Staff members pose for a group photo as they celebrate the completion of the drilling of "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole reaching 10,910 meters, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
BEIJING/URUMQI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert.
Located in the heart of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the well, known as "Shenditake 1," is a scientific exploration project. Beyond the search for oil and gas resources, the well is also designed to advance the study of the Earth's evolution and deep-Earth geology.
The vertical well, the second across the world, also made other engineering breakthroughs globally, including the deepest liner cementing, deepest wireline imaging logging and fastest onshore drilling to exceed 10,000 meters.
According to CNPC, drilling began on May 30, 2023. It took over 580 days to complete the 10,910-meter drilling, with more than half of the time -- some 300 days --- spent on the final 910 meters. The well has penetrated 12 geological formations, ultimately reaching rock layers that date back over 500 million years.
To support the project, CNPC developed the world's first 12,000-meter automated drilling rig and a suite of advanced ultra-deep well logging tools.
Chinese scientists have also compiled the country's first comprehensive ultra-deep stratigraphic profile through systematic analysis of the 10,000-meter core samples and data, offering critical insights into the Earth's subsurface composition and tectonic history. ■
An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows a view of the "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 20, 2025 shows a view of the "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This undated picture provided by the Tarim Oilfield shows the microscopic image of a rock slice obtained at a depth of 10,000 meters underground. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Tarim Oilfield of China National Petroleum Corporation/Handout via Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 20, 2025 shows a view of the "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows a view of the "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, at sunset in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 20, 2025 shows a view of the "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Staff members pose for a group photo as they celebrate the completion of the drilling of "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole reaching 10,910 meters, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
A staff member checks the casing pipes at the drilling site of "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Staff members work at "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 19, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows a view of "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 19, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Yin Da, a senior expert of the Tarim Oilfield, shows the ultra-high-temperature drilling fluid used in the drilling of "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 19, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Staff members check the operation status of the drilling equipment via a remote platform in downtown Korla, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 18, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
A staff member works at "Shenditake 1," an ultra-deep borehole, in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 19, 2025. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This undated picture provided by the Tarim Oilfield shows the microscopic image of a rock slice obtained at a depth of 10,000 meters underground. China National Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that it has completed the drilling of the deepest vertical well in Asia, as a borehole reached a depth of 10,910 meters in China's northwestern desert. (Tarim Oilfield of China National Petroleum Corporation/Handout via Xinhua)
