China's new self-developed floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel has completed the construction of its main hull structure, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) said on Thursday, marking a breakthrough in the country's development and manufacturing capability for ultra-large offshore oil and gas equipment.
The vessel, named Haiyang Shiyou 122, is also Asia's first cylindrical FPSO, which integrates the functions of crude oil production, storage and external transmission.
An aerial view of the Haiyang Shiyou 122, Asia's first cylindrical FPSO, under construction in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. /CGTN
With a maximum diameter of about 90 meters, the vessel has a main deck area equivalent to 13 standard basketball courts and a maximum storage capacity of 60,000 tonnes of oil, enabling continuous operation at sea for 15 years without returning to the dock.
The main hull structure of the Haiyang Shiyou 122 FPSO. /China Media Group
"Compared with the traditional ship structure, the Haiyang Shiyou 122 adopts a new cylindrical structure design, which saves steel consumption but outstands in overall stability and the ability to withstand bad sea conditions, Nie Jiaqiang, construction manager of the vessel, told China Media Group.
The project team also utilized 3D simulation in construction, which enabled the successful closure of hull parts at one go with a dimensional tolerance of less than 6 millimeters, reaching the international advanced level, according to Shu Wei, head of the project general contracting.
An aerial night view of the Haiyang Shiyou 122, Asia's first cylindrical FPSO. /CGTN
The vessel now enters final assembly and integration and is expected to be commissioned in the Pearl River Mouth Basin in south China's Guangdong Province after delivery next year.