China begins drilling 11,100 meters deep to study the earth's crust

A drilling rig weighing more than 2,000 tons in Xinjiang is used to drill into the earth's crust.

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China began drilling its deepest hole in the country on June 6 to study the area of the earth's crust deep below the surface, The Guardian reported.

The project is being carried out in the Tarim Basin in northwestern Xinjiang. With a planned depth of 11,100 meters, the hole will pass through more than 10 geological layers and reach the Cretaceous system of the earth's crust, a series of stratified rocks dating back 145 million years.

The project is expected to be completed in 457 days and has been hailed by Chinese state media as "a turning point in the country's deep underground exploration".

The deep exploration well will allow scientists to study the internal structure and evolution of the earth, and provide data for geological science research, according to a statement from the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, which is leading the project.

According to technical expert Vuong Xuan Sanh participating in the project, this is a bold effort to explore the unknown area of the earth and expand the limits of human knowledge.

However, this is not an easy job. The rig weighs more than 2,000 tons and is designed with components that can withstand temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius and atmospheric pressure 1,300 times higher than at ground level.

The hot, dry climate of the Tarim Basin also poses a challenge. The project is part of efforts to explore new frontiers in space and underground.

In 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping directed top scientists to break boundaries in many fields, including deep-sea exploration. The leader also stressed the need to boost energy supplies, urging major energy companies to search for natural resources.

Xinjiang is known for its oil and mineral wealth. Last month, Sinopec Group found a large oil and gas deposit in an exploratory well 8,500 meters deep in the Tarim Basin.

The deepest borehole ever drilled is the Kola Superdeep borehole in northwestern Russia, at a depth of 12,262 m.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/trung-quoc-bat-dau-khoan-sau-11100-m-de-nghien-cuu-vo-trai-dat-185230606214242941.htm