China's first smart 'floating oil factory'

The Haiyang Shiyou 123 vessel left the factory in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, on June 16, marking a major milestone in the development of China's energy industry.

Haiyang Shiyou 123 in Nantong city. Photo: CFP — Haiyang Shiyou 123 in Nantong city. Photo: *CFP*

The Haiyang Shiyou 123 is a production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel that can process oil and gas at sea, eliminating the need to transport it from offshore platforms to onshore facilities. The vessel is operated by the Energy Technology and Services Company, a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

Haiyang Shiyou 123 has a capacity of 100,000 tons, is 241.5 meters long, 45.2 meters wide and 25.4 meters high. Its deck area is equivalent to 1.5 standard football fields. The ship is equipped with more than 8,000 sensors that monitor temperature, pressure and liquid levels. The data collected by the sensor system will be sent to the server room, which issues commands to control the ship's production operations.

“With this ‘brain’ on board, we can see and use all the data in one place. Our experience is converted into algorithms that help us make better decisions. When problems occur, we can diagnose and act faster,” said Deng Xin, an engineer on board.

In addition to the onboard system, a digital twin of the ship has also been set up for combined sea-land operations. The digital twin is located in a smart control center in Shenzhen, 1,000 kilometers away from the real ship. This virtual replica can be used to monitor the production process in real time.

"The replica helps us increase our ability to respond to emergencies. The new system is much faster than the traditional experience-based process," said Zhang Baolei, deputy engineer of the Haiyang Shiyou 123 project.

Haiyang Shiyou 123 is expected to be delivered to the Lufeng 12-3 oil field in the coming weeks. The vessel is estimated to have a production capacity of 1.5 million tons per year. The launch of Haiyang Shiyou 123 is a milestone for China's oil and gas industry. The ship's advanced technology will help increase the efficiency and safety of offshore oil production. In addition, the vessel is also a testament to China's development of digital twin technology.

Thu Thao (According to CGTN )

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