[SOEs in the B&R projects] CNOOC builds largest offshore oil and gas production facility in Brazil

Editor's note: Since the central government put forward the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, fruitful achievements have been made implementing the principle of shared growth through discussion and collaboration.

On August 10, the third large-scale group interview program themed on the Belt and Road Initiative kicked off, co-organized by the News Center of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, PRC and the Beijing Media Network.

Two teams of reporters will be sent to southeastern and northwestern China to learn about 50 projects that 46 State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have conducted in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and tell the stories of people dedicated to the missions.

Under the burning sun and embraced with dampness and a hot sea breeze, more than 600 workers were busy building up a hoisting at a large ship-like facility on the sea in Brazil.

The facility, called an FPSO, is a floating oil and gas production, storage and offloading vessel. It is under construction by the Qingdao branch of Offshore Oil Engineering Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), the country's largest offshore oil explorer, and is expected to ensure oil and gas supplies for local people.

Panorama of the FPSO built by the Qingdao branch of Offshore Oil Engineering Co Ltd in Brazil. The unit is one of the largest and most sophisticated FPSOs worldwide. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

An FPSO has a short construction period, simple operations and high efficiency. It can function in water up to 3,000 meters deep, said Yang Jian, deputy general manager of the project.  

There are now about 210 FPSOs around the world. CNOOC won the bid in 2015 to design, build and debug one of the largest and most sophisticated FPSOs in Brazil.

When completed, the unit is expected to produce 150,000 barrels of oil and 6 million cubic meters of gas every day, the company said.

The FPSO under construction [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Tao Fuwen, general manager of the FPSO project, said many innovative technologies have been introduced, demonstrating the world-class manufacturing capacity of the company.

For example, it uses ultrasonic waves to inspect possible cracks in metal materials and parts to guarantee quality.

In the past, it used radiation to do such examinations. Since radiation is bad for health, workers had to keep people away from the machine for some time, which slowed down construction, said Wang Shengqiang, deputy general manager of the project.  

Ultrasonic wave do no harm to humans but offer strong penetrability and improved accuracy and safety during construction, Wang added.

Night scene of the outfitting quay where the FPSO is located  [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

In addition, the unit uses high-pressure water instead of sand to blast away rust from the machine. The method avoids dust pollution and the waste water can be recycled to save resources.   

The company also has similar programs in regions such as Russia, Africa and countries in Southeast Asia, taking Chinese technologies overseas.

(Executive editor: Hao Wen)