SINGAPORE- Chinese offshore oil and gas major CNOOC has started producing gas from the Liuhua 29-2 field in the eastern part of the South China Sea, the state-owned company said on Thursday.

The field is located 300 km (186.41 miles) southeast of Hong Kong, with a water depth of about 750 metres.

The new project will share the existing production facilities of the Liwan 3-1 gas field and other deepwater gas fields, CNOOC said.

It is expected to reach peak production of about 41 million cubic feet of natural gas per day in 2021.

CNOOC wholly owns the project.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu Editing by David Goodman ) ((aizhu.chen@thomsonreuters.com; +65 6870 3284; Reuters Messaging: aizhu.chen.reuters.com@reuters.net))