How to keep her energy job? She looks for oil in shale cracks

Oil is the economic lifeline of the country. For decades, my country's oil experts have inherited the scientific spirit of truth-seeking and innovation, and have trained generations of researchers who have successively dedicated their youthful strength. Today, Li Fengxia has taken over the baton of oil exploration and development for more than 30 years. She always says: "I am just an ordinary oil worker." However, it is the gathering of countless such workers that has achieved successive technological breakthroughs. And she is also the "darling" of the team, Sister Li.

Li Fengxia's personal photo

Holding the oil bottle and the energy rice bowl

Li Fengxia is a "second generation of oil workers". Her parents are also oil workers. She has lived with her parents in oil production plants and mines since she was young, so she has a special affection for oil fields. This experience also became the enlightenment of her future career choice. In college, she chose oil major and was determined to work with her parents in oil development, explore the secrets of this indispensable energy, and make a career.

Oil and gas cannot flow out directly underground, so it is necessary to break up the underground rocks through ground pressure to make the oil and gas flow out. Li Fengxia's team tackled this problem by calculating how much force is needed to break the bottom layer and studying what kind of fluid is used to break up the rocks. Last year, Li Fengxia was away on business for more than 180 days, but she never thought of giving up and often said, "If you want to do it, do it well."

Li Fengxia inspects the fracturing fluid tank at the Pulu 3 well

Li Fengxia works at her desk in the office

Gathering the strengths of hundreds of companies and focusing on key areas

"It's not just one person's efforts, it's a team effort." This is what Li Fengxia often says. She leads a team of 21 people, the majority of whom are born in the 1980s, and nearly one-third are born in the 1990s. The team members come from different professions and fields, and they work together to overcome difficulties.

The oil exploration and development that Li Fengxia's team is engaged in is at the end of the development process. The previous working mode was a relay-style decomposition of work, with poor continuity between each process, and geology and engineering often fighting and shirking responsibilities. In order to improve work efficiency, the geological and engineering integration model was adopted in the later stage. In the early stage, the geological logging and exploration wellhead underground storage characteristics were understood as the basis, and the later engineering and technical countermeasures were targeted and combined to effectively strengthen teamwork.

"I don't like people putting me on a pedestal. People who know me well call me Sister Li." The kids in the team often describe Sister Li as both a "teacher" and a "mother". She is strict with experimental reports at work, and attentive in life. She watches TV series, reads novels, chats and relaxes with colleagues. "Every time I say I want to retire, they won't agree, saying they want to rehire you because you are our backbone."

Li Fengxia and her team researched fracturing technology

Never give up, keep trying

There are many problems to be solved in the exploitation of shale oil and gas: first, positioning, determining the location of oil and gas; second, designing the exploitation plan, adopting the most economical and effective method; third, the engineering team's specific implementation of extracting oil and gas. In short, there are three key problems: exploration - development - engineering. Li Fengxia's team is involved in the development and engineering links.

"We are exploring more and more areas for oil and gas. Although we have been doing this for nearly 30 years, it is becoming more and more difficult."

Li Fengxia has also encountered many setbacks in her career, and sometimes she has been criticized by her superiors. She often scratches her head and is worried when facing these difficulties. Whenever this happens, she thinks of her mother's optimistic and positive personality no matter what big things she encounters. "There is nothing that cannot be overcome, or no matter how big the problem is, you can't solve it." She always adheres to one principle: only by constantly thinking can you succeed, and only by constantly thinking and persevering can you eventually solve difficulties. "The longer I do this, the more I like this profession."

Li Fengxia and her colleagues studying geological samples in the laboratory

Being a "group pet" in the team and a comrade at home

Li Fengxia's husband is in the same profession as her, and they often travel on business trips. However, the long-term long-distance life has not distanced the three of them, but has deepened their relationship. Occasionally, they will go to the same destination by chance when they are on business trips or meetings. These surprises in life also make their lives more interesting.

In her 50 years of life, Li Fengxia has her own philosophy of life. She is strict but not harsh with her children, and has requirements but does not impose too many restrictions. She also has a message for the younger generation, "Everyone's living conditions and the differences of that era may be different, but if you want to do it, do it well and learn your true skills."

Li Fengxia and her lover

What the heart desires is measured with the feet, and oil breakthroughs are half of life. The technological innovation of oil exploration and development is the result of continuous trial and error by these young people who have dreams and travel all over the country. They stick to the country's oil bottle, hold the golden rice bowl of energy, and grasp the pulse of the economic development of the times.

Review expert: Zhang Kai, professor at Communication University of China

Producer: Zhan Zhao

Planning: Lin Jiaxin, Cai Lin, Jiao Ziyuan

Director: Lin Jiaxin, Bu Yu (Intern), Zhang Liuyan (Intern)

Broadcaster: Li Zehua

Produced by: Liu Zimo