ANN/CHINA DAILY – China’s first comprehensive environmentally friendly oilfield cluster, Wushi 23-5, began operations in Guangdong province on Monday, according to the China National Offshore Oil Co (CNOOC).
The project consists of 43 development wells – 28 production wells and 15 water injection wells – and is expected to reach peak production of approximately 18,100 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2026, CNOOC said.
It is the first time that oil and gas have been transported from two kilometres under the seabed to Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong province, a new model in the green development of offshore oilfields in China that is also expected to minimise the effect on the marine environment, said the company.
CNOOC said it achieved zero discharge and zero pollution during the process of water treatment after oilfield production in the cluster.
It is also the first oilfield in the Beibu Gulf to be supplied with electricity from shore, through two 35 kilovolt (kV) lines of China Southern Power Grid that will reduce the annual offshore gas combustion equivalent to 20,000 metric tonnes of standard coal, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 44,000 tonnes, it said.
China has been stepping up offshore oil and gas exploration and development in recent years, with the output of offshore crude oil exceeding 62 million tonnes last year, an increase of more than 3.4 million tonnes year-on-year, accounting for about 70 per cent of the country’s crude oil increase, said CNOOC.
This has further strengthened the nation’s capacity as a maritime power, it said.
The pioneering approach of integrating advanced green technologies and practices is a significant milestone in sustainable energy development and sets a new standard for offshore oilfield operations in the country, said head of intelligence and research at the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute Luo Zuoxian,.
Furthermore, by utilising onshore power through two 35kV lines, the project significantly reduces carbon emissions, Luo said.
This not only supports China’s national energy security, but also aligns with its goals for green and low-carbon development.
