CNOOC starts up shallow lithological oil development offshore China

On July 22, CNOOC reported that it has started operations at the Kenli 10-2 Oilfields Development (Phase I) in the southern Bohai Sea offshore eastern China.

This is the largest shallow lithological oil field offshore China, the company said, with the development facilities located in an average water depth of about 20 m.

They include a new central platform and two wellhead platforms, connected to existing adjacent offshore facilities.

CNOOC plans to drill a total of 79 development wells comprising 33 cold recovery wells, 24 thermal recovery wells, 21 water injectors and one water source well. Next year, production should reach a peak of about 19,400 boe/d; the oil is a heavy crude.

Kenli 10-2 Oilfield, with estimated proven reserves of 100 MMt in the shallow depression zone of the Bohai Bay Basin, is being developed in two phases.

CNOOC Ltd. is following a combined development approach of conventional water injection plus steam huff, and puff plus steam flooding, to maximize recovery.

The central platform has integrated conventional cold production and thermal recovery systems, and more than 240 sets of key equipment items. It is one of the most complex production platforms in the Bohai region, the company added, and the first large-scale thermal recovery platform for heavy oil in southern Bohai Sea.