Abstract: Deepwater exploration drilling and completion operations faces such challenges as low temperature in deep seawater, narrow density vessel for safe drilling fluid, high well control risks, seabed geological disasters, and typhoons. As a deepwater area exploration operator, CNOOC successfully found Lingshui 17-2 large deepwater gas field in its first deepwater exploration operation, and the discovery pushed the further development of oil and gas exploration and development in deepwater area and marked an important step for the “second leap” of CNOOC. The author briefly reviews the management experience and work practices in proprietary exploration, drilling and completion projects in the west deepwater area of the South China Sea and envisions the development prospects of the oil and gas exploration and development technology in deepwater of the South China Sea, in hope of providing some reference for the development of oil and gas exploitation in deepwater area.