Asia's first cylindrical floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) facility was accomplished in east China's Qingdao City on Friday, marking a milestone technological breakthrough in the country's high-end offshore oil and natural gas exploration. Dubbed "Haikui No.1", the enormous facility, is independently designed and made by China. The floating vessel, containing 600,000 parts, consists of functional modules on the hull and the deck, with a maximum diameter of about 90 meters and a height of more than 60 meters. It is designed with a maximum displacement of 100,000 tons and a storage capacity of 60,000 tons of oil. With a designed service lifespan of 30 years, cylinder-shaped facility integrates functions of crude oil production, storage, and external transmission. It is able to provide continuous operation at sea for 15 years without docking, according to its producer, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). "Through tackling technological bottlenecks, we have achieved the autonomous application of 15 key technological equipment and systems, such as the sea-land integrated intelligent central control system and high-capacity hydraulic submersible pumps. Furthermore, we have introduced new natural gas desulfurization and dual-fuel generators on offshore platforms. These advancements enable us to effectively utilize associated gas from oil fields and largely improve the energy saving of offshore oil fields," said Liu Huaxiang, general manager of the Deepwater Engineering and Construction Center of CNOOC's Shenzhen branch. The offshore oil and gas processing project is planned to be commissioned in China's first deepwater oilfield, the Liuhua 11-1 oilfield, in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, said the CNOOC, adding that the facility is capable of processing 5,600 tons of crude per day.
Asia's 1st cylindrical FPSO facility accomplished in Qingdao
During the five-day May Day holiday from May 1 to May 5, travel destinations in lower-tier markets achieve a substantial surge in popularity, with improved infrastructure and enhanced hospitality capabilities.
Data from Ctrip, China's leading online travel agency, showed that hotel bookings and scenic spot ticket orders in county-level markets soared 68 percent and 151 percent respectively during the holiday, which ended on Sunday.
The smaller and county-level cities of Tumushuke, Baoshan, Huaihua, Chifeng, Hetian and Heze saw a sharp increase in air ticket bookings.
The tourism boom in these markets is attributed to the great improvement of infrastructure facilities in rural areas and the development of characteristic towns, according to experts.
"The rural service level along highways is constantly improving. The construction of service stations along highways, the improvement of environment and the upgrading of parking lots and charging facilities have all provided a strong support for the industrial development along highways," said Liu Dongmei, deputy director of the big data industry research and development center of the Research Institute of Highway under the Ministry of Transport.
To attract tourists, the county-level authorities have launched many entertainment activities and programs with local uniqueness.
In the suburb of Shanwei City in south China's Guangdong Province, folk artists performed kylin (a mythical creature in Chinese legend) dance to welcome tourists from far away.
"The performance is fantastic and full of traditional cultural elements," said a tourist while watching the kylin dance.
In Chengjiang City in southwest China's Yunnan Province, local villagers performed the grass lion dance to entertain tourists. The lion is made of grass and tree branches.
"This is the first time I've seen the grass lion dance. It's a novel experience to me because I've never seen it anywhere else," said a tourist named Shen Qi.
Meanwhile, in Nanjing City of east China's Jiangsu Province, many people spent the holiday in the countryside, where they could not only enjoy beautiful scenery, but taste the delicacies made by local farmers.
"The tofu made in this way tastes more delicious. It reminds me of my childhood," said a tourist surnamed Zhu.
Pingliang City in northwest China's Gansu Province is home to the Kongtong Mountain – a national 5A-level tourist attraction.
Many villages in the city have further tapped into their abundant natural resources to offer tourists with new traveling experience.
Xigou Village launched activities such as outdoor camping, gliding, and horse riding to entertain tourists. Haizhaigou Village has built a magnificent glass skywalk extending more than 600 meters and with an altitude of about 100 meters. Sigou Village has turned cave dwellings (unique houses commonly seen in northwest China) into restaurants and launched activities such as fruit and vegetable picking for tourists.
"This place is near the Kongtong Mountain and boasts water and other natural resources. I feel quite free with the breeze blowing on my face," said a tourist named Sun Cheng.
China sees tourism boom in county-level markets during May-day holiday
