The Jinzhou 23-2 oilfield development project, the first offshore multi-layer heavy oil thermal recovery project in China, has started production, according to CNOOC on Dec. 23.

Located in the northern waters of Liaodong Bay of the Bohai Sea, the oilfield has two newly constructed central processing platforms, with 67 wells planned to be commissioned.

The peak daily crude oil production is projected at approximately 2,600 metric tons, which consists primarily of heavy crude oil.

One newly commissioned platform, approximately half the size of a football field with a projected area of nearly 4,500 square meters, is the largest offshore heavy oil thermal recovery platform ever built in China.