ConocoPhillips and CNOOC eye offshore wind power for Chinese oilfield
ConocoPhillips and China’s top offshore oil and gas producer CNOOC have launched an offshore wind farm pilot project that aims to deliver power for the Penglai oilfield in northeastern China’s Bohai Sea, the country’s largest offshore oil and gas production base.
The wind farm will feature four wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 34 MW, connected to the existing central processing platform via subsea cables, distributing energy to the field’s power grid system.
At full capacity, the wind farm will have the potential to cover over 30% of the power needed for the Penglai oilfield’s operations and could achieve tens of thousands of tonnes of annual CO2 reductions.
“This pilot project represents a first-of-its-kind integration of offshore wind power being harnessed solely for offshore oil and gas facilities in China. We believe it will become a benchmark for future low carbon emission offshore oilfield developments”, said Bill Arnold, president of ConocoPhillips China.
The two companies are also said to be evaluating opportunities in power from shore, as well as carbon capture and storage (CSS) and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS).
If proven to be technically and economically viable, these solutions could help transform Penglai towards a net-zero offshore oilfield which is in line with China’s energy, sustainable development, and carbon neutrality goals, ConocoPhillips said.
