China’s “Dream” drillship retrieves deep-sea basalt samples in South China Sea, third nation to do so
China’s deep-sea drilling vessel “Mengxiang” (Dream) completed a 30-day trial mission in the South China Sea, drilling two wells at 4,100-meter water depth and retrieving basalt rock samples from the ocean basin. The China Geological Survey announced on September 28 that this makes China the third country, after the United States and Japan, to obtain hard rock samples from a deep ocean basin using a dedicated drilling vessel. The mission also set a national record for deepest operational water depth.
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China's Mengxiang drillship successfully retrieves deep-sea basalt samples in South China Sea
On September 28, the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that the deep-sea drilling vessel 'Mengxiang' (Dream) has successfully completed a trial drilling mission in the South China Sea, retrieving basalt rock samples from the deep ocean basin. This achievement marks China as the third country in the world to successfully obtain hard rock samples from a deep-sea ocean basin using a dedicated drilling vessel. The operation is part of China's broader efforts to advance deep-sea exploration and scientific research capabilities.
Read sourceChina's 'Dream' Drilling Ship Successfully Tests Deep-Sea Basalt Sampling in South China Sea
China's 'Dream' ocean drilling vessel has successfully completed a test drilling mission in the South China Sea, retrieving basalt rock samples from the deep ocean basin. According to the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources, this achievement makes China the third country in the world to successfully obtain hard rock samples from a deep ocean basin using a drilling ship. The 'Dream' is the only drilling vessel globally capable of reaching a depth of 11,000 meters. The 30-day voyage involved drilling and coring operations in waters 4,100 meters deep in the South China Sea deep-sea basin, successfully recovering basalt samples from the ocean crust.
China's Mengxiang Drillship Successfully Tests South China Sea Basalt Sampling
On September 28, China's Ministry of Natural Resources announced that the 'Mengxiang' (Dream) ocean drilling vessel successfully completed a trial drilling mission in the South China Sea, recovering basalt rock samples from the deep ocean basin. This achievement makes China the third country in the world to successfully obtain hard rock samples from deep ocean basins using a dedicated drilling ship, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The test marks a significant milestone for China's deep-sea exploration capabilities and the Mengxiang vessel, which is designed for scientific ocean drilling. The operation was conducted under the auspices of the China Geological Survey.
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China's 'Dream' Drilling Ship Completes First Deep-Sea Scientific Drilling Mission
According to a report from China's Ministry of Natural Resources' China Geological Survey, the 'Dream' (Mengxiang) — China's first deep-ocean drilling vessel — has returned to Guangzhou after completing its maiden scientific drilling mission in the South China Sea. The 30-day voyage successfully drilled two wells at a water depth of 4,100 meters, retrieving basalt samples from the South China Sea basin. The mission marks a significant milestone as China has now mastered the full-process operational capability for ultra-deepwater scientific drilling.
Read sourceChina's deep-sea drilling capacity upgraded to 5,000-meter level with successful South China Sea mission
According to a report from China Securities Journal on September 28, citing the Ministry of Natural Resources, China's 'Dream' ocean drilling vessel successfully completed a 30-day trial drilling mission in the South China Sea. The vessel drilled two wells at a water depth of 4,100 meters, obtaining basalt samples from the ocean basin and mastering full-process ultra-deepwater scientific drilling capabilities. The mission achieved a maximum total drilling depth of 4,929.17 meters and a maximum footage of 864.77 meters, setting a new national record for the deepest operational water depth. Using a domestically developed rotary coring tool, the team recovered a 4.27-meter basalt core sample, making China the third country after the United States and Japan to obtain hard rock samples from a deep ocean basin using a drilling vessel. The mission also established a coring system on par with international ocean drilling standards, with multiple recovery rates exceeding 100%. Preliminary research on the samples confirmed multiple phases of large-scale volcanic activity after the South China Sea spreading ridge jump, providing key evidence for understanding the basin's formation and evolution. The team also discovered thick sand-mud interbedded sedimentary structures with organic matter at depths of 813-864 meters below the seafloor, significant for studying paleoenvironmental evolution and ultra-deepwater energy resource exploration.
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