CNOOC discovers oil in deep and ultra-deep South China Sea

• CNOOC discovered oil in Paleogene Enping and Wenchang formations.
• Proved in-place volume has exceeded 100 million tons of oil equivalent.

CNOOC Ltd. discovered oil in the Huizhou 19-6 oilfield in the deep and ultra-deep plays in the eastern South China Sea in 100 m of water. 

Discovery well HZ19-6-3 was drilled and completed at a depth of 5,415 m, which encountered a total of 127 m oil and gas pay zones in Paleogene Enping and Wenchang formations, CNOOC said in a release Mar. 30. The oil is light crude.

The operator said a well test produced 413 bbl of crude oil and 2.41 MMcfd of natural gas. Through continued exploration, the proved in-place volume of Huizhou 19-6 has exceeded 100 million tons of oil equivalent, the company continued. The discovery confirmed the largest integrated clastic oilfield in the northern South China Sea in terms of original oil in place.