Gas found in S China Sea

A large gas field was found by the Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig in the South China Sea, China's largest offshore oil and gas developer confirmed on Saturday.

It is the first major gas field that has been found since China began conducting independent deep-water oil drilling operations.

Located in Qiongdongnan Basin, the field is about 150 kilometers off Hainan Island and the rig will operate at a depth of 1,500 meters.

Tensions over territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea flared up in May this year when Vietnamese vessels collided against Chinese vessels several times in an attempt to stop China from installing 0il rig 981 near the Xisha Islands.