China's CNOOC Announces Major Oil Discoveries in South China Sea

An image shows a drilling platform at the Huizhou 19-6 oilfield in the eastern South China Sea. The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced the discovery of a significant oilfield in the eastern South China Sea, with proven reserves exceeding 100 million tonnes. The newly discovered Huizhou 19-6 oilfield represents a significant advancement in China's offshore oil exploration. It is the country's first large-scale integrated clastic oilfield discovered in deep to ultra-deep layers.

CNOOC has also made a major breakthrough in deep metamorphic buried-hill exploration in the South China Sea. This marks the first successful discovery of metamorphic sandstone and slate buried hills in China's offshore waters. Exploratory well WZ10-5S-2d at the Weizhou 10-5 South oil and gas field, located in the Beibu Gulf of the northern South China Sea, encountered 211 meters of oil and gas-bearing formations.

This exploration provides guidance and demonstrates the potential for deep and buried hill oil and gas exploration in China. CNOOC will continue to focus on key theories and technologies for deep oil and gas exploration and development, enhancing independent innovation in science and technology. The company aims to steadily increase oil and gas reserves and production to ensure a stable energy supply.

CNOOC has intensified theoretical innovation and addressed key technological challenges in complex exploration areas such as deep formations and buried hills. In the Beibu Gulf Basin, CNOOC has achieved major breakthroughs in exploring Paleozoic granite and Proterozoic metamorphic sandstone and slate buried hills. These advances highlight the vast potential for exploration in buried hill formations and support secondary exploration in mature oilfields.

With advancements in exploration technologies, the South China Sea is expected to yield increasingly abundant oil and gas resources, offering stronger support for China's energy security. China is actively exploring resources in the South China Sea, achieving major breakthroughs. Technologies are improving, and fields that were once difficult to detect are now being identified.

China's total oil production remains stable while natural gas output continues to rise. Increasing domestic oil and gas production will enhance self-sufficiency and better safeguard national energy security. China's oil and gas supply continues to grow steadily. In the first half of 2025, oil and gas production maintained stable growth. The country's capacity to ensure energy supply has improved significantly.