OFFSHORE OIL ACTIVITY CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05162A000400010107-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 107
• Publication Date: October 1, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
PHOTOGRAPHIC
NTERPRETATION
REPORT
OFFSHORE OIL ACTIVITY
CHINA
25X125X1
OCTOBER 1975
Copy 21
PI R-041 /75
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Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions'
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OFFSHORE OIL ACTIVITY,
CHINA
1. China is actively engaged in offshore oil exploration, drilling, and production. This report
summarizes the offshore oil activity and describes the major types of equipment observed on
photography of June 1975. The report contains a location map and seven photographs.
2. China has been engaged in offshore oil exploration at least since December 1969 when
the first offshore platform was observed 10 nautical miles (nm) southwest of Tang-ku in the Po
Hai (Gulf of Chili).' At present, two jack-up exploration drill platforms; (a location of one was
undetermined) probable submersible, mobile, fixed-leg platform; and six-fixed leg drill/ production
platforms are in the Po Hai. The Kan-tan (Prospector) No 1, a catamaran exploration drill ship,
also has been operating in the Yellow Sea (Figure 1).
Exploration
3. The Chinese offshore oil exploration effort appears to be concentrated in the Po Hai.
Exploratory wells have been drilled from the two jack-up drill platforms and the probable submersible,
mobile, fixed-leg platform at several locations in the gulf. The most extensively explored area is
probably the southwest portion of the gulf near the onshore Ta-kang and Sheng-li oil fields. On
one jack-up drill platform was observed at 38-36-10N 117-44-29E, in the southwest
portion of the gulf (Figure 2). On the same date, a seismic survey vessel was operating in the same
area (Figure 3). These sightings indicate that exploration is continuing. The location of China's other
jack-up platform was undetermined,
4. The probable submersible, mobile, fixed-leg drill platform was observed) lat
38-39-ION 118-33-OOE, where it had capsized and was partially submerged (Figure 4). This platform
was last seen upright and supporting a drill derrick at the same location in April 1974.
the Tien-chin Harbor Affairs Bureau issued a navigational hazards warning stating that an
118-32-47E with
the capsized pla
latform had broken loose from its moorings and sunk in the Po Hai at 38-39-25N
tform protruding from the water. This was probably
of the pla
5. In the past, some of the permanent fixed-leg platforms have been dismantled and moved
to new drilling locations; however, this is an extremely time-consuming method of oil exploration.
Since no operation to salvage the capsized platform has been detected, the two jack-up platforms
are now the only known mobile exploratory platforms in the Po Hai.
China's other known offshore oil exploration effort is on the continental shelf in the Yellow
Seal the catamaran exploration drill ship, Kan-tan (Prospector) No 1, was observed
in the Yellow Sea at 35-38-38N 122-40-33E (Figure 5). A hydrographic chart shows that the twin-hull
drill ship was anchored over a small sea mound, the top of which is at a depth of 11 fathoms
(66 feet). The surrounding sea floor depth averages 30 fathoms. An offshore resupply vessel, a
Gromovoy ATA, and a 105-foot AG/AKL were secured alongside the catamaran.
7. The Kan-tan No 1 was first seen under construction at Shang-hai Naval Base Chen-chia
The ship was externally complete
the Shang-hai Maritime Authorities authorized a closure area 3 nm in radius from
33-53N 122-34E. The authorization may have been followed by drilling operations in the closure
area since the Chinese press announced the successful completion of a deepwater oil exploration
well in the southern Yellow Sea in late December 1974.4 The lack of photographic coverage of
the closure area, however, has precluded confirmation of this claim.
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Top Secret RUFF
8. Shang-hai authorities advised that a closure area would be established
within a 3-nm radius of 35-39-03N 122-40-22E during the period
This
restricted area, 180 nm north of the May 1974 area, contained the catamaran drill ship when
The observation of the drill ship in this area indicates that China is now
capable of investigating potential oil deposits over wide areas of her continental shelf.
Production and Drilling
9. China's first offshore production platform is in the Po Hai, 26 nm south of Tang-ku at
38-33-06N 117-49-20E (Figure 6). the platform appeared operational. It was
originally a fixed-leg drill platform when first observed in January 1972 in the Po Hai. Between
January 1972 and January 1975 the platform deck was expanded to more than twice its original
size. Sometime the drill derrick was removed and six POL storage tanks
were installed on the platform. In addition, another fixed-leg platform, probably housing the crew
quarters and a transshipment facility, was constructed. It was connected to the existing platform
by an elevated pipeline.
10. Another fixed-leg platform at 38-36-33N 117-48-22E, approximately 5 nm northwest of
the production platform, has a small POL tank on its deck. No drill derrick has been observed on
this platform since it was first identified in January 1972. Two other fixed-leg drill/ production
platforms are within 2 nm northeast and southwest of the production platform. These were the
only fixed-leg platforms with drill derricks observed ne of these at
38-33-37N 117-49-06E, 0.5 nm southwest of the production platform, has a helicopter landing pad
attached to it (Figure 7). This platform is larger than the other fixed-leg platforms and was first
observed in November 1974. a drill derrick was installed.
This platform's large size, sophistication, and proximity to the production platform suggests that
the Chinese believe that the wells drilled from it will be productive. Should this occur, it would
become the second offshore production platform in China. The other platform with a drill derrick
is at 38-34-18N 117-52-10E, 2 nm northeast of the production platform.
11. Additional fixed-leg platforms were observed 12 nm east-northeast and 29 nm east-southeast
of the production platform. The one at 38-35-42N 118-04-01E (to the east-northeast) appeared to
be abandoned with the deck cleared of sheds and other work facilities. The other at 38-26-20N
118-26-01E was probably under construction. This platform was not at this location
Storage
12. Since offshore oil production has been established, oil must be transported to shore for
refining. Currently, no pipeline or pipeline construction has been observed leading offshore from
either the Ta-kang or the Sheng-li oilfields. However, a new oil transshipment facility at Tang-ku
Port Facility Hsin-chiang appeared to be operational Figure 8). Two
coastal tankers and an oil barge were alongside the quay. the facility was still
under construction with the final segment of pipeline, connecting the quay with the storage facility,
incomplete. This facility may provide the necessary onshore storage for oil produced offshore.
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Top Secret RUFF SPOKE
01 1
JACK-UP PLATFORM i
FIXED-LEG PLATFORM
2795
PRODUCTION PLATFORM
. , ' 1-447-
FIXED-LEG PLATFORM
WITH DERRICK
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FIXED-LEG PLATFORM
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PLATFORM UCON
fltctaftInfringing upon Non-Free
flying Tetritpty may be .fitea all
P 0 H A I ,wgriiing. Consult NOTAMS
gullgbt Information Publications
["for, the latest air Information.
PROB SUBMERSIBLE
FIXED-LEG PLATFORM
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Top Secret RUFF
1. IAS.
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MAPS OR CHARTS
DMAHC. LORAN "A" Navigation Chart NO. 94032 (formerly H.O./BC5493), scale 1:864,700 (UNCLASSIFID)
DMAAC. Jet Navigation Chart, Series JNC, Sheet 25N, ed 2, scale 1:2,000,000 (UNCLASSIFIED)
REQUIREMENT
Project 121002NA
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