Song Zhenming was a Petroleum Industry Minister in the People's Republic of China.[1]: xxii He was among the second generation of PRC state energy sector leadership.[1]: 195
During the Cultural Revolution, Song was required to attend a May Seventh Cadre School.[1]: 154
He was removed from office after the collapse of an oil rig in the Bohai sea which killed 72 oil workers in November 1979.[2] Song was accused of falsifying reports in a cover-up during the investigation into the accident.[3] Song wrote a self-criticism which was published in all major Chinese newspapers on August 26, 1980, and was removed from office that day.[1]: 199
As General Manager of China Oil Development Corporation in 1985, Song was involved in the opening of large areas of the Chinese interior for oil exploration by foreign firms.[4]
Song's last wish was for his ashes to be spread around the first oil well at which he had worked.[1]: xxii