China Starts Production at Major Oil Field in Bohai Sea

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

China's state-owned oil and gas firm China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has brought online the Kenli 10-2 oil field (Phase I), the largest shallow lithological oil field offshore China.

The project is located in southern Bohai Sea, with an average water depth of about 20 meters.

The main production facilities include a new central platform and two wellhead platforms, which leverages the adjacent existing facilities for development.

According to CNOOC, 79 development wells are planned to be commissioned, including 33 cold recovery wells, 24 thermal recovery wells, 21 water injection wells and one water source well.

The project is expected to achieve a peak production of approximately 19,400 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026. The oil property is heavy crude.

Kenli 10-2 oil field is the first lithological oilfield with proven in-place volume of 100 million tons discovered in the shallow depression zone of the Bohai Bay Basin.

It is being developed in two phases. CNOOC has adopted an innovative combined development approach of ‘conventional water injection combined with steam huff and puff and steam flooding’, providing strong technical support for the efficient utilization of oil reserves.

The project’s platform integrates both conventional cold production and thermal recovery systems, and is equipped with over 240 sets of key equipment. It is one of the most complex production platforms in the Bohai region and the first large-scale thermal recovery platform for heavy oil in southern Bohai Sea, CNOOC claims.

“The successful commencement of production of this project marks a new stage in the development of complicated heavy oil reservoirs offshore China. It will strongly support the Company’s Bohai Oilfield to achieve the annual gross production target of 40 million tons, contributing to the Company’s high-quality development through high-level operations,” said Yan Hongtao, President of CNOOC.

CNOOC holds 100% interest in this project and is the operator.

Categories: Deepwater Shallow Water Well Operations Workover FPSO Shale LNG Maintenance Support Vessel Construction Vessel Floating Production Industry News Activity Production Asia Bohai Bay Oil and Gas

Related Stories

Iran War Reshapes Global LNG Trade

PV Drilling Names New ‘Super Rig’ ahead of April Operations

Iran War Exposes Risks of Fossil Fuel Dependence

Lamprell Secures ONGC Deal for Subsea Pipeline Replacement Project

QatarEnergy Selects Technip Energies JV for North Field West Expansion Work

Inpex Secures Environmental Approval for Indonesia’s Abadi LNG Project

MISC Secures Long-Term Charter for Papua New Guinea's First FSO

MISC, PTSC Extend Ruby II FPSO Operations Offshore Vietnam

Mubadala Hires SLB for Deepwater Drilling Services Offshore Indonesia

Japan’s JERA Agrees Long-Term LNG Supply from Middle East

Current News

Oil Hikes 7% after Trump Says US-Israel will Keep Striking Iran

Iran Assures Safe Hormuz Transit for Philippine Vessels

EnQuest Enters Malaysia with Cendramas Production Sharing Deal

Bahrain Push for Hormuz Shipping Resolution Hits Hurdles at UN

Energean Warns Prolonged Conflict May Delay $1B Gas Project

Iran War Reshapes Global LNG Trade

Drone Strike on Kuwaiti Oil Tanker off Dubai Signals Further Escalation in Gulf

INPEX Extends Pertamina LNG Pact, Signs Upstream MoU in Southeast Asia

Chiyoda, NYK, KNCC Target Global CCS Value Chain Development

PV Drilling Names New ‘Super Rig’ ahead of April Operations

Magazine

Subscribe for AOG Digital E‑News

AOG Digital E-News is the subsea industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week

https://accounts.newwavemedia.com