【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】Installation of 16,000-ton central processing platform for Caofeidian 6-4 oil field using the \"floating installation\" method from 2017 to 2025

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Give praise and support to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】Regular updates and summaries are available – feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** On January 20, 2025, it was reported by CNOOC Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. that with the precise connection of the upper structure, which weighs over 16,000 tons, to the jacket, the CEBP platform for the Caofeidian 6-4 oil field project (referred to as the Caofeidian Oil Field Project) was successfully installed on the Bohai Sea. This marks a significant advancement in the construction of this project, and it holds great importance for increasing oil and gas production at sea as well as ensuring **energy security. It is reported that the Caofeidian 6-4 oil field is located in the western part of the Bohai Sea and constitutes a new type of \"green oil field\" in China’s offshore areas; the average water depth in this area is about 20 meters. The central processing platform that has been installed this time is an 8-leg, three-deck structure with a height of 50.4 meters, equivalent to that of an 18-story building. It is 73.7 meters long and 73.1 meters wide, covering an area roughly equivalent to that of 13 standard basketball courts. The weight of the upper structural components is about 16,300 tons, which is equivalent to the total weight of 12,000 cars. Since the weight of the upper module on the platform exceeds the lifting capacity of offshore ship cranes, its offshore installation is carried out using a \"floating support\" method; that is, by leveraging the natural force of tides, the upper module is precisely installed on the jacket in a manner similar to a weightlifter’s clean and jerk lift. This offshore floating operation takes place during winter in the Bohai Bay, where the climate conditions are complex and variable, resulting in a short window of favorable weather for carrying out the work. What is even more challenging is the complexity of the submarine pipelines in the work area, which imposes extremely high requirements on construction techniques. To ensure the safe and efficient completion of offshore floating operations, the project team conducts regular simulation drills, monitors the vessels involved in the operations, and manages risks. Through computational analysis and desktop simulations, they continuously optimize and adjust the construction plans as needed. During the operation, the construction team monitored the weather conditions and tidal movements in the area where work was being carried out in real time. By making use of the anchor machine in conjunction with the harbor tugboats, they adjusted the speed and direction of the three fully reversible tugboats as needed, thereby enhancing risk management. As a result, it took only 9.5 hours from the moment the main floating support vessel dropped its anchor until the support was in place, which is 3 hours less than the original plan. The floating installation of the CEPB platform for the comprehensive adjustment project of the Caofeidian 6-4 oil field marks CNPC’s first large-scale floating installation operation in 2025, kicking off the offshore platform installation activities for that year. Once the project is put into operation, it will effectively provide support for the development of newly discovered oil and gas fields in the surrounding area, contributing to ensuring China’s energy security and building a strong maritime nation.