Chinese scientists drill in contested South China Sea amid rising tensions

They retrieved sediment core from the seabed in an unknown location on Wednesday, according to state media

Observers say deep water oil and gas exploration technology has made significant progress and activities will have the region on alert

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Scientists on a marine research vessel conducted deep-sea drilling in the South China Sea on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 7:39pm, 9 Apr 2021Updated: 2:29pm, 10 Apr 2021

Chinese scientists have carried out deep-sea drilling in the disputed South China Sea to obtain sediment core, according to state media, a move that is expected to fuel tensions in the region.

They retrieved the sediment core – measuring 231 metres (758 feet) – using a Chinese-made drilling system, the “Sea Bull II”, on Wednesday. It was taken from a depth of 2,060 metres (6,758 feet) in an unknown location of the waterway, state news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday.

The report said the drilling system could be used to explore natural gas hydrate resources in the seabed. Natural gas hydrates – or “combustible ice” – are a frozen fossil fuel found in the seabed and beneath permafrost that is made up of water and gas, usually methane.

Energy-guzzling China has been stepping up oil exploration activities for years in a bid to reduce its dependence on imports from foreign countries.

Sediment core was obtained from a depth of 2,060 metres using the “Sea Bull II” drilling system. Photo: Xinhua

Zhang Yanqiang, president of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea Research Institute at Dalian Maritime University, said the latest activities indicated that the Chinese deep water oil and gas exploration technology had made significant progress.

“China’s capabilities in this field have now surpassed most other countries’ and it can now independently explore oil and gas resources in the South China Sea without having to work with foreign parties,” Zhang said.

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