Top producer starts work in Brazil oilfield

China National Offshore Oil Corp, the country’s top offshore oil and gas producer, said its ultra-deepwater pre-salt oilfield in Brazil began operations on May 3 as part of CNOOC’s drive to step up overseas oil and gas production.

The oilfield will benefit the local economy, further advance construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and have immense significance for global energy cooperation, it said.

The ultra-deepwater Mero oilfield lies more than 150 kilometers offshore from Rio de Janeiro in the Santos basin. The Mero oilfield is the world’s third-largest ultra-deepwater, pre-salt oilfield.

Huang Yehua, general manager of CNOOC’s Brazilian unit, said the oilfield, with a total investment of more than $20 billion, has been able to produce 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day since it began operations.