By Akshat Patel
The South China Sea is to China as the Caribbean Sea is to the United States. Just as the United States repeatedly thwarted European powers from the Caribbean throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, China intends to thwart an American presence in the South China Sea in this century.
1 In 1962, the ambitions of two superpowers reached a crescendo in the form of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Along the same lines, the ambitions of two of today’s great powers are resulting in skirmishes across the South China Sea. In the same way that the clash in the Caribbean was a deciding factor in who the victor of the Cold War would be, American maritime superiority will be decided in large part by who the reigning power in the South China Sea will be.
China s Coast Guard Law Challenges Rule-Based Order – The Diplomat
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Beijing looks to cool maritime disputes in South China Sea
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9 April 2021 5:10 GMT Updated 9 April 2021 7:47 GMT in Singapore
Three crew members remain missing, CNOOC Ltd said on Friday, after a well blowout and fire on a platform in Bohai Bay earlier this week that has partially halted operations at China s largest offshore oilfield.
The impact of the incident at the wellhead platform in the Penglai 19-3 field on CNOOC Ltd s annual production is up to approximately 600,000 barrels of oil, representing 0.1% of the total target of 545 million to 555 million barrels of oil equivalent.
State-controlled CNOOC Ltd operates the field on 51% and is joined by US independent ConocoPhillips on 49%.
With the incident set to hit CNOOC Ltd s equity production this year by 600,000 barrels, this represents some 1.2 million barrels, inclusive of ConocoPhillips share.
The blowout and fire occurred during drilling operations when 102 crew members were on board the platform.
Operator CNOOC Ltd immediately evacuated 99 crew, with three reported missing.
It is not clear if the fire has caused any oil spill.
CNOOC Ltd has not respond to a request for comment from Upstream.
The company has mobilised vessels to extinguish the fire and prevent any potential oil spillage.
The Penglai 19-3 oilfield lies in Bohai Bay Block 11/05 in water depths ranging from 27 to 33 metres. The block also contains the Penglai 19-9 and 25-6 oilfields.
Production at the Penglai 19-3 field started in 2002. CNOOC Ltd holds a 51% operated interest in the fields, with US giant ConocoPhillips holding the remaining 49% equity.