CNOOC Limited has successfully brought three significant oilfields online in the South China Sea, marking a crucial advancement in its long-term strategic goals. The integrated Panyu project, encompassing the Panyu 11-12, 10-1, and 10-2 oilfields, showcases the company’s cutting-edge infrastructure, including a pioneering “Typhoon Production Mode” and a heavy oil intelligent processing system. This ambitious development is set to peak at 13,600 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) of medium and heavy crude oil by 2025, enhancing both production efficiency and cost-sharing. New platforms have been connected to existing ones via a trestle bridge, further optimizing operational costs.
The Panyu oilfields are located in waters approximately 100 meters deep, and the project incorporates an unmanned wellhead platform. Since its initial production began in 2003, the Panyu cluster has yielded over 380 million barrels of crude oil, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of CNOOC’s operations.
The company has also announced plans to commission 15 development wells for the project. CNOOC holds a 100% stake in the Panyu development and operates the project following its acquisition of Devon Energy Corporation’s interest in 2010 for $515 million.
In a broader context of corporate performance, CNOOC reported a record third-quarter profit of $5.2 billion for 2024, a 9% increase from the same period last year. The company also finalized a $2 billion deal with Ineos in the fourth quarter, selling its US oil and gas assets, including stakes in two deepwater fields located in the Gulf of Mexico.
This success follows CNOOC’s achievements with its Jinzhou 23-2 oilfield in the Bohai Sea, which is expected to peak at 17,000 boepd by 2027, and the Huizhou 26-6 oilfield project, which will contribute 20,600 boepd by 2027. Both of these projects are fully owned and operated by CNOOC, highlighting the company’s growing presence and expanding capabilities in the global oil market.