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Wide Fuel Ice Band Found on South China Sea Floor
According to Chinese scientists, wide fuel ice band, with a perspective energy supply equaling half of China's oil reserve, was recently found on the South China Sea floor.
Fan Shuanshi, expert on oceanic energy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that fuel ice is a transparent crystal of methane-kind natural gas formed under low-temperature and pressure of the seabed. One stere of fuel ice burnt will release an energy amount equaling 164-stere natural gas.
Found throughout the world there will be an expectant fuel ice energy amount two to three times as much that of a combined total of all world's coal, oil, and natural gas. It is the US and Japan that were first credited with the discovery of fuel ice in their own sea territories. China began its search for fuel ice in the last few years. For a long time, South China Sea, which is located in subtropical zone, is considered impossible existing fuel ice for there is no frozen ground band here. However, Guangzhou Geology Survey Department found fuel ice in the South Sea by detecting seabed reflection via earthquake wave.
Fan said, the temperature and pressure of the seabed of South China Sea between the depth of 600-2000 meters benefit the formation of fuel ice for natural gas and water may crystallize at two to five degrees centigrade due to its special physics capability.
Scientists say fuel ice, as has been known to the world, will be a new high-efficient energy to be tapped.
By PD Online staff Huang Ying
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