Striving Forward in the 15th Five-Year Plan: China's Petroleum Youth in a New Era | Li Wei: An Explorer Decoding the Earth's Poetic Verses

Author | Zhang Ji, Zhang Qian

Editor | Zhang Huiqing

Li Wei

On the journey of safeguarding national energy security and promoting technological independence and self-reliance, he is a “Exploration Poet”—possessing both the relentless pursuit of truth as a geologist and the spiritual sensitivity of a poet perceiving the rhythm of all things. In his eyes, the continuous strata are epic poems sleeping for billions of years; the undulating seismic waves are the rhythmic beats of the earth; each geological map is a verse he strives to decipher. Over fifteen years, from the gullies of the Ordos Basin to the wilderness of the Hetao Plain, from the deep mysteries beneath salt layers to the frontier of new energy fields, Li Wei, director of the New Area and Risk Research Department at Dongfang Geophysical Exploration Company Research Institute, uses technology as his pen to passionately compose magnificent poems about energy and time on the vast scroll of our motherland.

Poetry begins with listening to silence

—The world of explorers begins in silence and is forged through perseverance

In 2011, after earning his master’s degree, Li Wei joined Dongfang Geophysical Exploration. After his internship, he worked in the Regional Research Office of the Changqing Branch of the Research Institute. The old director’s advice—“Regional research must be viewed from the perspective of the entire basin, be patient with solitude, and sit on the cold bench”—laid the foundation for his career. His starting point was over 260 two-dimensional seismic lines, totaling nearly 5,000 kilometers, tasked with detailed calibration of the ancient salt layers in the Ordos Basin. Day after day, facing endless seismic reflection curves on the screen, most saw only monotonous repetition, but he gradually heard different “voices”: strong reflections as deep, steady bass notes; faint reflections as subtle, high-pitched melodies; fault displacements as abrupt, powerful rests. In 2014, he led the completion of the company’s first risk exploration design report, which won first prize. Once a “newcomer” in geophysical exploration, he knew he had finally understood the first movement of the earth’s symphony.

From “hearing” to “solving,” the challenge lies in unwavering perseverance. In 2015, the Hetao Basin project presented a tough obstacle—after more than sixty years of exploration, 17 wells had been drilled, yet due to geological understanding and technical limitations, the industrial oil flow remained elusive, leaving generations of explorers with deep dedication and regret. Li Wei faced the challenge head-on, searching for clues within vast data. The intense workload temporarily affected his left eye, but he didn’t stop; he simply adjusted and continued to focus on the world of seismic curves and reflection data on the screen. Through such daily perseverance, he and his team gradually unlocked the long-sealed oil and gas door of the Hetao Basin, innovatively proposing the concept of “deep depression rich in hydrocarbons and three-dimensional reservoir formation.” Based on this insight, the oilfield company targeted two wells, which yielded high-yield industrial oil flows, achieving a historic breakthrough in the field. The outstanding results led to new 3D seismic projects, vividly demonstrating the tremendous energy unleashed by “disruptive cognition.”

Poetry’s soul stems from paradigm innovation

—Explorers’ creativity begins with questioning and is realized through reconstruction

If the Hetao campaign was a resilient proof after hearing the earth’s whispers, then the breakthrough in exploration beneath the salt layers of the Ordos Basin was a mental revolution requiring extraordinary courage and boldness. Here, exploration was akin to deciphering a sacred text sealed tightly beneath a thick “salt cap.” For over thirty years, the industry believed that natural gas was evenly dispersed in tight rocks like dust and mist. Although some gas was evident, large-scale gas reservoirs remained elusive.

In 2017, Li Wei led the team in in-depth analysis, keenly identifying the key bottleneck restricting progress. He boldly proposed a disruptive idea: the exploration approach must shift from “lithologic gas reservoirs” to “structural gas reservoirs.” This meant breaking the traditional understanding of “uniform dispersion” and seeking the “poetry eye”—the complex structures that control and enrich the accumulation of gas. However, the birth of this new idea was only the beginning; from conception to validation was a long journey of reconstruction, accompanied by doubts and pressure.

The reconstruction process was a dual refinement of body and will, as well as a meticulous depiction of unknown terrains. During critical winter phases of problem-solving, Li Wei and his team worked tirelessly in sub-zero offices, repeatedly verifying data and refining models. They withstood the pressure, using seismic lines and structural models to painstakingly rebuild a new underground picture. Ultimately, their original proposal for well Mi Tan 1 was adopted by the oilfield, which tested a high-yield industrial gas flow of 360,000 cubic meters per day, marking a historic breakthrough. This achievement spurred new 3D seismic projects, vividly illustrating the immense power of “disruptive cognition.”

The soul of poetry is boundless. Li Wei’s exploration did not stop there. He led the team to transform the complex structural characterization techniques refined in oil and gas exploration into keys for unlocking new strategic resource fields. In frontier projects like BSK1, the team broke down disciplinary barriers, integrating geological and geophysical methods to explore deep strata. By constructing a “fault-structure-sandbody-oxidation-reduction zone” four-dimensional mineral control model and developing a non-seismic and seismic collaborative exploration technology sequence, they successfully supported the submission of 30,000-ton mineral resources for the oilfield. This cross-disciplinary practice not only expanded the application scenarios of geophysical exploration but also reshaped research methodologies, honing core capabilities in detailed solid mineral characterization.

Poetry is forged through ensemble and harbor

—The explorer’s distant vision begins with collective effort and ends with warmth

A magnificent exploration poem is never a solo recital; it requires a rigorous and passionate ensemble. In Li Wei’s narrative, only by integrating the grand harmony of team and family can one compose a chapter worthy of the era.

Li Wei’s “action rule”—“What to do, who does it, and when”—is the underlying logic of efficient team operation. But deeper mutual understanding emerges during critical moments. In 2024, the well-site selection for the Yindongzi project on the western edge of the Ordos Basin hit a deadlock. At 2 a.m., several key team members were fiercely debating seismic profiles. Li Wei did not judge right or wrong but brought everyone back to the data: “Let the data speak.” They retraced seismic lines and rebuilt models, and as the new structure emerged clearly, the debate turned into reflection, culminating in a consensus nod. That night, not only was the “Mengtan 1” well target born, but also a team harmony based on empirical evidence and openness—one of the most powerful ensembles in the exploration poem.

The continuation of the poem relies on passing the torch. Li Wei has always been committed to transforming his personal “poetry lines” into a shared “melody” of the team. Through major tasks of “taking responsibility and setting the stage,” he carefully cultivated a group of young backbone members capable of independent leadership. His team was awarded the national “Quality Trustworthy Team,” with per capita output ranking among the top in the company, achieving a virtuous cycle of “delivering results, cultivating talent, and generating benefits.” This team has grown from outstanding individuals into a resilient collective capable of continuously composing new chapters. For outstanding performance in oil and gas exploration and team building, Li Wei was named one of the Top Ten Pioneer Youths of Dongfang Geophysical Exploration in 2024.

In the explorer’s poem, beyond data and structures, flows the warmth of home. His wife’s words—“Lao Li, work comes first, I’m here”—are his unwavering reassurance; her silent packing before trips, wiping away tears, and her red eyes and bright smile at parting, form the softest rhyme in his poetry. “We seek the underground light of energy; family is our warmest support,” Li Wei says.

Now, as director of the New Area and Risk Research Department, Li Wei’s vision is broader and responsibilities heavier. He is leading the team to systematically scan and evaluate seven major basins including Ordos, Tarim, and Sichuan, and has preliminarily identified a number of promising risk exploration targets, planting seeds for future strategic breakthroughs.

“The road of exploration is long and distant,” Li Wei understands his career this way: “The ‘exploration spirit’ is the perseverance to listen for thunder in silence, the resilience to persist again and again. In the new era, the ‘youth responsibility’ lies in carrying forward the torch of predecessors, using innovation as a sword to cut through the unknown, and achieving ‘top performance and victory’ in key breakthroughs.”

The land beneath his feet, the blueprint in his heart. This new generation of petroleum youth, together with his team, is advancing into the depths of the earth, illuminating the new journey of national energy security with the sharp edge of technology.