A Deepwater Gas Finding in Qiongdongnan Basin

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Dec 15, 2010, 03:00 ET

HONG KONG, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", NYSE: CEO, SEHK: 0883) announced a deepwater gas discovery on Block 64/11 offshore China after the Lingshui 22-1-1 exploration well drilled by its partner, BG Group (BG) , encountered gas-bearing sands.

(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/xprn/sa/200701301659.jpg )

The exploration well is located in Qiongdongnan Basin in the South China Sea, approximately 130 kilometres offshore and in a water depth of 1,338 metres. BG will conduct further analysis of the well results to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential in the Block.

Mr. Zhu Weilin, Executive Vice President of the Company commented, "This is the first deepwater well in Qiongdongnan Basin. We are excited about the well results. It has further strengthened our confidence in deepwater exploration in this area."

The Company signed the production sharing contract (PSC) with BG for deepwater block 64/11 on 7^th June 2006.

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com.

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected future events, business prospectus or financial results. The words "believe", "intend", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "estimate", "plan", "predict" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by us that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet our expectations and predictions depend on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results, performance and financial condition to differ materially from our expectations. For a description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please see the documents we file from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including our 2009 Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on April 23, 2010.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Mr. Jiang Yongzhi
Joint Company Secretary and General Manager of Investor Relations Department
CNOOC Limited
Tel: +86-10-8452-1731
Fax: +86-10-8452-1441
E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Sharon Fung
Ketchum Newscan Public Relations Ltd
Tel: +852-3141-8082
Fax: +852-2510-8199
E-mail: sharon.fung@knprhk.com