CHINA’S offshore oil giant, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), announced Monday that it has achieved full remote control operations of Shenhai-1, the first deep-sea gas platform operated by a Chinese company. The upgraded platform is capable of working in extreme weather conditions, such as typhoons, with no human intervention needed.

According to a CNOOC manager, the Shenhai-1 is the world’s first semi-submersible deep-sea gas platform to operate successfully in a typhoon while being operated by remote control.

This groundbreaking development is a “key step” towards CNOOC’s goal of smart gas fields and a key breakthrough for China’s energy security, the company said.

Located in the South China Sea, southeast of Hainan Island, the Shenhai-1 gas field is the world’s first 100,000-tonne-level semi-submersible deep-sea gas platform with an annual production capacity of 3 billion cubic meters. It began operations in June 2021, and its remote control upgrade marks a significant milestone in China’s efforts to expand its offshore energy production capabilities.

(CGTN)