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Shen said he had talked to the scientists from the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences (about the killer whales) and they were surprised to see the species. “They told me that they didn’t come across any killer whales in their scientific expedition in the South China Sea last year, and that the video is important for their next scientific expedition.”

CNOOC engineers working on the offshore oil rigs in the South China Sea said they often see various marine animals including whales and dolphins around their production facilities in recent years, while a few years ago these species were rarely visible.

Shen said it is a sign that the marine ecosystem in the area has been significantly improved.

According to CNOOC China Ltd. Shenzhen, the offshore oil producer has made efforts in protecting the marine environment of its oil field clusters by investing big on energy-efficient, environmentally friendly production facilities.

The company said it is also committed to maintaining and protecting the sea. Company data showed it has released 6.1 million black sea bream, 6.1 million oval pomfret and 230 million long-haired shrimps, worth over 6.63 million yuan (US$991,802) in total amount into Dapeng’s waters since 2021.