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Chinese Scientists Develop A New Method For Oil And Gas Extraction That Promises To Increase Efficiency And Prolong The Lifespan Of Deepwater Oil Fields For Decades, Transforming The Energy Industry.
Chinese scientists develop a new method of oil and gas extraction that promises to increase efficiency and prolong the lifespan of oil fields in deep water for decades, transforming the energy industry.
China is revolutionizing oil and gas extraction with the development of a new model that promises to significantly increase production efficiency in deep water.
Developed by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), this innovative model is designed to optimize oil and gas recovery at great depths, prolonging the lifespan of oil fields for decades.
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The New Oil And Gas Extraction Model
The core of this new approach involves a structure called a “deep-water jacket” and a floating cylindrical facility for production, storage, and offloading of oil and gas, known by the acronym FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading).
The deep-water jacket is a drilling platform designed to operate at great depths, extracting crude oil from the seabed. The FPSO is responsible for processing, storing, and transferring the extracted oil, as well as providing energy to the drilling platform.
This combination of technologies is pioneering in Asia and was developed specifically for the secondary development project of the Liuhua Oil Field, located in the Pearl River Estuary Basin, about 240 kilometers from the city of Shenzhen.
The construction of this project was recently completed with the delivery of Haikui No. 1, the first cylindrical FPSO facility in Asia, and Haiji No. 2, the largest deep-water jacket structure in the region.
Impact And Efficiency
According to Yu Hongkun, production manager of the oil and gas field, the new extraction model has the potential to significantly increase the recovery rate of oil and gas from the reservoirs.
Additionally, it can prolong the lifespan of oil fields by up to 30 years, representing a major advancement in the efficiency of offshore operations in China.
The process works in an optimized manner: the drilling platform extracts the crude oil and performs initial pre-treatment.
Then, the oil is sent to the FPSO facility, where it is processed, stored, and transported to other facilities.
This integrated approach not only maximizes recovery of resources but also reduces the need for constant returns to port, allowing the FPSO to operate at sea for up to 15 years continuously.
Technical Challenges And Innovations
The installation of these gigantic structures and their subsea production systems involved significant challenges, mainly due to the adverse conditions of the seabed in the region. Seven subsea pipes and cables, with a total length of 69 kilometers, were used to connect the platforms.
These connections are responsible for transporting oil, gas, and water, as well as transmitting essential photoelectric signals for operation.
Wang Wei, cable operations manager, highlighted the difficulty of installing these subsea pipes and cables, especially in a deep-water environment with unstable seabed and low rock resistance.
“The project team applied advanced digital technology to perform calculations and high-precision simulations, ensuring that the pipes and cables were installed with millimeter precision at a depth of 324 meters“, said Wang.
Robotic systems were used to achieve levels of precision that set a new global standard in the industry.
Platform Features
The Haikui No. 1, weighing an impressive 37,000 tons and with a height equivalent to a 30-story building, has the capacity to store up to 60,000 tons of oil.
With this capacity, it can operate continuously for 15 years without needing to return to port, ensuring unprecedented operational efficiency.
Meanwhile, Haiji No. 2, at 428 meters tall and more than 50,000 tons, has set new records in Asia in terms of structural height, operational depth, and construction speed.
This platform is a symbol of technological advancement and Chinese industrial capability to compete globally in deepwater oil and gas operations.
The development of this new model for oil and gas extraction by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) not only increases efficiency and productivity in deep water but also sets new standards for the industry.
This innovation represents a significant advancement for energy resource exploration in China and positions the country at the forefront of offshore technology.
With the combination of giant platforms, high-precision subsea systems, and advanced robotics, China is demonstrating its ability to overcome technical and environmental challenges, ushering in a new era of oil and gas exploration.
Essa tecnologia já é utilizada pela Petrobras, há mais de 20 anos. O que que tem de inovador nisso