29+ Process Skids and Offshore Equipment Packages for CNOOC and Chinese Offshore Operators: Separators, Hydrocyclones, Flow Meters, Valve Boxes, Refrigeration, and CCUS Systems
By Qiangbin Chu · Sales Manager & Operations Lead
From 2020 to 2025, Lmart delivered more than 29 process equipment units and skid assemblies for Chinese offshore oil & gas operations — spanning water filtration, multiphase flow metering, compact gas flotation, production separation, deoiling hydrocyclones, deck solenoid valve boxes, refrigeration systems, and carbon capture (CCUS) equipment. These projects serve platforms and facilities across the South China Sea, Bohai Sea, and onshore gas processing, with end users including CNOOC, CNPC subsidiaries, and international integrators like Rotork.
| End Users | CNOOC (中海油/中海石油), CNPC/CNOOC platform operators |
| Procurement Channels | XinShi/瀚睿信实 (High New), Tianjin Huanya (天津环亚), Hengrun Fengde (深圳恒润丰德), Tianjin Gangfeng (天津港丰), Rotork (罗托克), CNOOC direct |
| Industry | Offshore oil & gas production, onshore gas processing, CCUS |
| Field Locations | WZ-12, KL16-1, Wenchang 13-2, HuiZhou 32-5, PanYu 4-2, Dongfang 1-1 (South China Sea / Beibu Gulf); Yingkou (onshore); P80 FPSO (Brazil) |
| Equipment Types | Water filters, multiphase flow meter skids, CFU skids, production separators, deoiling hydrocyclones, solenoid valve boxes, refrigeration systems, CCUS separator/condenser/economizer skids |
| Certifications | CCS, GB, project-specific standards |
| Delivery Period | 2020–2025 |
Customer Background and Industry Context
China’s offshore oil and gas sector is dominated by CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation), the country’s largest offshore hydrocarbon producer, operating hundreds of platforms across the Bohai Sea, South China Sea, and East China Sea. CNOOC’s development strategy focuses on two parallel tracks: continued exploitation of mature fields through infill drilling, enhanced recovery, and debottlenecking; and frontier development of new discoveries including deepwater fields and unconventional resources.
The South China Sea fields represented in this project portfolio — Weizhou (WZ-12), Kenli (KL16-1), Wenchang (13-2), Huizhou (32-5), Panyu (4-2), and Dongfang (1-1) — span the full range of Chinese offshore production environments. Some are shallow-water fields on fixed jacket platforms with 30+ years of production history. Others are newer developments with modern topsides requiring state-of-the-art process equipment. The Dongfang 1-1 CCUS project represents the cutting edge: carbon capture, utilization, and storage technology deployed on an offshore platform to reduce CO&sub2; emissions from gas production.
Equipment for Chinese offshore platforms is typically procured through a network of specialized EPC contractors and system integrators — companies like XinShi (瀚睿信实/High New), Tianjin Huanya, Hengrun Fengde, and Tianjin Gangfeng — who hold CNOOC frame agreements and manage the engineering, procurement, and commissioning of subsystems for platform topsides. These integrators source individual equipment packages from qualified fabricators, with CCS (China Classification Society) certification as a baseline requirement for offshore-installed equipment.
The Rotork/Petrobras P80 entry in this portfolio represents a distinct international reference: Rotork, a UK-based global leader in flow control and actuation, contracted Lmart to fabricate deck solenoid valve boxes for the P80 FPSO serving Petrobras’s Buzios field in Brazil — the largest producing pre-salt field in the world.
Challenges and Engineering Pain Points
Extreme Diversity of Equipment Types
This portfolio includes nine fundamentally different equipment types: water filters, multiphase flow meter skids, compact flotation units (CFU), production separators, deoiling hydrocyclones, deck solenoid valve boxes, refrigeration systems, gas-liquid separator skids, and flash economizer skids. Each type involves distinct engineering disciplines — separation technology, hydraulic design, electrical/pneumatic actuation, refrigeration thermodynamics, and CO&sub2; phase behavior. A fabricator serving this market must maintain engineering competence and workshop tooling across all these domains simultaneously.
CCS Classification Requirements for Offshore Service
Equipment installed on CCS-classed offshore platforms must comply with CCS Rules for Materials and Welding, CCS Rules for Offshore Mobile Units or Fixed Platforms (as applicable), and the specific platform’s approved Equipment List. CCS survey requirements include design plan approval, material certification witness, welding qualification witness, NDE review, pressure test witness, and final inspection. The CCS survey regime operates on a different administrative framework than ASME or PED — survey requests must be coordinated with the local CCS branch office, and survey timing is subject to surveyor availability, which can impact production schedules if not planned proactively.
Produced Water Treatment Train Integration
Several units in this portfolio — water filters (WZ-12), compact flotation unit (KL16-1), and deoiling hydrocyclone (PanYu 4-2) — are components within platform produced water treatment trains. Each unit must interface hydraulically with upstream and downstream equipment: the hydrocyclone receives feed from the production separator and discharges to the CFU; the CFU sends clean water to overboard discharge or reinjection. Nozzle sizes, flange ratings, and design pressures must match the platform’s piping specifications, and the equipment’s hydraulic performance (pressure drop, separation efficiency, turndown ratio) must be verified against the platform’s process simulation model.
CCUS Equipment: CO&sub2; Phase Behavior and Material Compatibility
The Dongfang 1-1 CCUS project (Item 71) introduces an entirely different engineering challenge. CO&sub2; capture and compression systems handle dense-phase CO&sub2; at pressures where phase behavior is complex — the gas-liquid separator skids must operate reliably across the CO&sub2; phase envelope, including near the critical point (31.1 °C, 7.38 MPa) where small pressure or temperature fluctuations cause dramatic density changes. Material selection must account for CO&sub2; corrosion (sweet corrosion) and potential wet CO&sub2; service, which can be aggressively corrosive to carbon steel. The flash economizer skid operates with rapid phase change (flashing) that generates high local velocities and potential erosion at impingement points.
Rotork Solenoid Valve Boxes: Electrical/Pneumatic Integration on Process Skids
The 12 deck solenoid valve boxes for the P80 FPSO (Item 61) combine process piping, pneumatic actuation circuits, and electrical solenoid valve assemblies within a single weatherproof enclosure rated for offshore Zone 2 (or equivalent) hazardous area classification. This requires the fabricator to manage mechanical, piping, pneumatic, and electrical disciplines on a single skid — including ATEX/IECEx-rated components, cable gland entries, and pneumatic tubing routing that complies with the platform’s hazardous area dossier.
Why Chinese Offshore Operators Selected Lmart
CCS certification and established survey relationship. Lmart’s CCS approval and long-standing survey relationship with CCS Zhangjiagang/Suzhou branch offices enable efficient plan approval and survey scheduling. For platform operators working to tight installation windows (often tied to weather seasons and platform shutdown schedules), predictable fabrication and survey timelines are critical.
Multi-discipline fabrication under one roof. The equipment types in this portfolio span pressure vessel fabrication, structural skid assembly, piping prefabrication, and (for the solenoid valve boxes) electrical/pneumatic integration. Lmart’s 38,000\ m\² workshop handles all these disciplines with dedicated production zones, eliminating the coordination overhead and schedule risk of multi-vendor assembly.
Track record across South China Sea oil fields. Lmart has delivered equipment to platforms across five distinct oil field developments (WZ-12, KL16-1, Wenchang 13-2, HuiZhou 32-5, PanYu 4-2) plus the Dongfang 1-1 CCUS project and CNOOC’s Yingkou gas plant. This breadth of field references, accumulated through multiple integrators (XinShi, Tianjin Huanya, Hengrun Fengde, Tianjin Gangfeng), indicates that Lmart is independently qualified rather than dependent on a single procurement channel.
CCUS capability for emerging decarbonization projects. The Dongfang 1-1 CCUS order (2025) positions Lmart at the forefront of China’s offshore carbon capture deployment. CCUS projects require fabricators who can handle CO&sub2;-service materials, high-pressure dense-phase equipment, and specialized testing protocols — capabilities that only a subset of China’s pressure vessel manufacturers currently possess.
Engineering and Manufacturing Solution
The nine projects were executed independently over a five-year period, each with its own engineering scope, certification requirements, and delivery schedule. Key technical highlights by equipment type:
Water filters (WZ-12, 2020). Eight CCS-certified water filter units for the Weizhou 12 platform in the Beibu Gulf. These filters remove suspended solids from produced water before it enters the downstream treatment train (hydrocyclones, flotation, or reinjection). Each unit includes a filter vessel, backwash system, and interconnecting piping on a common skid frame, designed for the platform’s specific flow rate and particle size distribution.
Multiphase flow meter skid (KL16-1, 2021). A CCS-certified skid housing a multiphase flow meter and associated piping, valves, and instrumentation connections for the Kenli 16-1 oil field development. Multiphase flow meters measure oil, water, and gas flow rates simultaneously without separation — critical for well allocation and reservoir management on multi-well platforms. The skid must provide the precise upstream/downstream pipe geometries specified by the flow meter manufacturer.
Compact flotation unit skid (High New, 2021). A GB-standard compact flotation unit (CFU) for produced water treatment. CFUs use induced gas flotation to remove dispersed oil from produced water, achieving oil-in-water concentrations below 30 ppm for overboard discharge compliance. The vessel design must handle the hydraulics of gas injection, oil-water-gas three-phase separation, and skimmed oil removal within a compact footprint suitable for offshore installation.
Production separators (Wenchang 13-2 and HuiZhou 32-5, 2022). Two production separators for South China Sea platforms, each handling the full wellstream (oil, water, gas) and performing primary three-phase separation. Production separators are the first stage in the platform process train and must handle slug flow, sand production, and varying water cut while maintaining stable outlet quality for downstream processing.
Deoiling hydrocyclone (PanYu 4-2, 2023). A hydrocyclone package for the Panyu 4-2 platform that uses centrifugal force generated by tangential inlet flow to separate oil droplets from produced water. The hydrocyclone liner geometry (cone angle, vortex finder dimensions, reject ratio) is precisely machined to achieve the target separation efficiency at the platform’s design flow rate and oil droplet size distribution.
Deck solenoid valve boxes (P80 FPSO, 2023). Twelve deck solenoid valve boxes for Rotork, destined for the Petrobras P80 FPSO in the Buzios field, Brazil. Each box integrates solenoid-operated pneumatic valves, tubing manifolds, junction boxes, and weatherproof enclosures within a structural frame designed for deck mounting in a hazardous area. The fabrication scope bridges mechanical, piping, pneumatic, and electrical disciplines.
Refrigeration system (Yingkou Gas Plant, 2024). A refrigeration system for CNOOC’s Yingkou natural gas processing plant expansion in Liaoning Province. Gas processing refrigeration systems cool the natural gas stream to condense heavier hydrocarbons (NGL extraction) and achieve pipeline specification on hydrocarbon dew point. The system includes compressor mounting, condenser, economizer, piping, and controls on an integrated skid.
CCUS equipment (Dongfang 1-1, 2025). Three skid packages for CNOOC’s Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage project on the Dongfang 1-1 offshore platform: a 1st and 2nd stage gas-liquid separator skid, a refrigeration compressor after-cooler skid, and a flash economizer skid. These units handle CO&sub2;-rich gas streams at elevated pressures, requiring materials resistant to CO&sub2; corrosion and design calculations that account for CO&sub2;’s non-ideal phase behavior near the critical point.
Complete Equipment Reference List
| # | Year | Equipment | Qty | Code | Purchaser | Field / Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 | Water Filter | 8 | CCS | XinShi (瀚睿信实) | WZ-12 Platform (Beibu Gulf) |
| 2 | 2021 | Multiphase Flow Meter Skid | 1 | CCS | High New (海牛) | KL16-1 Oil Field |
| 3 | 2021 | Compact Flotation Unit Skid | 1 | GB | High New (海牛) | Offshore produced water treatment |
| 4 | 2022 | Production Separator | 1 | — | Tianjin Huanya (天津环亚) | Wenchang 13-2 (South China Sea) |
| 5 | 2022 | Production Separator | 1 | — | Hengrun Fengde (深圳恒润丰德) | HuiZhou 32-5 (South China Sea) |
| 6 | 2023 | Deoiling Hydrocyclone | 1 | — | Tianjin Gangfeng (天津港丰) | PanYu 4-2 (Pearl River Mouth Basin) |
| 7 | 2023 | Deck Solenoid Valve Box | 12 | — | Rotork (罗托克) | P80 FPSO — Petrobras Buzios (Brazil) |
| 8 | 2024 | Refrigeration System | 1 | — | CNOOC (中海石油) | Yingkou Gas Processing Plant Expansion |
| 9 | 2025 | Gas-Liquid Separator Skid + After-Cooler Skid + Flash Economizer Skid | 3 | — | CNOOC (中海油) | Dongfang 1-1 CCUS Project |
Equipment Type and Engineering Discipline Overview
| Equipment Type | Primary Function | Key Engineering Discipline | Critical Design Parameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Filter | Suspended solids removal from produced water | Filtration / hydraulics | Particle size cut-off, backwash frequency |
| Multiphase Flow Meter Skid | Simultaneous oil/water/gas flow measurement | Metering / instrumentation | Upstream/downstream pipe geometry per meter OEM |
| Compact Flotation Unit | Dispersed oil removal via induced gas flotation | Three-phase separation | Oil-in-water outlet concentration ≤ 30 ppm |
| Production Separator | Primary wellstream three-phase separation | Process / separation | Slug handling, sand management, level control |
| Deoiling Hydrocyclone | Centrifugal oil-water separation | Hydraulic / cyclone design | Cone geometry, reject ratio, droplet size efficiency |
| Solenoid Valve Box | Pneumatic actuator control for deck valves | Electrical / pneumatic | Hazardous area rating, enclosure IP rating |
| Refrigeration System | Gas cooling for NGL extraction / dew point control | Refrigeration thermodynamics | Cooling capacity, COP, refrigerant charge |
| CCUS Separator/Economizer | CO&sub2; capture compression train components | CO&sub2; phase behavior | Dense-phase operation near critical point |
Project Execution, Quality Control, and Delivery
Quality control protocols were adapted to each project’s certification requirements. CCS-certified units (WZ-12 water filters, KL16-1 flow meter skid) followed the full CCS survey regime with plan approval, material witness, welding witness, NDE review, pressure test witness, and final inspection. GB-standard and non-classified units followed Lmart’s internal QC procedures aligned to ISO 9001, with third-party inspection where specified by the customer.
Key QC milestones across the portfolio:
- Material procurement with full traceability: mill test reports verified against design specifications, PMI on all alloy components, CCS material certificates where required
- Welding qualification: WPS/PQR per applicable code (CCS Rules, GB/T 150, or NB/T 47014), with CCS surveyor witness on classified projects
- Dimensional verification: critical interface dimensions (nozzle locations, flange orientations, skid mounting bolt patterns) checked against platform/system integrator arrangement drawings at fit-up stage
- NDE per applicable code: RT or UT on pressure-containing butt welds, MT or PT on fillet welds and nozzle attachment welds, with CCS NDE review on classified projects
- Pressure testing: hydrostatic test per design code requirements, witnessed by CCS surveyor on classified projects and by customer inspector on all others
- Functional testing where applicable: backwash cycle test on water filters, pneumatic circuit integrity test on solenoid valve boxes, refrigerant charge and leak test on refrigeration systems
- Surface treatment: offshore-grade coating systems (Sa 2.5 blast, multi-coat epoxy/polyurethane) for platform-installed equipment; standard industrial coating for onshore gas plant equipment
- Preservation and shipping: nitrogen blanket on closed vessels, flange covers on all open connections, shock indicators and desiccant for ocean freight shipments (Brazil-bound solenoid valve boxes)
Delivery logistics spanned domestic trucking (for Chinese platform equipment shipped to CNOOC’s offshore logistics bases in Zhanjiang, Tianjin, and Haikou), containerized ocean freight (Rotork solenoid valve boxes to Brazil), and direct delivery to onshore facilities (Yingkou gas plant). Each delivery included a complete documentation package: design calculations, fabrication records, NDE reports, material certificates, pressure test records, and (where applicable) CCS certificates or classification society product certificates.
Results and Business Impact
Twenty-nine equipment units delivered across nine projects, six different procurement channels, and seven distinct South China Sea oil field developments. This diversity of customers, equipment types, and oil fields demonstrates that Lmart’s qualification for Chinese offshore process equipment is broadly recognized across the industry — not dependent on a single customer relationship or a narrow product niche.
The equipment range — from simple water filters to complex CCUS compression train components — shows progressive capability expansion over the five-year period. Lmart entered the Chinese offshore process equipment market with water filters in 2020 and by 2025 was delivering carbon capture equipment for one of China’s flagship decarbonization projects. This trajectory positions the company for the growing volume of CCUS projects that CNOOC and other Chinese operators are planning under China’s dual-carbon (碳达峰、碳中和) policy framework.
The Rotork P80 FPSO delivery (12 solenoid valve boxes for Petrobras Buzios) adds an international dimension to what is otherwise a domestic offshore portfolio. Rotork’s decision to source from Lmart for a Brazilian deepwater FPSO validates the company’s fabrication quality against international standards, even on equipment procured through domestic Chinese channels.
For prospective customers evaluating Lmart for offshore process equipment, this portfolio demonstrates a fabricator who understands the full spectrum of offshore production systems — not just pressure vessels in isolation, but complete functional packages that integrate vessels, piping, instrumentation, structural framing, and (in the case of solenoid valve boxes) electrical and pneumatic systems.
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Customer Voice
Six different procurement channels have placed orders with Lmart for Chinese offshore platform equipment over a five-year period. Several have returned with repeat or expanded orders, indicating consistent satisfaction with fabrication quality, delivery performance, and CCS certification management.
“The equipment was delivered, installed, and commissioned without interface issues on the platform. The dimensional accuracy on nozzle positions and skid mounting points matched our installation drawings exactly.”
— Offshore platform EPC contractor (paraphrased from project review)
Note: Lmart respects client confidentiality. Specific contact references are available upon request during the qualification process.