Why is China digging another ultra-deep hole into the Earth?

Merely months after launching its 10,000-metre-deep drilling project into the Earth's crust, China on Thursday began its second ultra-deep drilling venture in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The first operation to dig the country's deepest-ever borehole was launched in the Tarim Basin, located in the oil-rich Xinjiang region in May this year. Leading the latest endeavour is China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), which started drilling the Shendi Chuanke 1 Well in Sichuan province with an intended depth of 10,520 metres (about 6.5 miles). But what's the reason behind this second expedition? Let's take a look. Also read: China's 'full-time children':…