Focusing on safe production and standardizing quality management | The Geophysical Exploration Institute is fully committed to building “new-quality productivity” for high-quality development.

The “Wide-Area Electromagnetic Survey of Well Areas Zu 201–Zu 203 in the Western Chongqing Block of the Sichuan Basin” project is the Institute of Geophysical Exploration’s first major key project for 2024. This project focuses on the structural characteristics of the target strata, aims to address the poor imaging quality of seismic data in the area’s steep and complex structures, and precisely determine the true endpoints of Faults of Class I and Class II, providing a reference basis for subsequent well placement. After undergoing technical design verification, construction plan review, and examination of pilot test results, the project has finalized the field acquisition and production parameters and has now officially commenced field data acquisition and processing.

Safety is the cornerstone of project implementation, and the project team always places safety work at the top of its priorities. At the outset of the project, an HSE operational plan was prepared specifically tailored to the project’s conditions, identifying potential hazards and developing preventive measures and emergency response plans for major risks. The project has appointed full-time and part-time safety officers at various management levels, and all frontline workers have received comprehensive safety education and training. In particular, for the transmitting stations where high voltage and high current operations are involved, in addition to standard protective measures, dedicated personnel have been assigned to conduct regular line patrols and monitor electrode positions, thereby ensuring the safe operation of the transmitting facilities. These measures not only enhance employees’ safety awareness and skills but also ensure seamless integration of safety management across the entire project. Furthermore, enhanced communication and collaboration among production teams have fostered synergy, enabling them to work together effectively and jointly safeguard project safety, thus guaranteeing the achievement of the project’s safety objectives.

This project represents the commercialization of original core technologies developed by the “Liu Jinhui Science and Technology Innovation Studio” team—namely, the application of wide-field electromagnetic methods for fault detection in complex structural zones—in shale gas exploration and development. Addressing key bottlenecks and challenges such as fine imaging inversion of electromagnetic waves under multiple structural patterns and precise identification of faults in complex structural regions, the project team has further explored the potential of wide-field electromagnetic methods and developed a set of original, patent-protected core technologies, including structure-coupled inversion imaging and electromagnetic phase-based seismic-like imaging for identifying complex structures and fractures. These technologies will be applied and demonstrated in this project’s pilot trials. The first-hand, raw data collected in the field serve as the foundation for achieving breakthrough technological results in this project. The project’s field data acquisition operations are conducted under the quality management system of the Geophysical Exploration Institute, which is based on established designs and relevant procedural standards to build a comprehensive project quality management framework. This framework emphasizes accountability and fosters a positive quality management environment. A dedicated quality management team has been established for the project, and a quality management ledger has been created to ensure thorough oversight across all stages—from survey point setting and transmitter station deployment to receiver station placement and data collection—thus rigorously controlling quality and striving to obtain high-quality raw data and deliver top-notch geological findings. Throughout the project, proactive self-inspection and self-check activities have also been actively carried out to promptly identify and address any issues. Through these self-inspections, the project’s quality has been continuously improved, ensuring the smooth progress of the entire undertaking.

The Chongqing West Project Department of the Geophysical Exploration Institute is making every effort to ensure safety and quality, laying a solid foundation for achieving a strong start to the year and creating high-quality projects that are distinctive, innovative, and impactful. By leveraging these high-quality projects, the Institute will drive its own high-quality development. Focusing on key bottlenecks and critical challenges facing the industry, and relying on flagship projects, we will transform our original core technologies through targeted research and experimentation, striving to expand both the directions and scope of market applications. In the process, we will forge and establish a “new type of productive force” that underpins the Institute’s high-quality development.

Executive Producer | Zhang Guangda
Reviewed by | Zou Zhongping
Editor-in-charge | Zhou Huiying
Text | Yin Xuebo
Figure | Tian Tengzhen
Editor | Wen Han