(JIN LIANGKUAI)

A helicopter landing on China's "Marine Oil 981" drilling platform in the south China Sea. The drill is 320 km southeast of Hong Kong and the well is 1,500 meters deep.

According to China National Offshore Oil Corp., the "Marine Oil 981" is the sixth-generation semi-submersible drilling platform. It will begin operations in September.

This is the first deepwater oil and gas drilling platform designed and constructed independently by a Chinese oil company, a big step forward of China's oil industry in deepwater operation.