Sinopec stands as the only Chinese enterprise granted deep well drilling qualification by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). The official spud-in marks the first entry of Chinese-funded enterprises into Kuwait’s deep well drilling market. The SINOPEC-16 rig is the first 9000-meter (3000 horsepower) drilling rig independently invested by Sinopec for Kuwait’s local oilfield operations.
To guarantee on-time spud-in of the flagship rig, Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation Kuwait Branch formulated a reverse construction schedule for all pre-operation workflows. The team tracked full-cycle equipment manufacturing progress in real time, coordinated cross-department staffing allocation, pre-job professional training and on-site well pad construction simultaneously, and locked every critical time node to avoid project delays.
During the pre-launch preparation phase, the branch dispatched technical teams to conduct on-site surveys at rig manufacturing factories. It assigned dedicated senior equipment specialists for resident factory supervision throughout production. The team overcame multiple bottlenecks including prolonged manufacturing lead time of core imported components, tight cross-border rig relocation resources, and ultra-stringent KOC third-party acceptance standards. Ultimately, the SINOPEC-16 rig achieved early spud-in ahead of the scheduled delivery date.
The successful startup of the 9000m deep well rig carries pivotal strategic value for Sinopec’s overseas layout. It facilitates further penetration into Kuwait’s high-margin deep well drilling market and polishes Sinopec’s brand reputation as a reliable high-depth drilling solution provider across the Middle East oilfield service sector.
