Chinese combustible ice base to open in 2021

China's Ministry of Land and Resources has officially chosen Nansha Longxue Island in Guangzhou as a base to further explore, mine and do research on combustible ice, reports southcn.com.

The semi-submersible drilling rig now called "Bluewhale I" extracts marine natural gas hydrate trapped in ice-like crystals in the seabed in the South China Sea, June 9, 2017. [Photo: IC]

The center, to be completed in 2021, is scheduled to include a scientific research base, a drill core store and a deep sea wharf. The drill core store will offer support to the exploration of natural gas hydrates and deep sea oil and gas, and the Belt and Road initiative, and cooperate internationally on storing, processing and analyzing the collected samples.

In May, 2017, China became the first country in the world to achieve the stable collection of maritime combustible ice.

Combustible ice, said to be a clean and efficient energy source, will help reduce China's reliance on oil and gas imports and improve its energy and resource security, reports Xinhua.