CNOOC Ltd said Thursday the Wenchang 16-2 Oilfield Development Project in the Pearl River Mouth Basin had started production.
This is the company’s 10th announced startup offshore China this year, and the sixth in the South China Sea. Including two projects in Brazilian waters, the publicly listed arm of China National Offshore Oil Corp. has now announced 12 upstream startups in 2025.
The newest startup is expected to reach its capacity of about 11,200 barrels of oil equivalent a day in 2027. The oil is light crude, according to CNOOC Ltd.
“The development of the project mainly leverages the adjacent existing facilities of the Wenchang Oilfields, with addition of a new jacket platform integrating functions such as oil and gas production, offshore drilling and completion operations as well as personnel accommodation”, CNOOC Ltd, the sole developer, said in a statement on its website. It plans to develop 15 wells.
The project has an average water depth of around 150 meters (492.13 feet), according to the company.
CNOOC Ltd earlier put online five projects in the South China Sea this year: the Dongfang 1-1 Gas Field 13-3 Block Development Project, the Dongfang 29-1 field, the Panyu 11-12/10-1/10-2 Oilfield Adjustment Joint Development Project, the Weizhou 5-3 field and phase II of the Wenchang 19-1 field.
The other Chinese projects it put into production this year are in the Bohai Sea: phase I of the Bozhong 26-6 field, the Caofeidian 6-4 field adjustment, phase I of the Kenli 10-2 Oilfields Development Project and phase II of the Luda 5-2 North field.
Overseas, CNOOC Ltd and its partners fired up Buzios7 in the Buzios field and Mero4 in the Mero field. Both fields are in Brazil’s Santos Basin. CNOOC Ltd owns 9.65 percent in Mero, operated by state-controlled Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) with a 38.6 percent stake. In Buzios, CNOOC Ltd owns 7.34 percent, while operator Petrobras holds 88.99 percent.
CNOOC Ltd earlier reported a total net oil and gas production in the first half of 2025 of 384.6 million barrels of oil equivalent, up 6.1 percent year-on-year with both domestic and overseas output exceeding historical highs for the six-month period.
In exploration activities during 1H 2025, CNOOC Ltd discovered Caofeidian 22-3, Jinzhou 27-6 and Weizhou 10-5 South, as well as successfully appraised Lingshui 25-1 and Qinhuangdao 29-6. All are offshore China.
Overseas, CNOOC Ltd “continued to increase reserves through advanced deepwater exploration in Guyana and signed our first oil contract for exploration in Kazakhstan for a new block, further expanding our overseas exploration potential”, chair Zhang Chuanjiang said.
On August 26 CNOOC Ltd said Indonesia had awarded new production sharing contracts for two blocks where the company owns minority stakes.
“The contracts were signed for Gaea and Gaea II exploration blocks, which are mainly located both onshore and offshore in southern Papua Barat Province, in proximity to the Tangguh LNG project”, CNOOC Ltd said.
To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
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