The Phase I project of Bohai 26-6, the largest metamorphic rock oilfield in the world, went into production on Friday, according to its developer China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Tianjin branch.

A panoramic view of the world’s largest metamorphic rock oilfield - Bohai 26-6 oilfield (Photo: courtesy of CNOOC)

Located in the southern waters of the Bohai Sea, the oilfield has cumulative proven oil and gas reserves exceeding 200 million cubic meters. The oil reservoir is buried in metamorphic rocks beneath the seabed at a depth exceeding 4,500 meters.

The oilfield development project is divided into two phases. Phase I includes a central processing platform and an unmanned wellhead platform, with plans to put 33 development wells into operation. The project is expected to reach a peak daily output of over 3,500 cubic meters of oil and gas equivalent.

Based on the estimated recovery ratio, the oilfield is expected to produce over 30 million cubic meters of crude oil, meeting the daily transportation needs of more than one million urban residents for over 20 years. It is also capable of producing over 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas, serving a million or more urban residents for more than 60 years.

Bohai 26-6 oilfield employs advanced technology to capture and separate carbon dioxide generated during oil extraction, reinjecting it into the reservoir to enhance oil recovery and improve extraction efficiency. It is expected to store about 1.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to planting nearly 14 million trees.