July 11, 2024
The China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) Shanghai Offshore Oil Bureau has reported a significant discovery in the Weixi exploration area of the Beibu Gulf Basin in the South China Sea. The Hai 3 inclined well test yielded a high-production industrial oil and gas flow, translating to a daily output of 4,641 barrels of crude oil and 9.88 million cubic feet of natural gas, equivalent to a daily oil and gas output of 35,653 barrels of oil equivalent. This sets a new record for daily oil and gas production in the Beibu Gulf Basin.
This breakthrough confirms the further exploration and development potential of the Weixi exploration area and provides strong support for expanding the storage and production scale of the Weizhou Oilfield.
Innovative Research Unveils Deep-Sea Treasures
The Beibu Gulf is one of China’s six major coastal oil-bearing basins, rich in oil and gas resources. Previously, Sinopec’s Shanghai Offshore Oil Bureau achieved a significant breakthrough in the Weizhou Oilfield, with proven reserves reaching tens of millions of tons. The field is currently in the production capacity construction stage. The area where the Hai 3 inclined well is located (northern part of the Beibu Gulf Basin) is targeted for reserve expansion and production increase in the Weizhou Oilfield. The well, implemented in March this year, has an operational depth of 15,092 feet, including a horizontal displacement of 4,265 feet, with a bottom hole temperature of 302°F and a bottom hole pressure of 10,587 psi. It is the deepest and highest temperature and pressure exploratory well drilled by Sinopec in the Weixi Block. During the drilling process, the team overcame difficult-to-drill gray strata and easily collapsible dense coal seams, eventually achieving successful drilling and obtaining excellent oil and gas shows.
Next Steps
Sinopec’s Shanghai Offshore Oil Bureau will further integrate exploration, development, and engineering efforts. In exploration, the focus will be on accelerating the evaluation of high-quality potential areas and researching new layers and resources in new zones to secure the next large-scale reserve base. In development, efforts will continue to optimize the development plan of the Weizhou Oilfield and actively expand the production capacity of Sinopec’s mid-deep sea oil and gas fields. In engineering, plans will be optimized, and construction management will be strengthened to ensure safe and efficient operations, addressing the complex geological conditions of high-temperature, high-pressure wells in the South China Sea.
Source: Wenhui Daily
Author: Zhang Xiaoming