Zhang Kai, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: The development of combustible ice is the commanding heights of future energy strategy

What energy sources can be used to replace oil at what time? In 2030, China plans to achieve commercial mining of combustible ice. Zhang Kai, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, believes that the development of combustible ice will be the commanding heights of future energy strategy.

On December 12, the "2021 Greater Bay Area Science Forum" Marine Science Sub-Forum was held in Nansha, Guangzhou. At the forum, Zhang Kai, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered a report entitled "The "Negative Carbon" Path of Orderly Development of Marine Hydrocarbon Energy".

Discover the "Tinder" from the "Oasis of the Deep Sea"

China's combustible ice reserves are about 80 billion tons of oil equivalent, more than twice the recoverable oil reserves, and it is planned to achieve commercial exploitation in 2030. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and its adjacent waters have been delineated with 11 far-sighted scenic spots and locked in 2 100-billion-square-level mineral deposits. Zhang Kai pointed out that China's combustible ice is mainly stored in the South China Sea, and the prospects are promising.

As a common enrichment area for combustible ice, cold springs are a research hotspot at home and abroad in recent years. According to Zhang Kai, the methane fluid produced by the decomposition of combustible ice overflows, forming a cold spring on the deep seabed. Methane is a biogenetic element, and the cold spring ecosystem that reproduces through chemical energy synthesis is known as a "deep-sea oasis".

At the same time, Zhang Kai also pointed out that combustible ice mining is a "double-edged sword", which is related to global ecological security. This also echoes the "exploration of deep oceans and the construction of a community of marine destiny" proposed by the Sub-Forum on Marine Science. Zhang Kai stressed that the whole process of combustible ice mining must be observed in situ, fully studied and assessed in real time for its ecological and environmental effects.

Build the lab into the deep sea

Making good use of "deep-sea oases" requires a variety of conditions. Zhang pointed out that if sampled to the laboratory, most microorganisms will die due to in situ stress and mutations in nutritional conditions, resulting in inability to isolate. To explore the ecological effects of cold spring life and combustible ice, in situ research is the only reliable means.

According to Zhang Kai, since the 1960s, more than 65 submarine laboratories have been built and operated around the world, but China's marine manned equipment still has the problem of short underwater residence time.

In view of the international situation and the research needs of the ecological and environmental effects of combustible ice, Zhang Kai believes that it is urgent to carry out in situ observation and in situ experimental research on the seabed, and to carry out large-scale physical simulation research. "It is imperative to build a cold spring ecosystem research device to solve the problem of card neck in the development of deep-sea resources."

At present, the "Cold Spring Ecosystem Big Scientific Device" built by Zhang Kai and his team includes the in situ wisdom and fusion research system known as the "submarine laboratory", which can realize long-term and continuous observation, high-fidelity sample acquisition and primary pressure in situ and gradient pressure test research in the ecological sample of the cold spring system.

Written by: Trainee reporter Wang Shiqi