A rig weighing more than 2.000 tons in Xinjiang is used to drill into the earth's crust
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Sheet The Guardian reported that China started drilling the deepest hole in the country on June 6.6 to study the area of the earth's crust deep below the surface.
The project is implemented in the Tarim Basin in the northwest region of Xinjiang. With a planned depth of 11.100 m, the hole will pass through more than 10 strata and reach the Cretaceous system of the earth's crust, consisting of 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 geoscientific research, according to a statement from China National Petroleum Corporation. Country leads the project.
According to technical expert Vuong Xuan Sanh involved in the project, this is a bold attempt to understand the unknown region of the earth and expand the limits of human understanding.
However, this is not an easy job. The 2.000-ton rig is designed with components that can withstand temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius and atmospheric pressure 1.300 times higher than at ground level.
In addition, the hot and dry climate of the Tarim Basin presents a challenge. The project is part of efforts to explore new limits in space and underground.
In 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping directed leading scientists to break the boundaries in many fields, including underground exploration. The leader also emphasized the need to boost energy supply, prompting large energy companies to search for natural resources.
The Xinjiang region is famous for being rich in oil and minerals. Last month, Sinopec Corporation found a large oil and gas field in an exploration well at a depth of 8.500 meters in the Tarim Basin.
The deepest hole drilled into the ground today is the Kola Superdeep borehole in northwestern Russia, with a depth of 12.262 m.
