Project Title: Theoretical Innovations and Technical Applications in the Metallogenesis and Resource Evaluation of Natural Gas Hydrates in China’s Sea Areas

Participating Enterprises: Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey Sanya Institute of South China Sea Geology, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Sun Yat-sen University

Award Received:Scientific and Technological Progress Award - Silver Award

Achievement Level: International Advanced Level

Project Number: ECF-2025-SET-1023

Main Participants: Su Pibo, Wang Feifei, Zhang Wei, Liang Jinqiang, Lin Lin, Sun Yunbao, Wang Jiliang, Guan Jin’an, Wan Zhifeng, Sun Jin, Lü Yaoyao, Liu Pengqi, Cheng Huai, Zhu Zuofei, Ji Chunsheng

Expert Review Comments:
International advanced level. This project focuses on key scientific issues regarding the metallogenic mechanisms and resource evaluation of natural gas hydrates in China’s sea areas. It systematically reveals the enrichment and accumulation patterns of multiple types of gas hydrates, innovatively proposes a new concept of “co-exploration and co-production” of oil, gas, and hydrates, and establishes a comprehensive prospecting indicator technology system and a hierarchical, regionalized resource evaluation methodology.
The project has, for the first time, completed a systematic national evaluation of natural gas hydrate resources, established multiple representative evaluation blocks, and drafted and published the industry’s first standard in the hydrate field. It provides systematic technical support for China’s marine natural gas hydrate investigation, development, and management.
The achievements have reached an international advanced level in theoretical innovation, technical integration, and standard leadership. They are of great significance for national energy security and strategic marine resource development. Experts unanimously believe that the project represents a milestone in fundamental theory and resource evaluation systems and is a strong candidate for a future Grand Prize.

Main Innovations:

1. The project systematically revealed the mechanisms and distribution patterns of multiple types of natural gas hydrate enrichment and accumulation in China’s sea areas and innovatively proposed a new concept of “co-exploration and co-production” of oil, gas, and hydrates for investigation and development.

2. It established a comprehensive prospecting indicator technology system and a hierarchical, regionalized resource evaluation methodology for marine natural gas hydrate exploration, and for the first time, defined three representative “golden spike” resource evaluation blocks.

3. It conducted the first national assessment of natural gas hydrate resources in China’s sea areas, predicted resource distribution, and drafted and issued the first industry standard in the natural gas hydrate field, marking a breakthrough in standardization.

Main Uses and Technical Principles:

The project’s theoretical findings are mainly applied to research on the genetic mechanisms and accumulation–distribution patterns of natural gas hydrates, providing guidance for hydrate exploration and having played a key role in the discovery and investigation of hydrates in China’s sea areas.
At the technical level, the established system is widely applied in regional prospect prediction, target area delineation, detailed ore body characterization, resource evaluation, and well site selection and validation for marine natural gas hydrate exploration.
At the methodological level, the developed system has been comprehensively applied in China’s marine natural gas hydrate survey and resource evaluation work, supporting in-depth studies of related theories and technical methods. It has also been incorporated into professional software module development for oil and gas companies, providing essential theoretical and technical support.

Technical Applications:

The project’s outcomes have been widely applied in China’s natural gas hydrate research and marine economic development, effectively supporting the construction of the Shenhu and Qiongdongnan pilot test areas. It has promoted the development of China’s natural gas hydrate industry and facilitated technological innovation and collaborative advancement of marine industries.

(1) Application in practical investigations of natural gas hydrates in China’s sea areas.
In specialized hydrate drilling surveys, the theoretical understanding of hydrate accumulation and distribution has provided critical technical support and theoretical guidance for multiple successful hydrate discoveries in the South China Sea.

(2) Application in major domestic and international energy enterprises such as Schlumberger, CNPC Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Hainan International Resource Company, and Xi’an Shiyou Software Company.
Theories and technologies developed on hydrate accumulation mechanisms, resource evaluation, three-dimensional exploration, hydrate accumulation numerical simulation, and resource evaluation have provided essential theoretical and technical support for scientific research, software development, and production applications in related enterprises.

(3) Application in scientific research institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Northeast Petroleum University.
Theoretical achievements, numerical simulations, and resource evaluation technologies related to hydrate accumulation have been widely used in multiple research institutes, providing strong technical support for hydrate accumulation and resource evaluation studies.

(4) Application in government policymaking and marine economic development.
The project’s outcomes have been recognized by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Natural Resources and provided technical support for studies on oil–gas–hydrate coexisting system characteristics and evaluation technologies in the Pearl River Mouth Basin of the South China Sea.
The Hainan Provincial Government has incorporated frontier technologies related to “co-exploration and co-production of oil, gas, and hydrates” into the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives for 2035 of Hainan Province.