【ECF Weekly】5 Earth Scientists Nominated for Top Sci-Tech Award
ECF China Shale Week Report - June 28, 2025
【Five Earth Scientists Nominated for Top Sci-Tech Award】 The nomination process for the 2025 State Preeminent Science and Technology Award is underway. According to public announcements, five distinguished experts from the geoscience field have been nominated—An Zhisheng, Dai Jinxing, He Jishan, Ouyang Ziyuan, and Wang Pinxian. These scientists have made pioneering contributions in areas including Quaternary geology, natural gas geochemistry, geophysical exploration, planetary science, and marine geology. Their work has significantly advanced China’s global scientific influence and strategic development. The prestigious award is China’s highest scientific honor and is limited to a maximum of two recipients per year. Exploration & Production 【China Advances Shale Gas Survey with Key Geological Breakthroughs】 China’s “Strategic Mineral Survey and Assessment in Key Shale Gas Areas,” led by the Oil and Gas Resources Survey Center, has passed final review. The project introduced the “four-controlling factors” model for Permian shale gas enrichment and developed a geophysical survey system tailored for structurally complex southern regions. Fieldwork in regions like eastern Chongqing and western Hubei led to significant discoveries, including the Yuwu-1 well yielding stable industrial shale gas flow. The project identified 20 favorable zones and multiple resource-bearing formations, laying a scientific foundation for future exploration and supporting national energy security initiatives. 【New State-Owned Oil & Gas Firm Launched in Henan】 On June 18, Henan Zhongyuan Yudi Oil & Gas Exploration and Development Co., Ltd. was officially established. The new state-owned enterprise is jointly owned by Sinopec (51%), Henan Yudi Technology Group (48%), and Lingbao Urban Construction Investment Co. (1%). With a registered capital of 900 million yuan, the company will focus on oil and gas technology services and resource assessment. Its formation follows major exploration breakthroughs in the Sanmenxia Basin, where recent discoveries revealed over 1 billion tons of predicted geological oil resources—signaling strong potential for future development. Technology & Equipment On June 19, PetroChina completed its first successful trial of multi-pulse high-energy gas waterless fracturing at the Changqing Oilfield in Shaanbei. Jointly developed with the Fourth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry, the technique addresses challenges in bottom-water reservoirs, such as high uncontrolled fracture height and low recovery. Utilizing rocket-grade propellants to release energy pulses in milliseconds, the method enhances permeability near the wellbore. The trial well achieved daily oil output of 21 tons—over three times that of conventional fracturing—marking a major advancement in unconventional reservoir stimulation. 【Breakthrough in Multi-Pulse Gas Fracturing at Changqing】 On June 19, PetroChina successfully conducted its first multi-pulse high-energy gas waterless fracturing trial at Changqing Oilfield in Shaanbei. Developed by Changqing Downhole Company and the 42nd Institute of CASIC, the technology targets bottom-water reservoirs prone to uncontrolled fracture height. It integrates multi-stage pulses, surface-enlarging combustion, and energy control, using rocket propellant to enhance reservoir permeability. After a year of R&D, the test well achieved 21 tons/day oil output—over three times that of conventional fracturing—marking a major breakthrough in unconventional reservoir stimulation.
