Abstract: Basically, overseas hydrocarbon exploration is an international activity with limitations, risks, and economics. With the expansion of overseas business, CNPC has figured out and built a “trinity” management model for key overseas exploration projects after studying and benchmarking with management models of major international oil companies. Specifically, a management loop of “Research - Decision - Implementation - Adjustment - Reevaluation” has been established to organically integrate and provide whole-process monitoring on tasks in three aspects, i.e. technical support, headquarters decision and field implementation. By far, significant results have been obtained in Niger, Chad and other projects.

Key words: CNPC, overseas exploration, management model, trinity