Craftsmanship Shapes Exploration, Glory Honors Our Original Aspiration—An Exclusive Interview with Liu Jinhui, Recipient of the National May Day Labor Medal

On April 28, the official list of recipients of the 2026 National May Day Labor Medal was announced, with Liu Jinhui, Deputy General Manager and Senior Engineer at the Institute of Geophysical Exploration, honored with this prestigious award. From a frontline field technician to a leader in scientific and technological innovation, from being recognized as a Qingyang Craftsman and recipient of the Provincial May Day Labor Medal to earning a national-level honor, he has embodied the spirit of model workers through his down-to-earth dedication and unwavering commitment, while using innovative breakthroughs to demonstrate his sense of responsibility and mission in the field of geophysical exploration. With both respect and curiosity, we sat down with Liu Jinhui to hear the story of how he has grown alongside the geophysical exploration industry and the Group.

Earth Little Craftsman: First of all, congratulations on being awarded the National May Day Labor Medal! Behind this weighty honor lies more than a decade of unwavering dedication and hard work. Could you share with us your personal journey along the way, and what this honor means to you?

Liu Jinhui: Thank you very much! This honor is not only a personal distinction for me; it also represents the Party Committee and the Trade Union of our Group in recognizing and inspiring front-line technical personnel. I joined the Institute of Geophysical Exploration in 2010, starting as a grassroots technician. Over the years, I have been deeply rooted in mountainous regions, Gobi deserts, and arid wildernesses—carrying equipment in the field during the day and staying up late into the night to analyze data. To date, I have participated in more than 100 major projects involving oil and gas exploration, mineral resource prospecting, and engineering geophysical surveys, conducting over 6,500 kilometers of geophysical profiling. I have identified more than 300 low-production risk zones for shale gas, delineated over 60 prospective targets for solid minerals, more than 30 geothermal target areas, and over 100 favorable zones for oil and gas exploration. I have also led the preparation of more than 100 technical reports and successfully tackled one “hard nut” after another in the fields of solid-mineral, geothermal, and energy exploration at depths shallower than 8,000 meters.

To me, this medal is both a reward for unwavering dedication and a powerful impetus to move forward. It serves as a constant reminder that, as a geophysical explorer and a member of the Communist Party of China, I must remain firmly rooted in the field, relentlessly hone my technical expertise, write my research papers on the land of our motherland, and apply my achievements at the cutting edge of national energy and resource exploration.

Earth Little Craftsman: You have been deeply engaged in the field of geophysical exploration for many years, spearheading the establishment of the Liu Jinhui Innovation Studio, overcoming numerous technical challenges, and even winning first place in the provincial skills competition as an individual, earning the title of “Qingyang Craftsman.” On your journey of personal growth and technological breakthroughs, what quality do you value most? And what are some of the most memorable moments when you successfully tackled tough challenges?

Liu Jinhui: I have always firmly believed that practical action is the foundation, innovation is the soul, and unwavering commitment is the underlying ethos. Geophysical exploration confronts complex geological conditions head-on; every survey and every dataset bears directly on project safety and resource security, leaving no room for even the slightest carelessness. One case that left a deep impression was our exploration of mined-out areas in coal mines beneath shale-gas platforms in the Sichuan Basin. Our geophysical data clearly indicated the presence of such voids underground, yet neither on-site investigations nor surveys of nearby coal mines revealed any corresponding evidence. Given that the mere existence of these mined-out areas would directly jeopardize the safety of shale-gas development—and could even threaten groundwater resources and the surrounding environment—we refused to dismiss our findings lightly. Instead, we rigorously cross-checked the data using multiple methods and employed cross-validation to extrapolate from known areas to infer unknown ones. Ultimately, we confidently concluded that the mined-out zones were indeed real and boldly submitted our results to the client. Subsequent core-drilling verification by the client confirmed our interpretation with remarkable accuracy, with depth discrepancies of only about one meter, thereby validating the reliability and credibility of our findings. Based on our recommendations, development in this area was ultimately not pursued, which not only averted significant safety risks but also effectively protected local groundwater resources and the ecological environment—demonstrating how precise and dependable geophysical techniques can uphold both the safety baseline and the ecological red line.

Over the years, I have published 12 papers in core academic journals and obtained 12 national patents and software copyrights, as well as two Science and Technology Progress Awards and three Innovation Achievement Awards. Each of these accomplishments has been made possible by a relentless commitment to rigor and perseverance—refusing to yield to daunting challenges or compromise in the face of difficulties, and striving to refine every technology to the highest standard, ensure its thorough implementation, and deliver tangible results.

Earth Little Craftsman: Your growth and achievements would not have been possible without the nurturing support of your organization. In terms of talent development, technological innovation, and platform building, what key forms of support has the Institute of Geophysical Exploration provided you?

Liu Jinhui: The Institute of Geophysical Exploration has been the fertile ground and safe haven for my professional growth. The Party Committee of the company has consistently upheld the strategies of strengthening the enterprise through talent development and technological innovation, thereby providing a broad platform for us frontline technical personnel.

The company vigorously promotes a mentorship-based succession model, enabling young core employees to hone their skills and showcase their talents under the guidance of seasoned mentors. In terms of tackling key scientific and technological challenges, the company provides comprehensive support for the establishment of innovation studios, ensuring adequate funding for equipment procurement, project approval, and team formation, so that we can focus wholeheartedly on in-depth research and development.

At the same time, the company is committed to entrusting key projects and critical positions to young talent for hands-on development, enabling them to take on major responsibilities and play leading roles on the front lines of shale gas exploration, mineral prospecting, engineering surveys, and other core areas, thereby rapidly enhancing their professional capabilities through real-world experience. The company also actively recommends outstanding employees to participate in skills competitions and craftsperson selection at all levels, ensuring that those who deliver tangible results are rewarded and that innovators are recognized and celebrated. It can be said that without the meticulous mentorship and full support of the Geophysical Exploration Institute, there would be no achievements I have today.

Earth Little Craftsman: The Group Trade Union has consistently been committed to building platforms for employee development and safeguarding employees’ rights and interests. On your career development journey, what support has the Group Trade Union provided?

Liu Jinhui: The Group Trade Union is a caring and guiding force for our employees, consistently aligning its efforts with the Group’s development and providing robust support for our professional growth. Under the Trade Union’s leadership, we have organized skill competitions and innovation-and-efficiency contests, creating platforms for employees to compete, exchange ideas, and enhance their capabilities. In addition, the Trade Union has established Model Worker Innovation Studios, offering highly skilled professionals a premier venue to showcase their expertise and pass on their skills.

The trade union has consistently implemented initiatives to care for employees, strengthened the development of employee activity centers, and diligently addressed concerns related to field operations and cutting-edge research, enabling us to focus on our work and pursue entrepreneurial endeavors with peace of mind. At the same time, it has established a comprehensive, life-cycle talent-development system that helps frontline technical leaders gradually grow into leading innovators in science and technology. Leveraging these broad platforms, I have actively participated in events such as the National Conference on Innovation and Exchange among Master Craftsmen, the Sichuan Provincial Model Worker and Craftsman Lecture Group, and the Chinese Trade Union’s Ideological and Political Education Program for Workers, where I have had the privilege of hearing inspiring stories from role models up close and learning directly from their experience. These opportunities have kept me humble, motivated, and committed to hard work, ensuring that I never slack off or let down those who place their trust in me.

Earth Little Craftsman: Following your receipt of the National May Day Labor Medal, what are your plans for your future work? How will you leverage your role as a model worker to set an example and provide leadership, thereby inspiring your team and contributing to the Group’s high-quality development?

Liu Jinhui: Moving forward, I will steadfastly strengthen my political commitment and solidify my sense of mission, always staying true to the original aspiration and fundamental character of a state-owned enterprise employee, and unswervingly keeping pace with the Group’s development. I will vigorously promote the model worker spirit, the labor spirit, and the craftsman spirit, deeply engage in technological innovation, boldly tackle the most challenging technical problems, and continuously break through barriers in core exploration technologies, thereby helping the Group overcome developmental bottlenecks and foster new drivers of productivity. I will devote myself wholeheartedly to mentoring and passing on knowledge, sharing my technical expertise and growth insights without reservation, and carefully cultivating more young technical backbones who are ambitious, capable, and responsible, thus contributing to the building of the Group’s talent pool. I will maintain an unwavering, relentless drive to forge ahead, closely aligning with the Group’s requirements for integrated, standardized, and intelligent development, focusing on our core responsibilities and primary business, proactively assuming responsibility and taking decisive action, and making every possible effort to accelerate the Group’s transformation into a world-class, resource-based, strategic, large-scale state-owned enterprise, so as to promote the Group’s high-quality development and safeguard national energy and resource security!

Earth Little Craftsman: Thank you for accepting our interview. We wish you continued success in your future work!

Liu Jinhui: Thank you!