Drilling is underway by China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) for the Project Deep Earth 1-Yuejin 3-3XC Well, the company said in a May 4 press release. The well, located in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, has a depth of 9,472 m (5.88 miles), setting a record for Asia’s deepest oil and gas well.

Sinopec reported that it struck oil and gas flows in the basin at a depth of 8,591 m in a separate well on May 2.

Drilling on the new well was expected to reach the carboniferous strata in just 21 days, setting yet another regional record. In addition, the well has a horizontal drilling distance of 3,400 m.

Sinopec was founded in 1998 as part of a restructuring of the petroleum and petrochemical industry in China, according to the company’s website.

This report contains reporting from Reuters.