China's Kenli 10-2 oilfield development project in Bohai Bay has officially started production,marking the launch of the country's largest shallow-layer lithologic oilfield at sea,according to China National Offshore Oil Corporation(CNOOC),China Media Group(CMG)reported Tuesday.

Located in the southern waters of Bohai Bay,about 245 kilometers from Tianjin,the Kenli 10-2 oilfield has an average water depth of around 20 meters.With proven geological reserves exceeding 100 million tons,it is the first 100-million-ton-class lithologic oilfield discovered in the shallow zones of the Bohai Bay Basin's depression belt,according to CMG.

Kenli 10-2 is China's first offshore development of a ramified heavy oil reservoir.The underground oil and gas are distributed within narrow,curved sand bodies that intertwine like the shadows of tree branches on the ground,forming a"ramified"pattern.The reservoir is characterized by scattered reserves,complex geological conditions,and a wide range of underground crude oil viscosities,making extraction particularly challenging.

The successful launch of the Kenli 10-2 oilfield development project marks a new stage in China's offshore development of complex heavy oil reservoirs.It sets a valuable precedent for future projects of this kind and is expected to strongly support Bohai Oilfield—the country's largest offshore oilfield—in reaching its annual production target of 40 million tons of oil and gas this year.

In recent years,China's marine economy has seen rapid growth,providing a solid industrial foundation for the advancement of deep-sea technologies.China's 2025 government work report,for the first time,included"deep-sea technology"as a key area under strategic emerging industries.According to data from the Ministry of Natural Resources,the country's gross ocean product surpassed 10 trillion yuan($1.38 trillion)for the first time in 2024,accounting for 7.8 percent of national GDP.Key drivers include marine tourism,ocean transport,fisheries,and offshore oil and gas.