The Application Technology Foundation Research Team of Natural Gas Hydrate started hydrate research in the early 1990s. It is one of the earliest laboratories to carry out natural gas hydrate research in China, and also the first research team established by the Natural Gas Hydrate Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Energy Research Institute.

The team mainly focuses on key scientific issues such as basic physical properties, reservoir formation mechanisms, exploitation, and applications encountered in the exploration and development of natural gas hydrates in China. They conduct comprehensive research on micro-meso-macro multi-scale thermodynamic and dynamic experiments, theoretical analysis, and numerical simulation to provide theoretical basis for the exploration, development, and application of natural gas hydrates in China. The main research direction is: (1) the study of basic physical properties, thermodynamics, and kinetics of complex sedimentary systems of natural gas hydrates; 

(2) Multiphase flow and heat and mass transfer mechanisms during the formation and decomposition of natural gas hydrates in sediments;

 (3) Hydrate mining sand control, production increase, and safety evaluation technology;

 (4) Development of application technologies such as hydrate flow safety, solid-state storage and transportation of natural gas, hydrogen storage, carbon dioxide sequestration, and seawater desalination.

Chief Scientist of the team, Researcher Liang Deqing, and doctoral supervisor. There are currently 13 researchers, including 5 with senior professional titles, 7 with deputy senior professional titles, and 1 academic secretary. Among the team members, there are 2 core members of the local innovation team of Guangdong Province, 1 young top talent of the Special Support Program of Guangdong Province, 4 members of the Youth Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and 1 new star of the Pearl River Science and Technology under the Guangzhou Science and Technology Plan.

The team has undertaken a number of major national projects and topics, including the National High Tech Research and Development Program (863 projects and topics), National Key Basic Research Development Program (973 projects), National Key Research and Development Plan projects, National Hydrate Projects, National Natural Science Foundation of China and other major national projects and topics, also presided over a number of key projects of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Special Funds for Promoting Economic Development in Guangdong Province (for the purpose of marine economic development) projects, key projects of the Guangdong Science and Technology Plan, key funds of Guangdong Province and International Cooperation Projects, published hundreds of papers in international journal, published two technical monographs, obtained the authorization of more than 100 invention patents, and obtained multiple computer software copyrights; Received one National Invention Award and multiple provincial and ministerial level scientific research awards, including the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award.

The team relies on the Natural Gas Hydrate Center of the Institute of Energy and has conducted cooperative research with Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, South China Sea Institute of Oceanography, Institute of Acoustics, Wuhan Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, and other institutions within the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At the same time, they have conducted extensive cooperative research with Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey Bureau, Sun Yat sen University of Petroleum (Beijing), South China University of Technology, Dalian University of Technology, CNOOC, and other institutions. In addition to jointly participating in project research, they have also conducted extensive academic exchanges and undertaken their respective units' open projects to the outside world, jointly improving and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results.