The YJ-XX well, part of “Shendi No. 1” initiative, is located in Shaya County, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, on the fringes of the Taklamakan Desert. This ultra-deep directional well, drilled by SINOPEC Petroleum Engineering Company with SETC serving as the integrated technical service provider, reached an impressive total depth of 9,432 meters, exceeding the height of Mount Everest by 624 meters.
The project posed a series of extreme technical challenges, including complex subsurface geology, high temperatures and high pressures, and elevated H2S content. Compounding the difficulty was a horizontal section extending over 3,400 meters, which introduced significant operational risks such as casing running complications and cuttings bed formation.
Despite these obstacles, SETC’s precise planning and execution enabled the project to be completed ahead of schedule. The YJ-XX well set new records in Asia for both horizontal displacement and total depth in ultra-deep drilling operations, marking a significant technological milestone.
In recognition of this achievement, SETC presented the paper “Drilling the Deepest Onshore Directional Well in Asia: Value of Good Planning and Systematic Execution on an Ultra-Extended-Reach Drilling Campaign” at the 2024 SPE/IADC Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition.
By the end of 2024, SETC had successfully delivered 25 integrated technical service projects, further solidifying its reputation for operational excellence and earning the continued trust of its clients.