Photo taken on June 13, 2015 shows the Xingwang deep-sea semi-submersible drilling platform at Liwan3-2 gasfield in the South China Sea, south China. China's largest offshore oil and gas producer CNOOC Ltd. announced on July 3, 2015 that its Xingwang deep-sea semi-submersible drilling platform has started drilling at 1,300 meters underwater level in Liwan 3-2 gas field in the South China Sea. (Xinhua/Zhao Liang)

China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) made a large-sized discovery Kenli 6-1 in Bohai Bay, which is expected to be the first large-sized oil filed in Laibei lower uplift.

According to a statement of CNOOC sent to the Global Times on Wednesday, the Kenli 6-1 structure is located in Laibei lower uplift in southern Bohai basin with an average water depth of about 19.2 meters. 

The discovery well KL6-1-3 was drilled and completed at a depth of 1,596 meters, and encountered oil pay zones with a total thickness of approximately 20 meters. The well was tested to produce around 1,178 barrels of oil per day.

The successful exploration of Kenli 6-1 demonstrated the Company's remarkable breakthrough in the exploration area of Laibei lower uplift, and further proved the huge exploration potential of the Neogene lithologic reservoir in the Laizhou Bay.

CNOOC is the largest producer of offshore crude oil and natural gas in China and one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world. The Group mainly engages in exploration, development, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas.

Its core operation areas are Bohai, Western South China Sea, Eastern South China Sea and East China Sea in offshore China. Overseas, the Group has oil and gas assets in Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Oceania and Europe.