The Biggest Man-Made Hole On Earth: Kola Borehole In Russia
The Kola Borehole, created by Russian engineers, is the biggest man-made hole on Earth’s surface. It reached a depth of 7.5 miles (12,262 meters) but had to be stopped because of extremely high temperatures. This biggest man made borehole is eight times deeper than the Mariana Trench, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world.
Kola Bore Hole: The Biggest Man-Made Borehole
In 1970, the Soviet Union started a scientific drilling project in the Pechengsky district, near the Norway-Russia border. They aimed to drill as deep into the Earth’s crust as possible.
The project began with Uralmash-4E drilling rigs on May 24, 1970. In 1979, they upgraded to Uralmash-15000 series drilling rigs. By 1989, they had drilled the deepest hole, reaching 12,262 meters (40,230 feet). This Kola bore hole remains the deepest and biggest man-made hole.
The goal was to drill as deep as 9 miles into the Earth. However, the project was abandoned when they encountered unexpectedly high temperatures. Approximately 7.5 miles below the surface, rocks were found to be around 180 degrees Celsius. The drillers had expected high temperatures but not this extreme. Over time, the drilling machinery began to deform due to the heat. According to the researchers, the rocks at these depths were more like plastic than solid rock.
Race Of Drilling the Deepest Borehole
This thing gradually took the form of a competition. The competition to drill deeper into the Earth started a global scientific race, similar to the space race. According to reports, this deep drilling race began in 1958 with an American project called Project Mohole. The goal was to drill into the ocean floor off Guadalupe Island, Mexico, to get a sample from the Earth’s mantle. However, after drilling 601 feet (183 meters) into the seabed, the project was stopped in 1966 by the US House of Representatives.
The Kola Bore Hole in Russia was the biggest man made borehole in the world until China stepped into this race.
Currently, Chinese engineers are drilling their deepest borehole in the oil-rich Xinjiang region. Their goal is to surpass the Biggest Man-Made Hole—the Kola Bore hole. Only time will tell whether they will succeed or not.
In conclusion, the Kola Bore hole is still the deepest man made borehole on Earth and this site has become a popular tourist attraction.
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