HONG KONG:  In its most recent attempt to uncover abundant mineral and energy resources, China has begun drilling an 11,100-meter borehole in its oil-rich Xinjiang province. According to official media, the historic initiative got underway last week in the Tarim Basin, which is the hinterland of China's biggest and driest desert, the Taklimakan Desert. The Cretaceous system, which consists of stratified rocks produced between 66 million and 145 million years ago, will be reached by an 82-meter-high, custom-built autonomous drilling rig that weighs more than 2,000 metric tonnes.

Experts clarified that due to the Tarim Basin's depth and complicated geological structure, which result from its extensive crustal history, the terrain there, both above and below ground, makes it challenging to drill such a large hole into the Earth. Extreme subterranean conditions, such as temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius and air pressure that is 1300 times more than above ground, must be able to endure the drilling materials, tools, and equipment. According to a scientist from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, completing the project was as challenging as "driving a big truck on two thin steel cables."

According to China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the nation's primary national oil and gas producer and the project's lead organisation, the initiative would also aid scientific study concerned with the interior structure and evolution of the earth and give data for geoscience research. Along with finding natural resources, the mission might also aid in calculating the likelihood of natural calamities like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The drilling, hailed by state media as China's "bold attempt to explore the unknown territory of the Earth," is anticipated to be finished in 457 days, which would make it the quickest time ever recorded to complete a 10,000-meter borehole. The initiative demonstrates China's resolve to increase local energy supply raw material sourcing and decrease reliance on external sources. Wang Guanghua, China's minister of natural resources, stated in January that the nation must make plans in advance to "ensure domestic resource security" while dealing with "special circumstances" such geopolitical difficulties.

Some of China's largest and deepest oil and natural gas deposits are found in Xinjiang's Tarim Basin. As of the end of May, CNPC has drilled 95 wells deeper than 8,000 metres and more than 1,600 wells deeper than 6,000 metres. As of the beginning of May, 49 wells deeper than 8,000 metres have been dug, according to Sinopec, the largest oil refinery firm in China. According to scientists, there is still a tonne of untapped potential for oil and gas resources in the Tarim Basin.