China makes progress in drilling of borehole more than 10,000 meters deep

URUMQI, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The drilling of China's first scientific-exploration borehole with a depth exceeding 10,000 meters, which is located in the Tarim Basin in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has made recent progress, according to the Tarim Oilfield on Thursday.

Drilling has surpassed 8,000 meters to reach a depth of 8,056 meters. After passing the 8,000-meter mark, the machinery has to withstand challenges such as temperatures of more than 155 degrees Celsius and pressure 1,100 times more than the atmospheric pressure, said Wang Chunsheng, a technical expert involved in the exploration.

The borehole has a designed depth of 11,100 meters and is located in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China.

The equipment, including drill bits and pipes weighing more than 2,000 tonnes, will go deep into the Earth during the drilling process, penetrating more than 10 continental strata, including the Cretaceous system.

The Tarim Basin is one of the most difficult areas to explore due to its harsh ground environment and complicated underground conditions.