China Makes Breakthrough in Combustible Ice Energy

After a 10-year investigation and study, China has achieved remarkable breakthroughs in combustible ice. Combustible ice is essentially frozen natural gas, a natural gas hydrate, and it is an energy source yet to be fully researched. It is estimated that the organic carbon contained in the world's combustible ice is twice as much as the combined reserves of coal, crude oil and natural gas. China officially launched detailed investigations and research into combustible ice in 2002, and recently explored 25 combustible ice ore bodies in the South China Sea. The reserves are believed to hold 19.4 billion cubic meters, equivalent to 4.1 billion tons of oil resources.