Abstract: International oil prices have fluctuated and risen in recent years. Both proportion of global oil and gas exploration investment and amount of drilled wells are on the rise. The areas of new discoveries from oil and gas exploration are continually expanded, thus leading to sustainable growth of reserves in recent time. Generally speaking, exploration investment is still fluctuating at a low level, with a slight increase in the proportion of the total upstream investment. The amount of exploration work is kept at a relatively low level, but the number of drilled wells is apparently higher. New discoveries from global conventional oil and gas exploration are on the decrease while the offshore new discoveries become dominant. Moderate resumption of the world petroleum industry in recent years has raised exploration confidence of international oil companies, making global oil and gas exploration bounced from the bottom. More expectations can be placed on the future development. It is proposed that China’s oil companies should strengthen their independent exploration, focus active efforts on offshore exploration, and make preparations for the frontier exploration areas with firm confidence. The offshore blocks for invitation of tenders in the recent time are located mainly off the two banks of the Atlantic Ocean and in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, East Africa, the Arctic Pole and Southeast Asia, with the deep to ultra-deep areas exceeding 80 percent of the total. Those regions are the main battlefields for international oil companies to compete with each other.

摘要： 国际原油价格近年震荡上升，全球油气勘探投资占比、钻井数量均呈上升趋势，油气勘探新 发现的领域不断拓展，持续推动近期储量增长。总体判断，勘探投资总体仍在低位徘徊，占上游总投资的 比例略有增长；勘探工作量维持在较低水平，但钻井数量明显增加；全球常规油气勘探新发现有所减少， 海域新发现占绝对主体。近年世界石油行业温和复苏，提振了国际油公司的勘探信心，全球油气勘探触底 反弹，未来发展更加值得期待。建议中国石油企业加强自主勘探，积极进入海域，坚定信心布局前沿勘探 领域。近期海上招标区块主要位于大西洋两岸、东地中海、东非、北极和东南亚等海域，且深水—超深水 面积超过80%，是国际油公司角逐的主战场。

关键词: 全球油气资源；勘探投资；成熟盆地；新领域；天然气；深水&mdash, 超深水