China’s energy sector just hit turbo mode! The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) smashed its daily drilling record by reaching 2,138 meters at a natural gas project near Hainan Province. This isn’t just a flex of engineering muscle—it’s a leap forward in securing energy resources for the future.
The team battled extreme conditions: drilling over 3,600 meters deep in waters with temperatures hot enough to boil water (162°C!). But with AI-powered tools and next-gen data analysis, they turned geological hurdles into a speedrun win.
Behind the Breakthrough
Liu Peikai, CNOOC’s project director, spilled the tea: \"We redesigned the well structure and built custom drill bits that slice through rock like butter.\" Meanwhile, Zhang Botao revealed their secret weapon—a homegrown drilling AI that crunches historical data to predict underground surprises before they happen.
This win isn’t just about bragging rights. Faster drilling = more efficient resource extraction, which could reshape energy strategies globally.
Reference(s):
China sets new record in offshore oil exploration drilling speed
cgtn.com