"Remember when we used imported ceramic rupture discs? It was like lowering two 'porcelain dolls' into the well-expensive and fragile. One crack could trigger a blowout. Now with our homemade anti-kickback plug, it's durable and budget-friendly. We finally work with peace of mind!" A veteran driller at Fuling Shale Gas Field's Jiaoye 69-S4HF site patted the new equipment as he spoke.
This "homegrown marvel"-officially named the domestically developed anti-kickback mechanical plug-was created by Fuling's tech team after three months of R&D. Previously, the field relied on imported ceramic discs for tubing blowout prevention, requiring dual installations per well as a "double insurance" at steep costs. Worse, incomplete fragmentation during emergencies risked uncontrolled eruptions. The new plug's alloy steel core and high-pressure sealing rings use pure mechanical design. It prevents reverse blowouts, adjusts forward pressure differentials, and-even if seals fail-creates a <1mm throttling relief hole to buy critical time for well shutdown, eliminating open-flow panic.
Cost savings drew cheers from field crews: Average tool expenses dropped ¥15,000 per well. At Jiaoye 90-Z1HF well, the plug safeguarded pressured pipe-running operations, now yielding stable daily gas output of 38,700 cubic meters-a win for efficiency and economy.
Tech breakthroughs are just one layer of the safety net. In June, the Exploration & Development Research Institute dubbed geological design the "source of well control." Deputy Director Huang Mingzhi declared at a conference: "Design reviews must be thorough-no bureaucratic rubber-stamping!" The institute launched comprehensive self-inspections to fortify this "lifeline."
Meanwhile, live drills intensified. Rongxing Oil & Gas Development Co. and Great Wall Drilling executed a joint emergency simulation at Well You 41-56, mimicking a sudden overflow. From driller-led well shutdowns to engineer-directed kill procedures, responses were swift and hand signals precise-streamed live to 50+ observers. Downhole Operations Company leveraged "Safety Month" to dissect recent near-misses in Sebei Gas Field. "A tiny oversight," reflected one veteran, "could spark catastrophe."
"Zero Incident" Report for 100-Day Safety Campaign
Fuling's 13th annual "100-Day Well Control Safety Competition" achieved:
Tech empowerment: Real-time diagnostics plugged leaks at Qilu Ye-1 well; e-driven BOP remote locks doubled shutdown efficiency at Yuanlu 179X;
Leadership accountability: Division heads personally managed top risks, hunting hazards onsite;
Round-the-clock drills: Nighttime sulfur drills normalized vigilance-"Drillers own shutdown responsibility."
"Well control is our top-priority project, but excellence is built daily," summarized a wellsite supervisor. Homegrown tools fortify defenses, yet "everyone-ready" alertness is the true safety foundation.