China's Underwater Valve Realizes Localization and Breaks Foreign Technology Monopoly

A few days ago, CNOOC's Zhanjiang branch in Guangdong (referred to as Zhanjiang) announced that the two domestically produced underwater ball valves for the Nanhai Wenchang Gasfield Group Development Project have been successfully delivered and passed acceptance tests. This marks a significant milestone, as China has now achieved the localization of underwater valves, breaking the long-standing foreign technology monopoly. As a result, procurement costs have dropped by over 40%, and delivery times have been significantly shortened. Underwater valves are critical components of subsea production systems. These systems, first developed in the 1960s, can be integrated with floating production platforms and other facilities to create various offshore oil and gas development models. Compared to building expensive offshore oil platforms, subsea systems offer substantial cost savings and are less vulnerable to natural disasters. They are particularly well-suited for deepwater and marginal field developments. Unlike land-based valves, underwater valves must withstand extreme external water pressure and are typically operated by ROVs (remote-operated vehicles) or hydraulic systems. They require exceptional sealing performance and corrosion resistance, which has historically placed the technology and market in the hands of a few foreign companies. Until now, China had only been in the research and development phase. Faced with high import costs, long lead times, and limited maintenance support, CNOOC’s "Three New and Three Chemicals" leadership office and the Ministry of Construction took the localization of underwater valves very seriously. As part of this effort, they decided to conduct experiments and applications within the Wenchang Gasfield Group Development Project in the South China Sea. The Wenchang Gasfield Group aims to develop the 9-2, 9-3, and 10-3 marginal gas fields. The area around the gasfield group has poor resource sharing infrastructure, and the sea depth exceeds 100 meters, with strong winds and waves throughout the year. Additionally, downstream users have high demands. To meet these challenges, Zhanjiang plans to construct a new platform and an underwater production system, creating new opportunities for the localization of underwater valves. The Zhanjiang Wenchang project team, in collaboration with COOEC Engineering Design Company, took the initiative to research and compile the technical requirements for underwater valves. They organized expert teams to inspect and select domestic manufacturers, and then proceeded with prototype development, testing, and certification according to strict standards. Throughout the localization process, the technical staff from Zhanjiang and COOEC thoroughly identified quality risk points during the R&D phase. They worked diligently to overcome challenges, implementing comprehensive quality control across design, materials, manufacturing, and testing. Together with the manufacturers, they successfully addressed issues such as underwater corrosion, pressure resistance, actuator performance, and valve reliability. The prototypes passed rigorous API tests, including performance, service life, and high-pressure chamber testing. A complete set of technical documents and procedures for the design, selection, manufacture, and inspection of domestically produced underwater valves has now been established.

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