Construction Begins on the Largest International Offshore Oil and Gas EPIC Project Ever Won by a Chinese Contractor

COOEC has started fabrication for QatarEnergy's Bul Hanine redevelopment in Qingdao, moving the approximately US$4 billion EPIC project into large-scale construction.

Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. (COOEC) started fabrication work for Qatar’s Bul Hanine oilfield redevelopment at its Qingdao high-end equipment manufacturing base on 15 September. The milestone moves the Qingdao scope from engineering, procurement and construction preparation into physical fabrication. By contract value, the development is the largest international offshore oil and gas engineering project ever undertaken by a Chinese company.

QatarEnergy is the project owner. COOEC holds the BH-EPIC1 and BH-EPIC2 contracts, together valued at approximately US$4 billion. The contracts took effect in October 2025 and are scheduled to run until June 2031. COOEC’s scope covers project management, detailed engineering, procurement, fabrication, transportation, offshore installation, commissioning and associated work.

Multiple offshore scopes moving in parallel

According to COOEC, the project covers more than 60 offshore facilities and 40 subsea pipelines and cables, as well as brownfield modifications and decommissioning work. Total steel processing is expected to exceed 130,000 tonnes. Coordinating new facilities, subsea infrastructure, modifications to operating assets and removal work within one delivery programme creates demanding interfaces across engineering, procurement, yard scheduling and offshore execution.

KBR has been awarded a detailed engineering contract for the redevelopment and will provide design support for the offshore facilities. As fabrication advances, COOEC will need to keep engineering deliverables, material and equipment procurement, and multi-yard construction schedules aligned ahead of transportation, offshore installation and commissioning.

A test of integrated EPIC delivery

The approximately US$4 billion award makes Bul Hanine a major component of COOEC’s international backlog. Unlike a standalone platform or module fabrication contract, an EPIC package spans the full chain from engineering and procurement through construction, installation and commissioning, placing schedule, cost, quality, safety and interface risk under the lead contractor’s control.

COOEC has worked in Qatar since 2016 and has participated in offshore developments including NFA, NFPS COMP2, ISND5-2 and RUYA. Bul Hanine’s move into fabrication will further test the company’s international project management, global resource deployment and supply-chain coordination, while generating sustained work for Chinese offshore fabrication yards and equipment and materials suppliers.

Sources: COOEC WeChat; COOEC regulatory filings; KBR public information.