P1:PROGRESS OF GAS HYDRATE INVESTIGATION AND RESEARCH IN CHINA

    Gas hydrate investigation and research has advanced significantly in China during the past decade. However, it is still on the third phase, scientific research and investigation due to its late starting. The progress of Chinese gas hydrate research owes to the joint effort of the China Geological Survey (CGS/MLR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), many universities and companies. The funded research topics covers the gas hydrate stable condition, gas hydrate formation and destabilization mechanism, marine gas hydrate prospecting technology, geophysical and geochemical features for gas hydrate determination, gas hydrate occurrence and distribution and the controlling factors, inventory evaluation in the permafrost of Qilian Mountain, Qinghai Province and the northern slope of South China Sea (SCS) and the possible environmental impacts. Gas hydrate investigation research mainly concentrates in the northern SCS and has achieved a great progress through the reconnaissance and intensive investigations organized by CGS. 

    In this paper, I first describe a representative history of gas hydrate investigation and the various indicators showing the possible presence of gas hydrate in the northern SCS. I then focus on the main results and highlights, including five main activities such as the investigation and discovery, gas production test from hydrate deposits, environmental impact research, basic research and capacity building (research vessel、laboratories、investigation equipments). 

    Integrated investigation has revealed a number of geological, geophysical and geochemical indicators showing the presence of gas hydrate in the permafrost of Qilian Mountain, northern South China Sea. China is among the few countries that discover gas hydrates both in marine and permafrost areas. The north slope of SCS is one of the richest and most complex marine gas hydrate system studied to date. The available data collected in the drilling expeditions provide the basis for further understanding and utilizing of the gas hydrates. 

    China has the strong laboratory capacities for gas hydrate investigation and research.