Measuring engineers work in the Taklimakan Desert, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 13, 2020. Taklimakan Desert, nicknamed "sea of death", is rich in oil and gas resources yet wracked by extremes of heat and cold. To explore the resources requires multiple processes including conducting geophysical survey, so as to collect seismic data to lay a solid foundation for further exploration. To perform the task, workers and researchers have to overcome various challenges and difficulties posed by nature. Every year nearly 2000 workers from BGP Inc., China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) start geophysical survey work here in September or October, the most favorable time. This year marks their 14th year to spend Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve in the desert in a row. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
