China's largest crude oil producer, Bohai oilfield, hit a record in annual crude oil and natural gas production in 2023, with cumulative oil and gas equivalent production exceeding 36.8 million metric tons, said its operator China National Offshore Oil Corp on Friday.

Crude oil production exceeded 34 million tons last year while that of natural gas surpassing 3.5 billion cubic meters, further ensuring national energy security, it said.

Bohai oilfield stepped up efforts to increase reserves and boost production last year, with nearly 2.3 million tons of newly added crude oil output, which accounted for around 50 percent of the country's total crude oil increment, said CNOOC.

More than 450 new wells were put into operation throughout 2023 in the oilfield, reaching a historic high. The wells contributed over 3.7 million tons of crude oil while solidifying the foundation for stable and increased oil and gas production, said Zhang Chunsheng, deputy general manager of CNOOC's Tianjin branch.

Bohai oilfield currently sees over 50 producing oil and gas fields and nearly 200 production facilities. As of now, the field has accumulated over 500 million tons of oil and gas equivalent production, with a daily output exceeding 100,000 tons, making it the country's highest-producing and largest-scale offshore oilfield.

In 2023, China's offshore crude oil production surpassed 620 million tons, an annual increase of over 34 million tons year-on-year. This accounts for approximately 70 percent of the national crude oil increment, further enhancing the country's capability in the construction of a marine powerhouse, it said.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn