Thursday 2 June 2011

China to explore new depths

A recently built, £564 million rig will start oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea in July.

Built for the China National Offshore Oil Corp, the semi-submersible deepwater drilling rig can operate at depths of up to 3050 metres and has a drilling depth of 12,000 metres.

Designed to withstand typhoons, the rig was built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd.

Experts say the resources in the South China Sea could be vast.