CNOOC's logo is displayed in front of the company's Beijing headquarters. Photo: VCG

China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) put its viscous oil thermal production platform into use in Luda 21-2 oil field in Bohai Sea, filling the gap in the large-scale thermal production of viscous oil, according to media reports. 

The platform is expected to produce more than 100,000 tons of viscous oil annually when it operates at full capacity, according to a previous report by the Stated-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

As the central government has asked national oil companies to enhance oil exploration to stabilize output, they are looking at new ways to raise production. 

Viscous oil, dubbed as a hard bone in the upstream sector, is heavy crude oil with high viscosity and doesn't flow easily under normal conditions, but its viscosity decreases with increased temperature. However, the method of enhanced thermal oil production increases oil companies' production costs, so it was rarely used. 

According to data from CNOOC, Bohai Oilfield produced more than 30 million tons of oil and gas equivalent per year, but output from the enhanced thermal oil production accounts for less than 1 percent. 

The use of thermal production platform shows CNOOC will enhance viscous oil production for safeguarding China's oil security.

According to CNOOC data, proven oil reserves in Bohai Oilfield reached several billion tons, but viscous oil accounts for 50 percent of the total proven oil reserves.  

Global Times