Xinjiang makes breakthrough in shale oil extraction at 4,000 meters underground

(ECNS) -- In early autumn, Xinjiang's vast Gobi landscape stretches beneath expansive skies, with wisps of cirrus clouds drifting across the horizon. Highways extend into the distance, while power transmission towers stand against the vast wilderness.

Recently, a media delegation visited Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to explore how technological innovation is driving industrial upgrading across the region.

China's first national-level demonstration zone for continental shale oil is located in Jimsar County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The demonstration zone covers 1,278 square kilometers and holds over 1 billion tonnes of shale oil resources.

Shale oil, defined as liquid hydrocarbons trapped within shale rock formations and extractable for refining, is a widely distributed energy resource with reserves that significantly exceed those of conventional oil sources.

Shale oil is widely recognized as an extremely difficult-to-extract unconventional resource, the successful extraction of which presents world-class technical challenges.

"To overcome the tough challenge, our team has spent more than a decade working on the production frontlines. By studying geological patterns, we ultimately solved the world-class challenge of precisely identifying high-quality shale oil reservoirs," said Chief geologist Chen Yiwei.

Chen explained that an independently developed method for assessing shale oil mobility provides a precise picture of underground formations. By combining the method with high-precision models based on seismic and well-logging technologies, researchers can identify the distribution of oil-bearing layers underground with greater accuracy. The company's thin-layer steering technology can then guide the drill bit precisely through oil layers measuring just over one meter thick at depths of more than 4,000 meters.

The successful development of shale oil in Jimsar demonstrates that China has reached a globally advanced level in continental shale oil development.

（By Xu Jiawen）