A technical forum on China's deepwater oil engineering, sponsored by the Resources and Environment Technology Office under the National Hi-Tech Development and Research Program (863 Program), was recently convened in Shanghai. In a move to understand technology development trends of deepwater oil engineering both at home and abroad, and China's future development strategies and orientations in the field, the forum is held to solicit research proposals on deepwater oil engineering for the 11^th Five-year Plan period.

Chaired by officials from the Department of Rural and Social development, part of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the forum heard keynote speeches on future development strategies and technical needs in the field of deepwater oil-gas engineering, presented by representatives from China National Offshore Oil Corp., China Petroleum and Chemical Corp., China National Petroleum Corp., and Shanghai Petroleum Corp. Representative from Shanghai Richer S&T Co. Ltd. briefed the meeting the latest domestic and international achievements and progresses in the field. More than 150 representatives exchanged their views and made their proposals on China's future deepwater oil development in separate group discussions.