China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has started operating its 16 MW Haiyou Anlan floating wind platform in the South China Sea, with the unit now supplying electricity to the Lufeng oilfield grid, according to Chinese media.
CNOOC had previously reported that Haiyou Anlan was under development as part of its expansion into deepwater floating wind, following the 7.25 MW Haiyou Guanlan platform, which began supplying power to the Wenchang oilfield in 2023.
The new floating wind turbine was installed in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, approximately 136 kilometres offshore.
The floater has a total height of more than 307 metres and weighs around 7,800 tonnes. Electricity generated by the turbine is transmitted to the oilfield through a 4.3-kilometre subsea cable, with annual output expected to reach approximately 54 million kWh.
Haiyou Anlan uses a tension-leg platform (TLP) foundation and is designed for operation in severe offshore conditions, including typhoons with sustained wind speeds of up to approximately 220 kilometres per hour, according to CNOOC.
The project is expected to reduce the Lufeng oilfield’s reliance on fuel-based power generation, saving approximately 15,000 cubic metres of fuel oil and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by around 35,000 tonnes per year. CNOOC is also combining the floating wind power with conventional generation and energy storage to manage variations in renewable power supply.
The platform left Zhuhai’s Gaolan Port on 28 June after completion of integration and was subsequently installed at the Lufeng oilfield.
Follow offshoreWIND.biz on: