CNOOC announces approval for Lingshui 36-1 gas field
State-backed CNOOC announced on August 7 that Chinese governmental authorities have approved the proved gas in-place for the offshore Lingshui 36-1 gas field, which stands at over 100bn m3.
“It is the first large-size ultra-shallow gas field in ultra-deep water in the world, which opens up a new area of exploration in deep waters,” CNOOC said. The company announced the breakthrough at the Lingshui 36-1 gas field in June this year.
Lingshui 36-1 gas field is located in the southern portion of the Central Sag, Qiongdongnan basin. The average water depth of the gas field is approximately 1,500 m, and the burial depth is 210 m, making it a typical ultra-deep-water, ultra-shallow gas field. The field has been tested to produce over 10mn m3/day of natural gas.
The company has been exploring oil and gas resources in the South China Sea for decades. Multiple large-size gas fields have been discovered in the Yinggehai, Qiongdongnan, and Pearl River Mouth basins, including Dongfang 1-1, Liwan 3-1, Lingshui 17-2, Baodao 21-1, and now, Lingshui 36-1. So far, the total proved gas in-place in the region has exceeded 1 trillion m3, CNOOC stated.