Early in the morning, the production workshop of Jiangsu Jinshi Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Jinshi Machinery”) bustled with activity. Workers skillfully operated intelligent vertical machining centers, performing precise mechanical processing on sand control valves for wellhead and Christmas tree equipment. Wellhead equipment serves as the critical interface for controlling and regulating oil well production. These independently developed sand control valves play a vital role in preventing fluid impurities from entering the wellhead and extending equipment lifespan, making them highly sought after by major oil production enterprises at home and abroad.
Compared to today's rapid iteration of high-end products, Jinshi Machinery's journey into this field was far from smooth. The company advanced step by step, gradually breaking foreign monopolies on cutting-edge technologies in the field of oil drilling and production.
In the early 1990s, an order from Indian Oil Corporation included refractory valves for wellhead that no domestic manufacturer could produce. Over two decades of dedicated efforts in the industry had equipped Jinshi Machinery with certain technical reserves. Unsatisfied with domestic markets alone, the company resolved to independently develop this critical niche technology to fill the domestic gap.
“The core challenge of this technology lies in sealing. High temperatures cause damage or degradation to the sealing gaskets, leading to a cascade of equipment failures. We reviewed extensive documentation to first establish the product structure, then selected materials based on that structure. We organized teams to conduct various tests to ensure the product could proceed to further development,” explained Qin Zhijian, Deputy Technical General Manager of Jiangsu Jinshi Machinery Group Co., Ltd.
After over two months of relentless effort and dozens of simulated tests, the R&D team finally overcame the technical hurdles. They secured an order for over a hundred sets of equipment from India in one go, opening the door to the international market. However, to establish a firm foothold in the global market, the company still needed certification from authoritative industry bodies. In 1995, Jinshi Machinery became the first domestic peer to pass the American Petroleum Institute (API) certification, enabling more standardized production and better control over product quality.
In response to growing market demands, Jinshi Machinery has continuously achieved breakthroughs in wellhead strength technology. In recent years, the company's R&D and production of subsea wellheads, Christmas trees, HH-class wellheads, and large-bore ball valves have reached internationally advanced levels, resolving key technological challenges in China's transition from onshore to deep-sea oil drilling and production.
Fang Changjiang, Deputy General Manager of Jiangsu Jinshi Machinery Group Co., Ltd., explained that the company has significantly narrowed the gap with foreign counterparts in ultra-high pressure and ultra-high temperature technologies, even demonstrating unique strengths. “For instance, while the standard pressure for current equipment is 140 MPa, we have designed systems capable of 175 MPa—exceeding standard requirements. This forward-thinking design better ensures China's ability to explore for and produce oil from deeper formations,” Fang stated.
Perseverance carves through stone. In July 2020, Algeria issued a global tender for oil drilling equipment. Leveraging its technological edge and innovation capabilities, Jinshi Machinery outcompeted domestic and international rivals to secure a 100-million-yuan order. This achievement marked the first time a Chinese independent brand entered the end market of OPEC member countries, bolstering confidence for more Chinese oil drilling equipment manufacturers to enter the global arena.
From inception to expansion, from growth to success, Jinshi Machinery has evolved into China's specialized enterprise in R&D, production, sales, and service of high-pressure oil and gas wellhead equipment. Its products are exported to over 50 countries worldwide, and the company has been recognized as a National
Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative “Little Giant” Enterprise and a National Torch Program Specialized Industrial Base for Petroleum Machinery. “Our company offers comprehensive equipment technology,” Fang Changjiang told reporters. “First, our products excel in high-temperature and high-pressure resistance. Second, they ensure fluid compatibility. Finally, they provide robust protection against corrosive media and sand production. These three aspects cover the critical requirements for products in our niche field, and we are one of the Chinese companies with comprehensive capabilities in the field that possesses all three capabilities.”
The pursuit of technological excellence knows no bounds. Currently, Jinshi Machinery is actively developing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology products, utilizing depleted oil fields to store carbon dioxide and support China's goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. “Injecting carbon dioxide into wells enhances oil recovery, and our wellhead systems prevent CO₂ leakage—this work is integral to carbon neutrality,” Qin Zhijian explained. Moving forward, the company will pursue higher pressure and temperature ratings while introducing intelligent, automated, and unmanned wellhead solutions to the market, aiming to become the industry leader in this niche sector.
Jiangsu News Radio / Wang Dejian, Suo Haoyang
