Hold onto your hard hats, global energy watchers! China’s offshore oil game just leveled up with the installation of ‘Haikui No. 1’—Asia’s first cylindrical floating oil-gas production mega-facility. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of energy tech, combining production, storage, and delivery in one sleek package.
Built by state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), this 37,000-tonne beast stands taller than a 30-story skyscraper and boasts a deck size equaling 13 basketball courts. Anchored 320 meters deep near Shenzhen, it’s engineered to store 60,000 tonnes of oil and operate non-stop for 15 years—no pit stops needed!
Why cylindrical? CNOOC says this design slashes steel use by up to 15% and handles rough seas like a champ compared to traditional ship-shaped units. But there’s a catch: its bulky shape makes installation ‘as tricky as balancing a spinning top in a hurricane’, according to project lead Wang Huoping.
The solution? A cutting-edge mooring system with 12 deepwater suction anchors (made-in-China, of course!) and cables longer than 24 Eiffel Towers stacked end-to-end. This tech marvel could cut oilfield costs while boosting energy security—a win for sustainability-minded investors.
This milestone turbocharges China’s deepwater energy ambitions. With 30-year durability and space-age specs, Haikui No.1 isn’t just hardware—it’s a blueprint for Asia’s green transition.
CNOOC Begins Production at Massive Bozhong 26-6…
