Offshore staff

HONG KONG – China National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOOC) has successfully confirmed the Penglai (PL) 9-1 oil-bearing structure in Bohai Bay, discovered in 2010.

The appraisal confirmed this is the largest oilfield discovery in recent years in the region.

PL9-1 is in the Miaoxibei uplift in the eastern part of Bohai, in an average water depth of 25 m (82 ft). One appraisal well, PL9-1-5, encountered oil pay zones in buried hill with total thickness of more than 200 m (656 ft), and on tested flowed around 700 b/d.

CNOOC also discovered oil in the PL15-2 structure, 8 km (5 mi) to the south. The PL15-2-1 well intersected oil pay zones with total thickness of 83 m (272 ft), and the test indicated an average rate of more than 1,200 b/d.

CEO Li Fanrong said: “I believe the successful appraisal on PL9-1 will open up a new prospect for exploration and development in eastern Bohai waters as well as making a great contribution to maintaining steady production in Bohai region.”

4/17/2012