Chapter 16 Song Jia
After hearing Liu Shang's answer, Xu Tiande shook his head in disbelief.
If someone had told him right then that the company had a traitor who had leaked technical data to Liu Shang in advance, he would have believed it.
It was truly hard to imagine that a freshman student could understand their experimental data and its implications so thoroughly.
Moreover, what Liu Shang said was spot on; if anything, the actual effect in the field was even worse than he described.
After shaking his head slightly and taking a deep breath, Xu Tiande asked again, "Liu Shang, what you said is indeed reasonable."
"But Mr. Zhong and I have discussed this issue many times. Have you considered the impact and harm of reinstalling the water distributor immediately after the profile control measures are completed?"
Liu Shang nodded. "The downhole water distributor requires a surface operation to install."
"First, because of the profile control measures, the pressure in the wellbore is high, which makes the operation difficult."
"Second, during the installation, there is no doubt that some of the previously injected profile control agent will be regurgitated."
"This could cause the installation tool to get stuck, or it could completely block the water distributor. Most importantly, the effect of the profile control measures would be greatly diminished."
Hearing Liu Shang's analysis, Mr. Zhong let out a peculiar laugh. "Liu Shang, since you are fully aware of these consequences, why are you so determined to give that answer?"
"Since you've said all that, do you already have a plan in mind for how to deal with it?"
For the first time, Liu Shang paused and hesitated slightly. "Actually, it's not really a solution."
"The reason for this problem is very simple: the technology of this kind of downhole water distributor is backwards."
"Technology like this will be eliminated and replaced sooner or later."
Hearing these words, many of the technical staff present frowned. They couldn't help but think that Liu Shang was being arrogant again. This kind of downhole water distribution method was used in major oil fields all across the country, yet this kid dismissed it with a single sentence.
It was easy for him to talk when he wasn't the one doing the work.
But none of them noticed that after Liu Shang spoke, Mr. Zhong's hands, hidden under the conference table, had clenched into tight fists.
His questioning grew inexplicably faster. "Liu Shang, you said this kind of water distribution technology will be eliminated. Do you have any better ideas?"
Liu Shang nodded. "It's very simple. Just move the downhole water distributor to the surface and change it to ground-level injection."
This time, Liu Shang's confidence, which bordered on arrogance, finally made the other technical managers unable to sit still.
"Hmph, talk is cheap!"
"Do you think changing a technology is as simple as just talking about it?"
"The downhole injection technology is a very mature application that has been proven countless times."
"As for your so-called ground distribution, it's not that no one has thought about it before, but it presents many difficulties."
"For example, for a three-stage water injection well, how would you distribute the injection from the surface?"
Although the man was emotional, Liu Shang remained perfectly calm.
He looked at him coolly and said, word by word, "For surface injection in a three-stage well, the first stage goes into the casing annulus, the second stage into the tubing, and the third stage into the central pipe."
"Is that hard?"
A simple sentence and an extremely calm tone directly silenced the manager's question.
It seemed that, on a technical level, he couldn't confidently refute this young man, at least not for the moment. Moreover, Liu Shang's extreme calm and his faint, rhetorical tone were enough to drive a person crazy.
Perhaps no one else at the scene noticed, but by now, Mr. Zhong's hands under the table were clenched very tightly.
The ground distribution process was precisely what he was currently researching, and his work had basically taken shape and was about to undergo field testing.
What Liu Shang had just said was almost identical to his own research. This kid! He was a true talent, an excellent seedling worth cultivating.
At this time, a buzz of discussion filled the conference room, and just as everyone seemed to be uniting to prepare a strong rebuttal against Liu Shang, Mr. Zhong slapped the table and glanced at the owner, Song Guangyuan.
"President Song, I don't think there's any need for further proof."
"Today, I'll make the decision. I want this young man."
"From now on, he'll follow me as an assistant."
"Now that I'm getting older, I really need a sharp young kid like him to help me out."
Mr. Zhong was a renowned expert in the oil industry with an extensive network of contacts.
In the beginning, Song Guangyuan had gone to great lengths to persuade Mr. Zhong to come out of retirement. The old expert had subsequently proven his abilities many times over, creating immense profit and contributing greatly to the company.
Now that Mr. Zhong had made his decision, how could the owner, Song Guangyuan, possibly refuse?
And to be honest, Liu Shang's performance had indeed far exceeded his expectations.
But just as Song Guangyuan was about to nod his head, Xu Tiande stood up abruptly.
"No, absolutely not! I'm the one Mr. Song appointed to test him!"
"I took a liking to Liu Shang a long time ago. I can't let him go with Old Zhong."
"Besides, Mr. Zhong already has quite a few technical experts under him. On the contrary, I'm genuinely short-staffed over here."
"I'm short on people for planning and design, for well completion reports, and even more so for our indoor experimental projects."
"I'm in desperate need of a theoretically sound, young, and studious assistant like Liu Shang."
Hearing Xu Tiande jump in to steal his prize, Mr. Zhong retorted, "Oh? I say, Old Xu, what are you doing trying to rob me?"
"I said it first. I want the kid, Liu Shang..."
Seeing the two old scholars start a war over the young man, an argument that was growing more and more intense, the owner Song Guangyuan hurriedly waved his hands with a wry smile.
"Mr. Zhong, Mr. Xu, you two should stop arguing for now."
"Liu Shang, congratulations. You have successfully proven your potential."
"Since both of these esteemed experts like you, you can choose which one you'd like to stay and work with."
Upon hearing Song Guangyuan's words, many of the technical managers in the room frowned secretly.
Due to their different perspectives, President Xu and Mr. Zhong valued Liu Shang for his talent, but they felt that Liu Shang was encroaching on their resources and stealing their limelight, and they viewed him with hostility.
Manager Sun, who was in charge of personnel, was delighted. It seemed his judgment was sharp after all; he had spotted Liu Shang's talent at a glance.
But no one present noticed that, as Song Guangyuan announced Liu Shang had successfully earned a position, a pair of bright, beautiful eyes at the conference room door squeezed shut in disbelief.
Then a voice subconsciously murmured, "My God! No way!"
"Dad, are you serious? You really want to hire Liu Shang?!!!"
The one who had been peeking through the crack in the door was a fashionable and beautiful girl: Song Jia.
Song Guangyuan, the owner of Huahai Company, was Song Jia's father.
And Song Jia was his precious, favorite, and only daughter.
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