Ancient Chinese drilling

For most of us, drilling and the exploitation of hydrocarbons date back to the mid-19th century. However, sophisticated drilling techniques were first developed in the ancient salt producing industry in China’s Sichuan Province. As detailed by Mark Kurlansky in his book, Salt: A World History, the drilling technology used to produce brine and natural gas in this region far pre-dates western efforts.Sichuan Province, one of China’s richest regions, has undergone an intense period of human development. The Yangtze River flows along the southern edge of the basin, and numerous tributaries...