A worker welds structural steel pipe for the BH EPIC project in Qingdao. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Construction has started in Qingdao on the BH EPIC project, the largest overseas offshore oil and gas engineering, procurement and construction contract ever undertaken by a Chinese company, Offshore Oil Engineering Co Ltd announced on Sept 15.

Located at Qatar's Bul Hanine oilfield and developed by QatarEnergy, the project has a contract value of about $4 billion. Fabrication is being carried out at the company's international high-end equipment manufacturing base in Qingdao, Shandong province.

The project includes the construction of more than 60 offshore oil and gas facilities and 40 subsea pipelines and cables, as well as upgrades to existing platforms and the removal of decommissioned facilities.

More than 130,000 metric tons of steel will be processed, with work spanning design, procurement, fabrication, transportation, installation and commissioning. Technologies including 3D digital modeling and engineering simulation are being used to improve planning and coordination.

Offshore Oil Engineering has undertaken more than 170 overseas projects during China's 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), including projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Uganda and Thailand.

The company ranked 62nd on Engineering News-Record's 2026 list of the world's top 250 international contractors, its highest ranking to date.