China's first offshore oil and gas in-situ expansion platform for 100-meter-deep water begins operation

(ECNS) -- China's first offshore oil and gas in-situ expansion platform designed for use in waters around 100 meters deep has officially begun operation, after the first adjustment under the expansion project at the Enping 24-2 Oilfield was successfully brought into production on Wednesday, according to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Shenzhen Company on Thursday.

The platform is located in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, about 200 kilometers southwest of Shenzhen, in waters nearly 100 meters deep. The project uses an innovative modular installation mode without stopping production or restructuring the original production system. It adds 12 new well slots and supports 16 adjustment wells, helping overcome offshore production capacity constraints. 

The Enping 24-2 Oilfield is a key producing field in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. Since it began production in October 2014, it has produced more than 12 million metric tons of crude oil. After more than a decade of development, however, the original platform had reached full capacity in terms of operating space and drilling slots, leaving substantial remaining reserves untapped. 

According to Xu Xiaohu, deputy general manager of CNOOC Shenzhen's Enping Operating Company, the project overcame technical challenges, including the precise offshore docking of large modules, platform expansion and system compatibility, as well as ensuring structural safety in waters 100 meters deep. It also achieved several domestic firsts, including the use of a single drilling rig shared by dual platforms and the V-shaped movement of a 40-ton crane. 

Xu said that, compared with building a new offshore platform, the in-situ expansion platform requires a shorter construction period and lower investment, while minimizing the impact on normal production. It provides a replicable and scalable solution for revitalizing existing resources and improving development efficiency at mature offshore oilfields in China. 

In recent years, China's offshore oil and gas development has advanced both new projects and the upgrading of existing assets. The successful application technology in waters around 100 meters deep further improves China's deepwater oil and gas development technology system and serves as a demonstration for consolidating stable offshore oil and gas production and enhancing domestic energy security. 

(By Tang Yuxian)