Lingshui 36-1 gas field

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), China's third-largest national oil company, has confirmed the discovery of gas in the Lingshui 36-1 gas field.

About Lingshui 36-1 field

• The Lingshui 36-1 gas field is expected to contain more than 100 billion cubic meters of gas fuel.
• It is the world's largest and ultra-deepwater shallow gas field. The gas field is located in the disputed waters of the South China Sea (SCS).

Benefits to China

• The discovery is significant in partially dispelling the perception of a potential blockade disrupting China's maritime lines of communication across the Indian Ocean to meet its energy demands.
  • This perception is also known as the 'Malacca Dilemma'.
• Inspired by the discovery of Lingshui 36-1, China is set to expand its reach to other regions to meet its growing energy demands. This is likely to lead to more tensions among countries in the region.

Possibility of increased tensions in the Indo-Pacific region

• The race to extract natural resources from the oceans has intensified in the last few decades.
• The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as an important maritime region rich in energy and gas, attracting increasing interest from major stakeholders in the region. The South China Sea region is one of the most disputed strategic areas in the Indo-Pacific region.
• China has attempted to create a regional multilateral platform ‘China-Indian Ocean Forum’ from 2022, excluding India, which includes major stakeholders in the Indian Ocean.