I. Conquering "Hell-Level" Challenges: Three Major Risks in Ultra-Deep Well Operations
1.Depth Extremes: The Kun 2-3 Well, located in the Kunteyi No. 1 structure of the Qaidam Basin, has a final depth of 7,170 meters-equivalent to inverting Mount Everest into the Earth's crust. This far exceeds conventional oil and gas wells (typically below 4,000 meters), where pipe self-weight-induced friction and pressure increase exponentially.
2.High Temperature and Pressure: The well bottom temperature reaches 182°C, with formation pressure exceeding critical thresholds. High temperatures degrade rubber seals in traditional equipment, while extreme pressure risks blowout loss of control, categorizing it as a Level 1 well control risk well.
3.Geological Complexity: The Kunteyi bedrock gas reservoir lies within a plateau saline lake basin structure, featuring fragmented strata and variable lithology. Prior coiled tubing technology in such regions maxed out below 6,000 meters; precision mud replacement in ultra-deep segments is akin to "dancing on a knife's edge".
II. Technological Breakthrough: Victory of 8,000-Meter Equipment and the Digital Revolution
Facing these challenges, Qinghai Oilfield deployed "twin core weapons":
1.Domestic Heavy-Duty Debut: The inaugural use of an 8,000-meter coiled tubing unit, featuring titanium alloy pipe columns with 40% higher tensile strength and high-temperature electronic probes, enabled millimeter-level precision in mud replacement at 7,170 meters.
2.Digital Pre-Simulation Safeguard: Leveraging the Oil and Gas Production IoT System, 3D geological modeling and fluid dynamics simulations preempted friction mutations and fracturing failures, optimizing construction parameters in advance.
The team innovatively adopted a "stepwise pressure reduction method", constructing multi-level pressure gradients within the wellbore to neutralize blowout risks, ultimately achieving stable gas flow.
III. The "Qinghai Model" for Deep Earth Strategy: From Technological Void to Industry Benchmark
This breakthrough stems from 70 years of technological accumulation at Qinghai Oilfield:
1.Fundamental Research Support: The Key Laboratory for Oil and Gas Geology of Plateau Saline Lake Basins pioneered theories on hydrocarbon generation in saline basins, solving ultra-deep hydrocarbon formation codes. Recent achievements include 224 provincial/ministerial science awards and 64 patents, laying the theoretical foundation for deep-well development.
2.Engineering Technology System: Five core technical clusters were established, including long-section thin interbed reservoir development (enabling 1.7 million tons of incremental output in aging fields) and unconsolidated sandstone gas reservoir sand control (securing 5 billion cubic meters of stable production in the Sebei Gas Field), forming a deep-well operational capability matrix.
3.Management Model Innovation: A 24-hour expert guidance team monitored operations end-to-end, linking the Exploration-Development Integration Platform with field operations to enable "data-driven decision" closed-loop management.
IV. Energy Security in the Deep Earth: China's Strategic Depths
The Kun 2-3 Well's success carries triple strategic significance:
1.Resource Succession: Three test wells in the Kunteyi block have all yielded industrial gas flows. This breakthrough unlocks the Qaidam Basin's trillion-cubic-meter bedrock gas reserves, providing a core base for Qinghai Oilfield's reserves and production growth.
2.Technological Autonomy: Breaking dependence on foreign ultra-deep well technology, the domestic 8,000-meter coiled tubing unit marks China's entry into the world's first tier of high-end oilfield service equipment.
3.Green Transition Pivot: Qinghai Oilfield simultaneously advances photovoltaic bracket manufacturing (annual capacity: 15,000 tons) with oil and gas development. Future integration of deep geothermal energy and carbon sequestration will foster a "deep earth-new energy" symbiotic ecosystem.
Petroleum Pioneers Marching into the Earth's Depths
From the first oil gusher in the Qaidam Basin in 1955 to today's unlocking of resources beyond 7,000 meters, Qinghai Oilfield's 70-year journey mirrors China's energy exploration saga. Like the eternal snows of the Kunlun Mountains, the spirit of "building plateaus on the plateau, dedicating energy to safeguard the motherland" has been tempered in extreme challenges. As gas surges from 7,170 meters deep, it is not just geological energy released-it is the declaration of generations of plateau explorers marching into the Earth's depths, where China's energy future lies.