China’s oil sector breaks new ground with export of suction anchors to Brazil

China’s oil and gas industry has passed a fresh milestone in its push to become a leading exporter of advanced offshore drilling equipment, as a state-owned company made its first delivery of a new kind of deep-sea suction anchor to Brazil.

The 24 suction caissons – which are capable of operating at depths of up to 2,000 metres – will be used to secure platforms at the Mero ultra-deepwater oilfield off Brazil’s southeastern coastline, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday.

The delivery represents a milestone for China’s push to become a leading manufacturer of offshore oil and gas equipment, one of the strategic fields targeted in Beijing’s Made in China 2025 industrial strategy.

The 24 units were designed, built and loaded at a deepwater base operated by the China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. They are among the most advanced offshore equipment developed by a Chinese company ever to be shipped overseas, CCTV said.

CNOOC, China’s largest offshore oil and gas producer, has seen its reserves surge in recent years. It recently announced the discovery of a major oilfield deep below an eastern section of the South China Sea, with proven reserves exceeding 100 million tonnes.

China and Brazil have been strengthening cooperation on energy in recent years, as the two members of the Brics bloc of emerging economies deepen ties across a slew of areas.