What is China's 'shenditake 1' drilling rig?

"With more than 90 percent of the drilling system components domestically developed, these self-developed technologies form the bedrock of China's capability to pioneer ultra-deep and geologically complex exploration frontiers," said Li Yahui, chief designer of the "Shenditake 1" drilling rig.

How deep is China's oil & gas exploration capability?

*Completing the drilling of "Shenditake 1," the second deepest vertical well across the world, has strengthened China's ultra-deep oil and gas exploration capabilities. *The Tarim Basin is China's largest deep-earth oil and gas reservoir, with 83.2 percent of its deep oil resources and 63.9 percent of its deep natural gas buried below 6,000 meters.

Where is Owainat water well project?

This photo taken on May 3, 2025 shows a well-drilling rig at night at the site of Owainat Water Well Project in the desert of New Valley Governorate, Egypt. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) As summer begins, patches of lush farmland stretch across Egypt's Western Desert, an area that, until recently, was dominated by sand and rocks.

How has China improved its oil & gas exploration capabilities?

(Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Completing this well has strengthened China's ultra-deep oil and gas exploration capabilities. With upgraded domestically-developed drilling technologies and equipment, scientists have also made a significant step forward in understanding the Earth's history, geological evolution and ancient climate changes.

How long has a 'shenditake 1' well been drilling?

After such continuous effort, the well has penetrated 12 geological formations, ultimately reaching rock layers that date back over 500 million years. Wen Liang, one of the lead technicians on the "Shenditake 1" project, described the immense challenges faced during drilling.