Floating wind power platform feeds green energy to offshore oilfield

The world's first 16MW tension-leg floating wind power platform has been connected to the grid of the Lufeng Oilfield in south China's Guangdong Province, delivering green power directly to the offshore oilfield.

Built by Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. (COOEC), a listed subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation, the platform stands nearly as tall as a 110-story building. It is located in waters some 200 km southeast of Shenzhen, at a depth of 136 meters.

Equipped with a 16MW typhoon-resistant turbine, the platform is expected to generate 54 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually for the oilfield, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 35,000 tonnes per year.

As China's first tension-leg floating wind power platform, it also sets global records in its category for deepest water depth (136 meters), farthest offshore distance (136 km), and largest single-unit capacity.

Wei Xiongbiao, deputy general manager of the project at COOEC, said the platform is designed to withstand a once-in-50-year typhoon.

In July, the National Energy Administration announced that China's renewable energy sector would enter a new phase during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), characterized by scaled-up expansion, quality improvement and reliable substitution.

Under the plan, more than 300 million kW of new reliable peak power capacity from renewable sources will be added, while newly launched offshore wind power projects nationwide will total around 100 million kW. ■