Chinese Oil Giant Launches World-First 16MW Floating Wind Turbine

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), a leading state-owned oil producer, has successfully launched the world's first 16-megawatt tension-leg platform (TLP) floating wind power platform. The Haiyou Anlan floating wind power platform began supplying power to the Lufeng Oilfield through a 4.3-kilometer subsea cable, as reported by Chinese media.

Designed to withstand the extreme conditions of super typhoons, CNOOC claims the new floating wind turbine represents a significant advancement in China's deep-sea floating wind equipment technology. Installed 136 kilometers offshore in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, the turbine is anticipated to generate 54 million kilowatt-hours of wind-powered electricity annually.

However, CNOOC has integrated the wind power generation with storage and conventional fuel generation to manage the variability in wind speeds and power output. This "oil and gas plus new energy" approach is being touted as a means to develop deepwater energy resources. The floating wind platform technology has the potential to unlock wind power resources in deep waters, where traditional fixed-bottom turbines are unable to operate.

By leveraging the floating wind power supply, CNOOC expects to save 15,000 cubic meters of fuel oil annually and reduce CO2 emissions by 35,000 tons per year at the Lufeng Oilfield. This reduction in emissions aligns with the company's sustainability goals.