China’s governmental authorities have approved gas-in-place at CNOOC’s Lingshui 36-1 gas field in the South China Sea at more than 100 Bcm.
According to CNOOC, this is the first large ultra-shallow gas field discovered in ultradeep water worldwide, and it opens up a new exploration play in deep water.
The location is in the southern part of the Central Sag in the Qiongdongnan Basin in an average water depth of about 1,500 m, and at a subsurface depth of just 210 m.
During testing, the field flowed more than 10 MMcm/d.
Over the years, there have been numerous large gas discoveries in the Yinggehai, Qiongdongnan and Pearl River Mouth basins, such as Dongfang 1-1, Liwan 3-1, Lingshui 17-2, Baodao 21-1 and now, Lingshui 36-1.
CNOOC now estimates total proved gas in-place in the region at more than 1 Tcm.
Chief geologist Xu Changgui said that for ultra-shallow gas “you must overcome world-class challenges to explore and develop the reservoirs.”
The company has adopted new exploration concepts on the formation mechanism, he added, and new technological approaches.
