CNOOC Ltd. has struck “fairly good oil and gas flows” at an HP/HT exploration well in the Yingqiong Basin in the western part of South China Sea, according to a statement posted at an official government website on May 10.

The Yuedong 30-1-1 well hit mostly gas. The well was drilled to a depth of 4,235 m (13,894 ft). The formation has a temperature of nearly 200 degrees C (392 degrees F).

Its successful completion marks technological breakthrough in HP/HT wells for the South China Sea.