China makes major breakthrough in independent marine exploration

China's independently developed "Haijing" system, a marine seismic exploration and acquisition equipment using submarine cables, completed its first 3,000m-deep seabed geology exploration on Thursday, 500 kilometers south of Zhuhai in South China's Guangdong province, said its operator China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

This is the first time that China has completed a 3,000 meters deep seabed geology exploration, a major breakthrough in the country's independent marine exploration technology. It is of great significance to ensuring the independent development of offshore oil and gas and improving the development capability of deep-sea resources in China, said the company.

Seismic exploration is the most direct way to find oil and gas resources in the vast depths of the ocean, and submarine cable-enabled seismic exploration technology is the most direct, cost-effective and efficient method for seabed geological structure detection.

The "Haijing" system, the first set of underwater cable-based seismic exploration acquisition equipment developed and manufactured by China, was deployed by Haiyang Shiyou 720 during the mission, a large deep-water geophysical exploration vessel owned by CNOOC.

Compared with imported equipment, the seismic data collected by "Haijing" has a higher identification degree, which can accurately depict the complex geological structure of the 10,000-meter-level stratum through the water depth of 3,000 meters, said Ruan Fuming, chief engineer of "Haijing" equipment research and development at the CNOOC.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn