New gas field to help meet domestic demand

CNOOC begins work on ultra-deep Lingshui 17-2 in the South China Sea

Construction of China's first self-supporting deepwater gas field has started in order to further tap oil and gas resources in the South China Sea and meet huge domestic gas demand, according to China National Offshore Oil Corporation, the nation's largest producer of offshore oil and gas.

This is the latest move by CNOOC, which is strengthening its presence in the area, after it formed a partnership with Australia-based Roc Oil Co and British Virgin Islands-registered Smart Oil Investment to jointly develop oil blocks in the South China Sea.