Smart drilling systems from China boost efficiency at Iraqi oilfields

BAGHDAD — "Iraqi oilfield operations have become smarter and more efficient thanks to China's advanced drilling technologies," said Hussein Mohammed, an Iraqi engineer who has worked alongside Chinese technicians on maintaining high-end drilling equipment developed by a Chinese company at an oilfield in southeastern Iraq.

At the Maysan Oilfield's maintenance workshop, where China Oilfield Services Iraq branch serves as the main service provider, the high-end drilling system Xuanji was disassembled into three sections on instrument racks, with testing data continuously scrolling on nearby computer screens.

Developed independently by China Oilfield Services in 2014, the Xuanji system broke a technological monopoly long held by a few European and United States companies in high-end drilling. It was introduced into Iraq's oilfield development operations in 2020.

An Haiyang, general manager of the company's Iraq branch, said the system integrates two cutting-edge technologies: rotary steerable drilling and logging-while-drilling.

"Rotary steerable drilling provides stronger power for equipment while significantly improving operational safety," An said.

"Logging-while-drilling acts like an eye at the bottom-hole assembly, enabling precise drill bit control as it navigates rock layers thousands of meters underground to locate oil-bearing formations accurately."

The system has drilled a cumulative 85,000 meters in Iraq, with total downhole operation time exceeding 21,000 hours.

China Oilfield Services has also deployed the Xuanyue system, which lowers precision instruments into wells via cables and uses acoustic, electrical and nuclear magnetic resonance technologies to map the distribution, reserves and quality of oil and gas reservoirs, making resources deep underground "visible".

The system has completed more than 5,000 logging operations in Iraq, contributing to increased reserves and production, An said.

Engineer Mohammed said, "A series of advanced Chinese technologies, represented by the Xuanji and Xuanyue systems, have been successively applied in Iraq, injecting new momentum into China-Iraq energy cooperation, promoting the optimization and upgrading of Iraq's energy industry, and enhancing oilfield exploration and development capabilities."

Xinhua