China Delivers Offshore Fracturing Vessel

On March 10, China delivered “Offshore Oil 696,” the country’s first domestically designed and built integrated large-scale offshore fracturing vessel, in Zhoushan, Zhejiang. The vessel fills a key gap in China’s offshore oil and gas stimulation technology and equipment. Measuring 99.8 meters long, it is the largest of its type globally and can pump 12 cubic meters of slurry per minute, improving operational efficiency by nearly 40%. Equipped with a full electric propulsion system and an intelligent fracturing command center, the ship enables real-time data analysis and AI-assisted decision-making. It will support large-scale development of offshore low-permeability oil and gas resources in areas such as the Bohai Sea.

Academicians Advise Jilin Oilfield Development

On March 5, Jilin Oilfield invited Academicians Zhao Wenzhi of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Zou Caineng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with experts from PetroChina’s Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, to Zigong for technical exchanges and guidance. After reviewing progress reports on exploration in the Sichuan transferred blocks and the deep shale gas innovation consortium in Zigong, the academicians praised the company’s achievements in seismic technology, CCUS development, renewable energy integration, and rapid shale gas production. They also proposed strengthening geological research, improving fracture modeling technologies, ensuring drilling safety, and expanding exploration toward deeper resources to support efficient and sustainable shale gas development.

China’s Largest Coal-Rock Gas Field

On March 5, PetroChina’s Daji Coal-Rock Gas Field, the largest of its kind in China, surpassed an annual production capacity of 4 billion cubic meters, accounting for more than three-quarters of the country’s total coal-rock gas output. Located in southwestern Shanxi Province, the field has rapidly expanded production through new wells and technological innovation, reaching a daily output of over 11 million cubic meters this year. Since 2023, the field has achieved rapid growth and supplied 1.05 billion cubic meters of gas during the recent heating season. Advances in geological theory and key technologies, including ultra-long horizontal drilling, have enabled efficient development of deep coal-rock gas resources.