The 2011 Penglai (PL) 19-3 oil spills in China’s Bohai Sea, resulting from two subsea accidents within a month and contaminating 6200 km2, represent the nation’s worst offshore pollution disaster. Yet, systemic analysis of lessons learned remains notably limited. The April 2021 blowout and fire at the same field, resulting in three fatalities, highlights the continuing relevance of the PL 19-3 case and the need to re-examine t...