The first multi-layer heavy oil thermal recovery development project in China’s offshore region has been put into operation

The first multi-layer heavy oil thermal recovery development project in China’s offshore areas,the Jinzhou 23-2 oilfield development project,has been put into operation,marking a new stage of large-scale development of heavy oil in China’s offshore areas.

The Jinzhou 23-2 oilfield is located in the Liaodong Bay area of the Bohai Sea,with an average depth of about 13 meters.It is a multi-layered sand heavy oil reservoir with a”thousand layer cake”structure.Heavy oil is a type of crude oil with high density,high viscosity,poor flowability,and easy solidification,making it difficult to develop.

Luo Shaofeng,chief engineer of Liaodong Operation Company of Tianjin Branch of CNOOC,said that it is difficult to develop heavy oil with conventional technology.We adopt the thermal recovery oriented development mode,connect multiple layers with a single well,string the reservoirs like Tomatoes on sticks,and exploit the crude oil by reducing the viscosity of the crude oil through”steam huff and puff+chemical assisted steam drive”,which greatly improves the oil recovery.

As the first multi-layer heavy oil thermal recovery development project in China’s offshore area,the newly built central processing platform is the largest offshore heavy oil thermal recovery platform built in China so far,with a projected area of nearly 4500 square meters,about the size of half a football field.The oilfield has pioneered a key technology for efficient development of multi-layer heavy oil thermal recovery throughout its entire lifecycle,forming a highly efficient development model with marine characteristics.The oilfield plans to put into operation and develop 67 wells,with an expected peak daily crude oil production of about 2600 tons.

Liu Xiaogang,General Manager of CNOOC Tianjin Branch:The proven geological reserves of unconventional heavy oil in Bohai Oilfield currently exceed 600 million tons,which is an important component of Bohai’s efforts to increase reserves and production.The successful production of Jinzhou 23-2 Oilfield will effectively promote the technological progress of heavy oil development in China’s offshore petroleum industry,improve the utilization capacity of heavy oil reserves,and have significant implications for the Bohai Oilfield’s production of 40 million tons by 2025.