In a quiet office at the China University of Petroleum Exploration & Development Research Institute, an elderly man with white hair is focused on his diary. This man is Academician Dai Jinxing, a professor-level senior engineer at the China University of Petroleum Exploration & Development Research Institute. Since 1998, Academician Dai Jinxing has developed the habit of writing a diary every day. Rain or shine, except for occasional delays due to attending academic events, this habit has never been interrupted.
To this day, he has persisted for a full 26 years, accumulating 55 precious diaries, all carefully preserved in his office and at home. Rough estimates suggest that Academician Dai has written over 7,000 diary entries, documenting his scientific research journey over the past 20 years, summarized in eight words: diligence, study, reflection, and innovation. These four principles have run through his entire academic career and are the creed he has always adhered to in scientific exploration.
It is this consistent effort and diligence that led him to establish the theory of coal-to-gas geology, bringing breakthrough progress to China's natural gas exploration and development field, driving the rapid development of China's natural gas industry, and transforming China from a gas-poor country to a major gas producer.
Following the Chinese tradition of celebrating every ninth year, this year on March 19th marks Academician Dai Jinxing's 90th birthday. His students express their blessings to him, reflecting on the invaluable lesson he has imparted over the years - the unwavering spirit of diligence.
Dai Jinxing reads literature in front of the journal cabinet. Photo provided by the interviewee.
Diligence is the Foundation
In Dai Jinxing's research career, "diligence" is undoubtedly a solid cornerstone. On the path of studying and exploring natural gas, the primary task is to deeply understand the characteristics, origins, and laws of accumulation of various gases. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, relevant literature was quite scarce, posing great challenges to research work.
Faced with this dilemma, Dai Jinxing, since 1975, has systematically collected gas samples nationwide with colleagues and students. These sampling processes were filled with hardships, but Dai Jinxing still vividly remembers them to this day.
"In 1984, we sampled in the icy waters of the Nujiang Snow Mountain. The water temperature was so low that it could quickly cause numbness in our feet. In order to sample better, we had to take turns with colleagues to go ashore to warm up." That same year, in the deep mine tunnels of Yangquan Coal Mine in Shanxi, facing the challenges of high gas levels and strong ventilation, we had to walk against the wind, guard against mine slag hitting our faces, and complete the sampling task with squinted eyes.
Dai Jinxing and his colleagues collected gas samples in the hot spring pool at 80-83°C in Hainan Xinglong Farm. The interviewee provided a photo.
Dai Jinxing's most memorable experience was collecting samples in the 80-83°C hot spring pool at Hainan Xinglong Farm. "Due to the high temperature of the hot spring pool and only about 10 intermittent gas vents, we had to invert the glass bottle to drain and collect the gas. Holding the glass bottle, we moved along with the bubbles like playing hide-and-seek. It took 2 hours to collect 200mL of gas sample. Everyone was sweating profusely, their faces flushed as if they were steamed."
After hundreds of such arduous and unforgettable sampling processes, Dai Jinxing, along with his colleagues and students, traveled across the country, from north to south, from east to west, from the coastal areas to the western border (except Tibet), collecting over 2600 samples of oil and gas field gases, gas, biogas, volcanic gas, and mantle-derived gases.
Up to now, they have accumulated data on over 80,000 gas components, carbon, hydrogen, and helium isotopes. Dai Jinxing has been hailed as the "first person of Chinese gas samples," providing valuable first-hand data for China's exploration of the origin and enrichment laws of natural gas, laying the foundation for the study of natural gas geochemistry.
Diligent Reading is Enlightening
For Dai Jinxing, "diligent reading" not only enriches a person but also deepens their understanding of previous research, enabling them to accurately select the main topics and directions of study. Dai Jinxing's habit of diligent reading began about seventy years ago and continues to this day. He is very humble, often self-deprecating about not being naturally gifted.
"When I was in fifth grade, having just transferred from the countryside to Wushi Primary School in Wenzhou, due to differences in educational levels, I repeated a year and was teased by classmates as a 'fool,'" Dai Jinxing recalled. But this shame was both pressure and motivation. Starting from the second semester, he focused on listening in class, studied the textbooks carefully after class, reviewed what he learned before bed, and promptly looked up books when encountering problems until they were resolved. Through diligent study, he finally ranked at the top of the class in the second semester.
"Being at the top of the class in studies also marked the beginning of my geological dream. I remember during a geography class, I made a national distribution map of coal mines and iron mines on a plaster board, which won praise from the teacher, filling me with excitement and pride," Dai Jinxing said. From that moment on, he planted the seed of "exploring minerals for the country."
Diligent reading rewarded Dai Jinxing in his youth and instilled in him a good habit that has lasted for 70 years. On the eve of his 80th birthday, he realized a self-encouraging phrase: "Reading one more word adds one more happy cell." Over more than 60 years of scientific research, he has persisted in reading papers and monographs, visiting the library journal room at his unit every week to browse new books and the catalogs of major domestic and foreign oil and gas journals to keep abreast of the latest research trends and acquire new knowledge. At the same time, he encourages students to frequent the journal room, read more books, and obtain the latest cutting-edge research information.
Dai Jinxing conducted a field study of the Badawan Formation in the Tashidian section of the Yanqi Basin. The interviewee provided the images.
Diligence is the Soul
"Diligence" is the soul of scientific research. Dai Jinxing said, "Only through repeated refinement, careful integration, spatiotemporal combination, and comprehensive deliberation can diligent thinking generate scientific propositions and laws."
In early 1972, Dai Jinxing was reassigned to Beijing to work at the newly established Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development of China, where he had excellent conditions for specializing in natural gas research. "At that time, the petroleum industry focused on 'heavy oil and light gas.' To reverse the situation of 'abundant oil and weak gas' in exploration and research, I decided to systematically survey domestic gas fields, collect gas source rock samples systematically, master gas production in major gas-producing countries, familiarize myself with the conditions for gas accumulation in foreign gas fields, and study the works of world-renowned natural gas scholars," Dai Jinxing said.
Subsequently, Dai Jinxing raised questions about the characteristics of hydrocarbon generation in coal measures and sought to explore their regularities. In order to answer this question, he conducted a survey in the Zhongba Gas Field in the Sichuan Basin in 1975 and investigated gas outbursts in the Longtan Formation of the Hongwei Coal Mine in Hunan Province. At the same time, he read a large number of relevant literature. After two years of detailed investigation, comparison, and repeated contemplation, he finally developed the scientific idea in 1977 that hydrocarbon generation in coal measures is primarily gas with oil as a supplement.
In 1978, he completed the paper "Formation of Natural Gas and Oil in Coalification" and published it in the following year in "Petroleum Exploration and Development." This article was highly recognized by the scientific community, with many scientists and scholars giving positive reviews. In the "Overview of Academic Achievements of Famous Chinese Scientists in the 20th Century" (Geoscience Volume) edited by Academicians Qian Weichang and Sun Honglie, it is explicitly stated, "The article 'Formation of Natural Gas and Oil in Coalification' proposed by Dai Jinxing in 1979 is generally regarded as the beginning of Chinese natural gas geology." Academician Li Desheng praised this article as the "pioneer of coal hydrocarbon geology research."
The birth of the coal-generated gas theory not only broke the shackles of the "monism" (oil-type gas) but also propelled the theoretical exploration of Chinese natural gas from "monism" to "dualism" (coal-generated gas and oil-type gas), accelerating the rapid development of China's natural gas industry.
In 1978, before the coal-generated gas theory was proposed, coal-generated gas reserves accounted for only 8.89% of the total proven natural gas reserves in the country. After more than 40 years of development, by 2022, the proportion of proven geological reserves of coal-generated gas had surged to about 55.3%; from 1978 to 2022, China's natural gas production increased by about 15 times, while coal-generated gas production increased by 369 times. Coal-generated gas production became the main driver of China's natural gas production growth. In 2023, as the world's fourth-largest gas producer, China's natural gas production exceeded 230 billion cubic meters, marking the seventh consecutive year of production increase exceeding 10 billion cubic meters annually, further solidifying China's position as a major gas producer.
Dai Jinxing inspects the Loshan Mud Volcano in Hualien County, Taiwan. Photo provided by interviewee.
Diligence Fuels Innovation
"Diligence" is the driving force behind scientific research, representing the courage to innovate and break through barriers. For scientists, diligence is mainly reflected in innovative papers and works. Dai Jinxing admits, "Due to heavy workloads and numerous meetings, I often use long holidays like the Spring Festival and National Day to conduct scientific research. Almost every year, I start working in the office on the second day of the Lunar New Year."
He adheres to the concept of "contributing time to life," aiming to complete at least three lead-authored papers each year. He also encourages his students to do the same, believing that persisting for 10 to 20 years can lead to expertise. He often emphasizes to his students, "Good research speaks with evidence, and data is the most important. Pay attention to data collection and organization in daily work."
Liu Quanyou, a former student of Dai Jinxing and a distinguished professor at Peking University's Energy Research Institute, said, "Professor Dai is not only my mentor but also a role model for me in exploring fundamental scientific issues. Despite nearing the age of 90, Professor Dai still writes no less than two high-level papers every year. He has always encouraged me to explore new fields, periodically calling to inquire about my latest insights and publication status, which deeply moves me and motivates me to keep moving forward."
Dai Jinxing is testing the carbon isotopes of natural gas at the Petroleum Geological Experimental Research Center. The interviewee provided a photo.
In 55 precious notebooks, over 26 years, he recorded his thoughts and discoveries. These seemingly mundane and small habits actually embody his persistent pursuit of scientific research and tireless spirit.
For the future, Academician Dai Jinxing hopes to cultivate more scientific researchers for the country. He aims to guide more young people to engage in scientific research through his own words and deeds, nurturing their innovative spirit and research capabilities.
Academician Dai Jinxing often tells his young friends, "The journey to success is paved with thousands of struggles. Those who aspire to succeed must first be willing to be a stepping stone of struggle!"
