industrial upgrading and economic development. In 2022, the company applied for 10,136 patents at home and abroad, and had 7,502 patents granted at home and abroad, ranking first among central enterprises for four consecutive years in terms of patent quality. Sinopec won seven Chinese patent awards, including one gold, two silver and four excellence awards. In the "Ranking of Patents of Central Enterprises" issued by SASAC in 2022, Sinopec ranked the first place in the A grade of patent quality evaluation results of central enterprises, the second place in the ranking of invention patent authorization as well as effective invention patents of central enterprises.

In terms of the oil and gas exploration and development technology, Sinopec has made breakthroughs in the theory of oil and gas reservoirs in various geological conditions. Significant achievements have been made in understanding the formation mechanism and in tackling key problems in exploration and development technology of shale oil gas. The rotary geosteering drilling system and equipment independently developed by Sinopec have been continuously applied and improved, and autonomous control has been realized in the all-node highdensity seismic exploration technology and equipment. In terms of the oil refining and hydrogen energy technology, Sinopec has established a complete technical system of formulated crude oil, and its phase change materials have provided important technical support for the Wentian Lab Module. Also, it has successfully developed the complete technology of low-sulfur heavy marine fuel, and put the hydrogen supply center for fuel cells into operation. In terms of chemical material technology, Sinopec has streamlined the production process of key medical and health raw materials. China's first 10,000-tonne-level 48K large tow carbon fiber production line has been completed and put into operation. And the production process for the first dedicated production line for high-strength and high modulus carbon fiber in China has been completed. In terms of public technology, Sinopec has developed the wet oxidation process technology for sulfur-containing waste alkali solution, as a supportive part of the million-tonne ethylene project; and the key technologies for long-term safe production in high acid gas fields have been applied, and the intelligent control platform for green and lowcarbon operation of catalytic cracking units (CCU) has been successfully launched and put into operation.

Digital and intelligent transformation

Sinopec has strengthened the application of digital technology, accelerated the digital and intelligent transformation of industries, promoted the transformation of management mode, operation mode and production paradigm, improved the total factor productivity, shaped new competitive advantages, and boosted the high-end, intelligent and green development of the petrochemical industry.

Optimizing the information management and control system, and stimulating the vitality of digital and intellectual innovation

Sinopec has developed and implemented the special implementation plan of digital transformation action plan, and established and improved the supporting systems of IT management, information systemic risk management, informatization expert management, information training, among others. It has released version 1.0 of Sinopec's informatization application architecture, and carried out the construction and pilot application of the software engineering cost evaluation system in the petroleum and petrochemical industry. Also, it has promoted the implementation of the new mechanism of "domain chief responsibility system", and carried out top-level design for informatization, business process standardization, data governance and further application of various business domains according to the new model of "data + platform + application".

Strengthening the construction of digital infrastructure and consolidating the cornerstone of digital development

Sinopec has made efforts to improve and upgrade the "Sinopec Smart Cloud" industrial Internet platform and build a service system integrating three centers: service control, capability exposure and continuous delivery. It has comprehensively improved the "cloud-network security" capability, built a remote data center, and formed an application active-active mode of the group's data center with "three centers in two places". It has built a hybrid cloud for state-owned central enterprises, and piloted the construction of the IT innovation resource pool featuring "one cloud and multiple cores". It has also optimized the network architecture of the group company, built a data center ring network, and completed the network flattening adjustment. It has strengthened network security management and improved Internet outlet security protection strategies.

Promoting the digital and intelligent improvement of various fields and offering strong support to the highquality development

Sinopec has established a digital and intelligent analysis and decision-making system for financial data, improved the global treasury management function, launched the interest rate and foreign exchange risk and credit risk management application, and accelerated the construction of a strategic and intensive financial control system. It has improved the integrated investment optimization and control platform, and built an operation audit and technical audit integration big data platform. The headquarters intelligent operation center has deepened its application and promoted the digital and intelligent upgrading of production fields in the upstream, midstream, and downstream of the industry. The group company has achieved visualized supervision of the transportation of hazardous chemicals and environmental protection emissions, and the carbon asset system has been launched in 40 enterprises. The digital service capabilities and market influence of e-commerce platforms such as chememall.com have been significantly improved.

Smart factory construction

Based on the "Sinopec Smart Cloud" industrial Internet platform, Sinopec has launched smart factories in six enterprises, promoted benefitoriented production and operation mode of "overall optimization, precise implementation, and closed-loop control", and enabled green, safe and high-quality development. As of 2022, Sinopec had built 15 refining and chemical smart factories.