In response to the major strategic demands of national exploration and development of natural gas hydrate resources, research team on natural gas hydrate exploitation technology and comprehensive utilization focuses on the fundamental theories and key technology in hydrate resource evaluation, exploitation and application. The research aims to advance the harnessing of clean energy from hydrates, supporting the realization of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality objectives and bolstering the establishment of a robust national energy security framework. There are currently 17 scientific researchers, including 8 professors and 3 associate professors. The team members have presided over more than 90 national and provincial-level projects. More than 450 papers have been published, among which over 360 are SCI papers. More than 90 authorized invention patents have been obtained. The related achievements have won the Second Prize of National Technological Invention, the First Prize of Natural Science of Guangdong Province, and the First Prize of Technological Invention of Guangdong Province , etc.

Key Research Areas

1. Research and development of technology and equipment for the extraction and application of natural gas hydrates;

2. Techniques for the extraction and safety and stability control of natural gas hydrates;

3. Evaluation of the impact of natural gas hydrates on global greenhouse effects;

4.New technologies based on hydrate crystallization, such as the capture and storage of CO₂ by hydrate method, and the separation and purification of hydrogen.

Core Researchers

There are 17 team members:

Team Director: LI Xiaosen (Professor)

Deputy Directors: CHEN Chaoyang (Professor), ZHANG Yu (Professor), LI Gang (Professor)

Professors: WANG Yi ,  XU Chungang , XIA Zhiming, LYU Qiunan

Associate Professors: YAN Kefeng, YU Yisong , KOU Xuan

Research Engineer: RUAN Xuke

Assistant Professor: CHEN Chang, LIU Jianwu

Postdoctoral Fellows: WAN Kun , WU Yan

Research Financial Assistant: ZHOU Jiayuan

Members of the team participated in the group photo at the International Gas Hydrate Conference

Key Research Platforms & Facilities

As the supporting unit of the Natural Gas Hydrate Professional Committee of the Chinese Renewable Energy Society. Equipped with a world-class hydrate research experimental equipment system, it independently developed over 40 experimental systems.

Signature Achievements

1. We have developed the three-dimensional comprehensive test and exploitation system for natural gas hydrates, solving key technical problems such as the difficulty in natural gas hydrate exploitation and control;

2. We have invented the pressure reduction - in-situ chemical heat injection exploitation technology, achieving efficient exploitation of natural gas hydrates;

3. We have developed a Full Implicit Simulator of Hydrate(FISH) software for natural gas hydrate exploitation with complete independent intellectual property rights, enabling long-term production capacity prediction of hydrate deposits in the South China Sea;

4.We have invented a gas purification and capture technology based on the hydrate crystallization principle, achieving economic, efficient, and environmentally friendly gas purification and capture of greenhouse gas emissions.

Contact Name: ZHOU Jiayuan 

Contact Number: +86 20 87034664

Contact Email: zhoujy@ms.giec.ac.cn