CRRC to produce largest subsea trenching machine for gas, oil exploitation

CHANGSHA - CRRC Zhuzhou Institute Co Ltd announced on Friday that its subsidiary Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd (SMD) will build the world's largest subsea trenching machine at its British manufacturing base.

The trenching machine will weigh 178 tonnes and can lay oil and gas pipelines at a depth of 1,000 meters at a speed of 1,000-meters per hour.

Mike Jones, vice general manager of SMD, said the machine will be the most efficient subsea oil and gas pipeline laying equipment in the world. It is scheduled for delivery to a Shenzhen subsidiary of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, next year.

Times Electric, a subsidiary of CRRC, acquired SMD in 2015.