The first phase of a mega condensate gas field project in China's Bohai Bay, the Bozhong 19-6, began operation on Tuesday, ahead of the planned date. It is the first 100 billion-cubic-meter gas field of the area.

Constructed by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the project commenced in May 2023 and has built three unmanned wellhead platforms in addition to a central processing platform so far. It is set to develop 65 wells, which are capable of processing 5,000 tonnes of oil and gas in oil equivalent daily under peak production capability, China Media Group (CMG) reports.

The central processing platform is equipped with domestically designed and developed devices and is capable of processing oil and gas at the same place while providing living facilities.

The gas field sits in the central sea area of the Bohai Sea, which has an average depth of 20 meters. The proven geological reserves of natural gas exceed 2,000 billion cubic meters, and the proven geological reserves of condensate oil exceed 200 million cubic meters, according to the company.

It is the first large-scale, fully equipped, high-yielding gas field with extraordinarily high condensate content in eastern China, the company said. 

The Bozhong 19-6 is a key project in building China's natural gas production, supply, storage and selling system, according to Zhou Xinhuai, CEO and president of the CNOOC.

"The commissioning of the Bozhong 19-6 secures the target to reach 40 million tonnes of oil production in the Bohai Oil field, and is crucial to provide stable and reliable clean energy to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the surrounding Bohai Sea region," Zhou said, as reported by CMG.