CNOOC Ltd. has started heavy crude oil production from the Jinzhou 23-2 oilfield development project in the northern part of the Bohai Sea.
A total of 67 development wells are expected to be commissioned, including 65 production wells and two water source wells, the company said in a release Dec. 2. An expected peak production of about 17,000 boe/d could come in 2027.
Main production infrastructure for Jinzhou-23 includes two new central processing platforms.
The oilfield development project, which sits in average water depth of about 13 m, is the first multi-layer heavy oil thermal recovery project offshore China, the operator said, noting that the project utilizes a method of “steam stimulation+chemical auxiliary steam flooding” to reduce the viscosity of crude oil, and that the project will strengthen energy supply to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
CNOOC is operator of the project with 100% interest.
