Australian independent Roc Oil is advancing a major plan to develop oil and gas deposits in the South China Sea’s Beibu Gulf, in line with its production sharing contract signed with Chinese offshore operator CNOOC Ltd in 2018.

In an environmental impact assessment it submitted to China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, the company said development of the Weizhou 10-3W oilfield will involve the construction of a new wellhead platform and a central processing platform, along with a subsea pipeline and cable.