China has achieved a major milestone in offshore engineering by completing the installation of the largest oil and gas platform in the Bohai Sea. The China National Offshore Oil Corporation announced on Sunday that the central processing platform for Phase I of the Kenli 10-2 oilfield has successfully undergone float-over installation, setting new records for size and weight in the region.
The colossal platform is a three-deck, eight-legged structure that combines production and living facilities. Standing at 22.8 meters tall and weighing over 20,000 tonnes, it is now the heaviest and largest offshore oil and gas platform in the Bohai Sea.
During the challenging float-over operation, the project team utilized advanced technology, deploying three sets of BeiDou positioning systems equipped with artificial intelligence algorithms on the main operation vessel. This provided millimeter-level anti-collision radar capabilities, ensuring precise and safe installation.
In a coordinated effort, multiple tugboats controlled the vessel, allowing for exact positioning of the platform in a single attempt. This remarkable achievement marks a new record for float-over installations of large offshore platforms under complex sea conditions.
Located in the southern waters of the Bohai Sea, approximately 245 kilometers from Tianjin, the Kenli 10-2 oilfield lies at an average depth of about 20 meters. It is the largest lithologic oilfield discovered in China’s offshore areas to date, boasting proven geological reserves exceeding 100 million tonnes.
To date, China has completed 50 float-over installations for large offshore platforms, with a maximum capacity of 32,000 tonnes and a cumulative weight exceeding 600,000 tonnes. The variety of float-over techniques, operational complexity, and technical sophistication place China among the world leaders in offshore engineering.
