Methane trapped in sea ice recovered

China has became the first country to produce methane gas trapped in icelike crystals beneath the South China Sea, the Ministry of Land and Resources said on Thursday.

The test drilling and production operation conducted in the region this month by China International Marine Containers Group and China National Petroleum Corp lays a solid foundation for commercial use of the resource — known as marine natural gas hydrate — before 2030, said Li Jinfa, deputy director of China Geological Survey, which is under the ministry.

The tests will give China a continuous and stable supply of hydrate gas from the waters of the Shenhu area in the northern part of South China Sea, the ministry said.

The test production has reached a steady output, by Wednesday having yielded 113,200 cubic meters of natural gas over the previous seven days, with average daily production of just over 16,000 cubic meters, said Ye Jianliang, commanding officer of the gas hydrate production field.

Although the drilling is difficult in technical terms, the effort is worth it, Li said, since the hydrate has huge commercial value potential. “We have been keeping a close eye on its commercial value, and after the test-drilling, we are even more confident in its commercial prospects.”

Two to three more drilling tests will be conducted in nearby regions to collect more data.

In China, the hydrate has been widely detected in permafrost in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as well as under the South China and East China seas.

“The production of gas hydrate will play a significant role in upgrading China’s energy mixture and securing its energy security,” Minister of Land and Resources Jiang Daming said on Thursday.