From: mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson)
Newsgroups: sci.archaeology,soc.culture.china
Subject: Ancient Chinese Deep-Drilling Technology ???
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 92 21:34:45 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

I recently acquired a copy of _A_Petroleum_Handbook_, 2nd ed.
(Asiatic Petroleum Company, 1938), and on page 44 it has an
amazing account of early Chinese well-drilling technology which
I find almost unbelievable.

It is alleged that as early as 221 B.C. the ancient Chinese were
using percussion drilling to dig wells as deep as 3,500 feet, a depth
only equalled in U.S. oilfield practice in the late 19th century, also
using percussion drilling.  (Percussion drilling consists of using a
heavy drill suspended down the hole on a rope or cable, and raising
and dropping the drill.  The flutes of the drill cause it to turn on
impact.)

An accompanying drawing is alleged to show Chinese drilling tools
and a well-head operation.  The text says "Ancient illustrations of
the tools then used show that they bore a striking resemblance
to those used in modern cable tool drilling, especially those used for
retrieving articles left in the hole."

The drawing looks fake to me.  At best, I would say it is a
reproduction from a 19th-century engraving (no reference is given).
The tools look identical to mid- to late- 19th century technology.
The well-head operation looks like something out of _Gilligan's_
_Island_, i.e. it looks like somebody took a 19th century drill rig
and redrew it in bamboo with an ox used for power.  If this were
a fake made in the 19th century, this is what I would expect a fake
to look like -- it would be contemporary technology recast as ancient.

I'm not saying the Chinese didn't have a remarkable ancient culure,
or that they didn't drill wells.  I'm just saying I'm skeptical that
they had a technology which could reach the 3,500 foot level.  They
probably built wells the way every other ancient culture did, by
sinking a vertical shaft using picks and shovels, essentially the same
thing as digging a mine shaft.

If there are 3,500 foot deep wells that are over 2,000 years old in
China, I'd like to hear more about them.  I don't remember seeing
any articles about them in _Scientific_American_ or _National_
_Geographic_.  Is some one aware of an easily accessible book or
magazine article which has covered this subject in depth :-) ?

Where are these wells located?  Was the technology all in one place,
or were holes drilled all over China?  How many ancient deep holes
exist?  During what period of time was this technology used?

It seems to me that if this story is authentic, these are some of the
most valuable ancient sites of the world.  Furthermore, it should
be possible to excavate one, using modern drilling techniques.  If the
diameter of the hole is small enough, you could core the whole hole.
This would allow you to verify its actual depth, study the drilling
technique used along its entire length (as it passed through various
layers), and recover any artifacts at the bottom of the hole.  I'd
guess that at least 10% of holes would have artifacts at the bottom
(boring bits, buckets, grappling hooks, rope, etc.).  Another possibility
would be to drill two parallel holes, one on each side, and use the
sort of X-ray equipment used to examine pipeline welds to illuminate
the ancient hole from one side, while detection equipment records
an image from the other.
Newsgroups: sci.archaeology