China's New-Generation Deepwater Multi-Purpose Offshore Engineering Vessel "HYSY 292" Named and Delivered

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 21, the China-developed new-generation deepwater multi-purpose offshore engineering vessel "HYSY 292," invested in and built by Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. (COOEC), a subsidiary of CNOOC, was completed and delivered in Qidong, Jiangsu Province, further enhancing China's professional service capabilities in underwater engineering and in-service offshore facility maintenance, and providing key equipment support for accelerating the development of deep-sea energy resources.

"HYSY 292" features a double-hull, single-unit streamlined design, with an overall length of 126 meters, a molded breadth of 28 meters, and a displacement of over 17,600 tons. Its deck area is equivalent to nearly five standard basketball courts. The vessel is equipped with an advanced electric azimuth thruster propulsion system and a DP2 dynamic positioning system, enabling navigation in unlimited waters across global seas. It is fitted with a 400-ton crane and pre-installed with advanced equipment such as a 3,000-ton cable reel, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and underwater trenchers, capable of performing multiple operations including deepwater offshore engineering development, construction, maintenance, repair, and emergency response. It is suitable for comprehensive full-process offshore engineering operations across multiple sea areas, including underwater pipeline and cable installation, seabed survey, and transport support. Its digitalization, intelligence, and greenization have reached an advanced level among similar equipment.

According to Jia Lujin, construction project manager of the deepwater multi-purpose offshore engineering vessel at COOEC, "HYSY 292" has established an intelligent system covering the entire chain of "perception-transmission-decision-execution," equipped with automated systems for real-time monitoring and intelligent linkage of key equipment, enabling round-the-clock monitoring and intelligent analysis of human-machine status to achieve periodic unattended operation. Innovative applications such as intelligent power stations and dual-direction heat exchange heating systems efficiently optimize power distribution, reducing fuel consumption by approximately 15% compared to traditional solutions. The vessel has an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles, maximizing time savings in mobilization and demobilization while ensuring operational continuity.

Construction of "HYSY 292" began in December 2024, strictly adhering to international maritime regulations and the highest domestic construction standards throughout the process. It took 15 months to complete core procedures including block construction, final assembly and integration, slipway outfitting, vessel launching, and mooring commissioning. The project team implemented an integrated design-and-construction approach, applied digital twin 3D modeling and simulated assembly, and independently developed precision calculation software, dual-crane coordination, and intelligent lifting systems. Modular construction was adopted, dividing the hull into 93 blocks across three major sections—bow, midship, and stern—and completing the final assembly in a building-block manner, achieving a 100% one-time positioning success rate with world-leading precision. According to Ye Zhonglai, project manager of the deepwater multi-purpose offshore engineering vessel at Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., to ensure high-quality completion of all vessel undocking and sea trial subjects, repeated simulations were conducted for towing and positioning, with precise positioning via winches and tugboats and real-time monitoring of attitude and displacement data. The vessel parameters met design standards, and core performance indicators including the power system, control system, operation system, and safety assurance system all met requirements, with various parameters exceeding design standards, meeting the criteria for delivery and commissioning.

In recent years, China has significantly intensified its offshore oil and gas exploration and development efforts, with a continuous rise in offshore engineering construction and operation and maintenance workloads, and an increasingly urgent demand for comprehensive engineering vessel services. CNOOC has continuously strengthened its offshore engineering equipment capabilities, successfully building an offshore engineering vessel fleet comprising 20 specialized vessels in six categories, including deepwater multi-purpose operation vessels, crane vessels, pipe-laying vessels, trenching vessels, and large launch barges. Key equipment includes China's first 3,000-meter deepwater pipe-laying crane vessel "HYSY 201," the country's largest offshore oil and gas engineering crane vessel "Blue Whale 7500," and Asia's largest launch barge "HYSY 229," forming full-sea-area operational capabilities from shallow water to ultra-deep water and from nearshore to far-reaching seas, providing strong support for China's independent and controllable development of offshore oil and gas resources and energy security.