As a leading enterprise in the TBM industry in China, CREG under CRHIC has long been committed to the research and development of new type TBM and the exploration and innovation in the new application fields of TBM. Only a few months after the release of the first high-pressure hydraulic coupling rock breaking TBM in China, CREG has signed a cooperative research and development agreement respectively with Dalian University of Technology and Ocean University of China on hot dry rock deep well TBM and deep sea TBM, marking the official launch of the research and development of new equipment for developing deep-sea and deep-earth resources, after a long-term preparation and planning. It is reported by stdaily.com, peoplerail.com, cehome.com, and by Construction Machinery Weekly/seetao.com in Chinese, English and Arabic languages.

On October 26th, CREG is invited to attend China (Henan) Opening-Up Innovation and International Technology Transfer Conference. At the signing ceremony of major scientific and technological achievements projects, CREG and Ocean University of China have signed a cooperative research and development agreement on “key technology research of deep sea TBM”, based on which the two parties will carry out in-depth cooperation on cutting-edge technologies of deep sea TBM. CREG’s slurry balance TBM now has been used in the construction of cross-sea tunnels. The two parties will combine their advantage resources together to explore ocean engineering equipment, and have an in-depth cooperation in the research and manufacture of new products, so as to jointly develop construction equipment suitable for the construction of large-scale ocean projects and to provide equipment and technology support for ocean engineering construction and development. Moreover, as an important tool for ocean engineering construction, the key technology of deep-sea TBM may be applied to seabed mining, shaft, offshore foundation, deep-sea tunnel and other engineering operations.

Prior to this, CREG has signed a cooperative research and development agreement on “dry hot rock deep well TBM” with Dalian University of Technology. As a kind of efficient, safe and clean energy, geothermal resource has a great potential for exploitation. The development and utilization of deep dry hot rock may be an essential approach to tackle the energy crisis ahead. The traditionally enhanced geothermal system based on drilling technology is problematic, so it is hard to be applied and popularized. Now the two parties will work together on research and development of the excavation technology and equipment based on 'shaft thermal recovery method', in an attempt to explore new methods of thermal recovery and excavation equipment, and to jointly promote the technical research and engineering application and promotion of the 'shaft thermal recovery method' in China.

The exploitation and utilization of ocean and deep earth resources serve as an important approach to handle the resource and energy crisis. China’s Outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan calls for strengthening strategic technology deployment in the following four areas, deep sea, deep earh, deep space and deep information, the construction of deep-sea space stations, research and development of key technologies for deep-sea exploration and deep-sea equipment, and equipment and technology research in deep earth exploration, safe utilization of urban underground space and deep mineral exploration. CREG takes the lead in the research and development of ocean engineering equipment and geothermal energy development equipment. It collaborates with domestic superior universities to research and tackle the key difficulties and key technologies of deep-sea and deep-earth construction equipment, and promotes the innovation and development of deep-sea and deep-earth engineering equipment, providing excellent equipment to solve resource and energy problems of China.