Push back--China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) 33rd Academy

(In this case, the generator, pulser, rectifier power supply, and pulser driving circuit are from our company.)

The R&D Process and Breakthrough of China's Rotary Steerable Drilling System

1. R&D Background and Technological Blockade

● Geological and Resource Foundation: China has the world's largest shale gas geological resources, with typical shale oil and gas enrichment landforms in regions such as the Sichuan Basin, driving urgent development needs.

● Technological Monopoly Dilemma: The rotary steerable drilling system is a core equipment for shale gas development. Western countries have long imposed technological blockades and price monopolies, occupying the Chinese market through a "lease-only, no-sale" model. This has led to low domestic drilling efficiency, high costs, and even situations where drilling teams were stalled for months.

2. The Launch and Challenges of Joint Research (2008–2013)

● Cross-Industry Collaboration Initiation: In 2008, CNPC Chuanqing Drilling and Aerospace Inertial jointly launched the R&D of the "CG-STEER Rotary Steerable Drilling System," which was listed as a key national science and technology project during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period.

● Technological Gaps and Exploration: With no technical data available initially, the team began by studying foreign advertisements. They faced multiple national-level challenges, including algorithm design, hydraulic pushing, energy transmission, and mud wireless communication. For example, the first field test in November 2013 failed, with the instrument malfunctioning after being lowered into the well, resulting in millions of yuan in losses.

● Manufacturing and Collaboration Bottlenecks: The processing of precision components was extremely difficult. Customized parts such as hollow main shafts and high-hardness screws required specialized production, with some processes having no domestic precedents, relying on external processing and independent assembly.

3. Sustained and Key Breakthroughs (2014–2019)

● Technical Iterations and Pressures: Tests repeatedly failed, with core issues centered on "insufficient build-up rate," where the pushing system lost force or leaked under high temperatures and pressures. The team faced pressures from project deadlines, peer skepticism, and even financial strain (Aerospace Inertial once "sold everything" to invest).

● National and Corporate Support: Multiple government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as two central SOEs (CNPC and CASIC), increased resource investment. Chuanqing Drilling upgraded its simulated well test platform and optimized drilling tool combinations and engineering processes.

● Critical Battle: Well Ning 216H6-1: In April 2019, in the complex geological conditions of the Daxueshan region in Sichuan, the domestic instrument successfully achieved a large-angle build-up (maximum inclination of 91.57 degrees), overcoming risks such as premature formation penetration. This marked the first successful application of an independent system in high-difficulty wells, breaking the monopoly expectations of foreign instruments.

4. Achievement Acceptance and Market Breakthroughs

● Technical Milestones: In June 2021, the system passed national acceptance, breaking through six key technologies with a 95% localization rate and a world-leading build-up rate. In September of the same year, it was listed among CNPC's top 10 scientific and technological innovations.

● Industrialization and Internationalization: In 2022, a joint venture company (Sichuan Tianshi Hechuang Technology) was established. By 2023, the system entered the international market, competing with global players and promoting China's high-end petroleum equipment on the world stage.

5. Significance and Insights

● Technological Autonomy: Breaking the "necklace" blockade, the system achieved self-reliance from import dependence, reducing shale gas development costs and improving resource development efficiency.

● Cross-Industry Collaboration Model: The joint research by aerospace and petroleum industries exemplifies the innovative advantages of central SOEs, providing a model for solving key core technical challenges.

● Strategic Value: Enhancing national energy security, demonstrating China's breakthrough capabilities in high-end equipment, and offering Chinese solutions for global energy development.

Conclusion: The R&D journey of the rotary steerable drilling system epitomizes Chinese scientists' breakthroughs under blockade and innovation amid challenges. It signifies China's rise to the forefront of unconventional oil and gas development, laying a solid foundation for national energy security and technological self-reliance.