China Intends to Drill the Deepest Well in the World
Scientists want to study the internal structure and evolution of the Earth for geological and geophysical research.
Drilling has begun on what could be the world’s deepest well in northwestern China. It is located in the desert region of the Tarim Basin (Xinjiang region). The shaft of the “mine” will pass through ten continental layers and reach the Cretaceous system of the earth’s crust. This is a series of layered rocks with an age of about 145 million years, writes The Guardian.
The laying equipment weighs over 2,000 tons and is designed to operate at temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius and at ultra-high atmospheric pressure. It is 1.3 thousand times higher than on the surface.
Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) scientist Sun JINSHENG compared the complexity of drilling a well with “the movement of a huge truck along two thin steel cables.”
“This is a bold attempt to explore the uncharted territory of the Earth and expand the boundaries of human understanding,” said technical expert Wang CHUNSHENG.
Complicating the task is the harsh conditions in the Tarim, China’s hottest and driest desert. Despite this, drilling is planned to be completed in 457 days. Thus, Chinese scientists want to study the internal structure and evolution of the Earth. They intend to collect data for geological and geophysical research. This was stated by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), which manages the project.
At the same time, China is looking for new sources of minerals. Thus, in May, China’s largest oil company Sinopec discovered new oil and gas fields in the Tarim Basin at a depth of more than 8,500 meters, the publication says.
