(Hunan Daily/Zeng Zhiqian)

CHANGSHA, May 19 -- Central China's Hunan Province has honored a scientist for his contribution to a deep-sea drilling system.

Wan Buyan from Hunan University of Science and Technology was awarded a prize for a multi-purpose drilling system that he helped develop. The system gives China the ability to drill more than 50 meters into the seabed at a depth of more than 3, 000 meters, a significant achievement.

According to Wan, another drilling system project has been approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, which could be used in future detection for storage and formation of combustible ice.

"The news that China has succeeded in collecting samples of combustible ice in the South China Sea has given us great encouragement," Wan said. "The new project could start as early as next month."

Currently the most advanced drilling rig can go about 200 meters into the seabed, but Wan said the new project could reach about 230 meters under the seafloor.

The success of his current drilling system has laid a solid foundation for future development, and Wan said that the new project could be used in the exploration and development of many other resources in addition to combustible ice.