Giant FPU’s transport marks ‘world’s first’ for CNOOC

Chinese state-owned oil and gas giant China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has completed a transport operation related to an ultra-large floating production unit (FPU).

CNOOC deems the offshore integrated float-on installation and towing operation for the 100,000-ton FPU carried out on May 11, 2025, to be the world’s first.

The ultra-large FPU, built domestically in China, was said to be floated and towed entirely by CNOOC, with ships such as Haiyang Shiyou 691 and Haiyang Shiyou 681 providing support services.

This is described by the firm as one of the most challenging and largest offshore engineering projects globally in terms of weight and complexity.

Another huge project that the Chinese major was involved in recently was a discovery adding over a hundred million tons of proved in-place oil equivalent, made in the Huizhou 19-6 oilfield in the eastern South China Sea in late March.

Alongside operations at home, CNOOC has been keeping busy with developments abroad. Earlier this month, the Chinese firm handed out a contract extension to Wood for its Golden Eagle, Buzzard, and Scott assets in the North Sea.