The Chinese self-developed Hainiu deep-sea drilling system passes a crucial trial in the South China Sea. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The Chinese self-developed Hainiu deep-sea drilling system recently passed a crucial trial in the South China Sea, with all core performance indicators meeting expectations, according to the development team on Monday.
The seven-day trial, conducted at a depth exceeding 1,500 meters near China's Deep Sea No 1 gas field, was designed to test the system under real deep-sea conditions. The Hainiu deep-sea drilling system, developed by a team led by Wan Buyan, a professor at Hunan University of Science and Technology in Xiangtan, Central China's Hunan province, demonstrated stable performance throughout the operation.
The Chinese self-developed Hainiu deep-sea drilling system passes a crucial trial in the South China Sea. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The trial's focus was the newly developed deep-sea engineering geological sampling and in-situ detection system, Wan said. This system can accurately measure cone tip resistance, side friction, and pore water pressure of seabed formations at depths up to 1,500 meters, while also enabling efficient sampling and real-time wireless data transmission.
The team conducted a series of critical tests, including assessments of geological core sampling quality, in-situ cone penetration test detection capability, and wireless acoustic transmission of CPT data. All core indicators met project targets, confirming the reliability of this domestically developed deep-sea equipment.
In 2021, the Hainiu II deep-sea drilling rig set a world record by drilling down to 231 meters at nearly 2,000 meters beneath the South China Sea.
The Chinese self-developed Hainiu deep-sea drilling system passes a crucial trial in the South China Sea. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The newly trialed system represents a major technological advancement in the Hainiu series, the team said, specifically designed for deep-sea engineering geological exploration.
"The system's success marks a significant step toward China's self-reliance in deep-sea engineering geological exploration," the team stated, adding that this technology fills a domestic equipment gap and ensures the security of China's deep-sea exploration data.
