CNOOC advances offshore oil and gas expansion, equipment innovation and low-carbon transition in opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) presses ahead with its vision to build a world-class energy resource group distinguished by offshore operational strengths during the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Strategic targets are translated into concrete progress in reserves and output expansion, green development, advanced equipment research and digital transformation.

Progress in production capacity construction remains steady. Growing and refining oil and gas operations form the foundation of high-quality development. Multiple landmark milestones were achieved at offshore development projects in the first half of the year.

All jacket installations for Phase Two of the Bozhong 26-6 Oilfield, the world’s largest buried-hill metamorphic oilfield, were completed on 13 February. Fabrication of all platforms finished on land on 16 June, with offshore installation wrapped up in July, moving the project closer to commissioning.

In mid-May, the jacket for the Enping 24-2 Oilfield slot expansion project was launched and positioned accurately. Operators overcame rough sea conditions and restricted visibility to achieve precise connection between new and existing facilities. Offshore installation of the topside module and mechanical completion followed through the summer, supporting stable and rising production across oilfields in the eastern South China Sea.

Phase One of the Kenli 10-2 billion-ton oilfield cluster development project in the Bohai Sea entered full operation on 27 May. All 79 development wells were completed, including 24 thermal recovery wells that finished initial steam injection and successful pump startup for both cold and thermal production wells.

Construction of three main platforms for Phase Two of the Bozhong 19-6 Gas Complex concluded on 2 June, marking accelerated development of the Bohai Sea’s first hundred-billion-cubic-metre gas field. Drilling of the first well on this scheme commenced on 9 June.

Major advances are recorded in offshore equipment manufacturing. The corporation strengthens technical hardware to underpin domestic oil and gas reserve growth. A string of vital marine assets entered construction or delivery in the first half of the year.

A deepwater multi-purpose offshore engineering vessel invested by CNOOC was launched, capable of full-spectrum deep-sea operations including subsea cable installation, seabed surveys and transport support. Haiyang Shiyou 696, China’s first integrated large offshore fracturing vessel, was formally delivered, filling domestic gaps in marine fracturing engineering technology and equipment.

In March, construction kicked off on a cylindrical FPSO for the Kaiping South Oilfield at COOEC’s high-end marine equipment base in Qingdao. Once completed, it will take over from Hai Kui No.1 as Asia’s largest cylindrical floating offshore oil and gas production facility.

Zengchan No.1, China’s first mobile multi-purpose intervention platform, entered service in May. The unit can relocate between oilfields and deliver customised production enhancement solutions for diverse reservoirs, earning recognition as a mobile offshore production boosting facility.

Keel laying for a new-generation deepwater pipelay vessel was completed in June, initiating critical hull assembly. The vessel is fitted with industry-leading DP3 dynamic positioning systems and can operate in waters up to 500 metres deep.

Technological innovation accelerates commercialisation of research outcomes, supporting CNOOC’s development as a national strategic force for offshore oil and gas technology.

Unmanned aerial vehicle operations were formally deployed at oilfields in the western South China Sea on 28 February, delivering China’s first large-scale offshore drone programme covering subsea pipeline inspection, logistics distribution and emergency security. Systematic, scaled drone operations were rolled out across eastern South China Sea oilfields from April onwards.

Helium is mostly extracted as a by-product of natural gas. A high-purity helium extraction unit achieved trial production success on 24 April, delivering helium exceeding 99.999% purity and reinforcing domestic supply capacity for key industrial sectors.

Researchers successfully developed a 3D printed full-diameter fractured physical model in April. The model accurately reproduces micro-fractures and pore architectures measuring merely tens of micrometres, enabling refined evaluation and efficient extraction from fractured offshore reservoirs.

Groundbreaking work began on 20 May for the Bohulong Offshore Research Pilot Base Phase One in Tianjin Binhai High-tech Zone, the country’s first pilot facility dedicated to the full industrial chain of offshore hydrocarbon exploration and development. The complex integrates research, experimental testing and pilot verification to speed technical translation for offshore operations.

Digital and intelligent transformation unlocks new competitiveness under the Smart CNOOC initiative. The corporation advances the Artificial Intelligence Plus strategy to deploy end-to-end smart solutions.

In January, intelligent inspection robots for offshore wind turbines developed by CNOOC’s clean energy subsidiary entered service on Haiyou Guanlan Hao, China’s first deep-sea floating wind platform. The robots improve inspection efficiency and overcome operational limits imposed by adverse weather.

A 1,500-kilonewton intelligent positioning winch system, led by CNOOC, completed assembly in Tianjin on 27 March and entered commissioning, representing fresh progress in domestic manufacturing of large-tonnage intelligent traction equipment.

Haiyang Shiyou 696 carried out its maiden fracturing operation on 11 May, supported by a digital onshore command centre in Tianjin delivering full-process technical backing.

The first batch of intelligent flexible welding robotic systems independently developed by COOEC were deployed in Tianjin in June. The equipment adapts to complex marine environments and addresses persistent challenges including limited access and precision control when welding large offshore structural components.

Green development underpins sustainable growth. CNOOC advances its Green CNOOC strategy, with multiple low-carbon schemes moving forward.

Haiying, a corporate brand for green low-carbon technologies, was unveiled in February. It comprises three technical frameworks covering energy recovery, emission control and new energy development, incorporating 18 core technologies.

Construction began in April on the Dongfang 1-1 offshore CCUS demonstration project, China’s first offshore carbon injection scheme for enhanced gas recovery. The facility will have the capacity to store more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually once fully operational. Five 270,000-cubic-metre full-containment LNG storage tanks and supporting infrastructure for Phase Two of Jinwan Green Energy Port were commissioned, bringing South China’s largest LNG storage and transit hub into full service.

Liquefied natural gas carrier Lv Neng Yun was named and delivered in Changxing Island, Shanghai, in June. All six large LNG vessels under Phase One of CNOOC’s FOB shipping support project have now entered service. Construction also started on the Wushi Terminal energy storage station, configured with three modular 5MW/10MWh battery systems functioning as flexible power reserves for offshore production sites.