The Chinese National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOOC Ltd.) has drilled a successful exploration well at the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea.
The Chinese National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOOC Ltd.) has drilled a successful exploration well at the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea. The HZ 26-3-1, located in the Huizhou trough in the eastern South China Sea about 170 km southeast of Hong Kong, was drilled to a total depth of 3,780 m in 110 m of water. Drill stem tests on a 7.94-mm choke flowed over 1,400 bbl of 41-43-degree light gravity crude and nearly 2 MMcf/d of gas. According to Zhang Guohua, senior vice president of exploration, "Positive exploration results through independent activities in the area will help maintain the eastern South China Sea as a core production basin for CNOOC." CNOOC has a 100% stake in HZ 26-3-1.
