China has successfully completed drilling its first ultra-deep scientific exploration well exceeding 10,000 meters. According to China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the Deep Earth Takor 1 well reached a depth of 10,910 meters, making it the deepest vertical well in Asia and the second deepest in the world.
Source: Compiled Reports
China has successfully completed drilling its first ultra-deep scientific exploration well exceeding 10,000 meters. According to China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the Deep Earth Takor 1 well reached a depth of 10,910 meters, making it the deepest vertical well in Asia and the second deepest in the world. The project also set multiple global and regional engineering records, including the deepest liner cementing, deepest cable imaging logging, fastest onshore drilling breakthrough beyond 10,000 meters, deepest vertical well in Asia, and deepest core sampling on land in Asia. This marks a major milestone in China’s "Deep Earth" initiative, following breakthroughs in space and deep-sea exploration.
Drilling of Deep Earth Takor 1 began on May 30, 2023, with two key objectives: advancing geological research and exploring potential oil and gas resources. The well represents a significant step in China’s strategic scientific and technological capabilities, reinforcing its position as a global leader in energy and geological innovation. Notably, the project retrieved China’s first core sample from below 10,000 meters and, for the first time worldwide, recorded oil and gas indications at such depths in an onshore well, furthering scientific understanding of ultra-deep hydrocarbon formations.
The drilling process was exceptionally demanding. It took 279 days to reach 10,000 meters, followed by another 300 days to drill the final kilometer. Engineers had to overcome extreme technical challenges, including excessive loads, wellbore instability, tool failures, and severe fluid losses. At depths beyond 10,000 meters, drill rods became as flexible as noodles, conventional tools and sensors failed, rock hardness reached unprecedented levels, and downhole loads surged to 665 tons.
Commenting on the achievement, Sun Jinsheng, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stated: “The successful completion of Deep Earth Takor 1 represents a breakthrough in China’s deep-drilling technology. It demonstrates major advancements in fundamental research and core engineering capabilities, positioning China at the forefront of global deep-earth exploration.”