Taiwan, Germany to Study Gas Hydrates in S. China Sea

Taiwan and Germany will work together on a five-week research project, starting March 31, to study gas hydrates on the seabed off southern Taiwan, with a view to developing a potentially rich energy resource, the German Institute Taipei said yesterday.

The research expedition will explore and examine the ice-like mineral that is usually found on the ocean floor at depths of between 500 and 2,000 meters, according to the institute.

Hydrates contain gases, such as hydrocarbons, that attach themselves inside symmetrical cages of water molecules to form hydrate crystals.

"Interest in the extraction of gas hydrates is high all around the world. However, many fundamental questions about gas hydrate deposits remain open," said Christian Berndt, the research team's chief geoscientist.

The project is also aimed at defining the role of plate tectonics in the formation of gas hydrates, which makes the selected site in the South China Sea ideal since it is where the Eurasian tectonic plate and the Philippine Sea plate converge, the German Institute said.

Berndt said the team will use the newest geophysical methods, which could create 3D images of the subsurface, to get estimates of how much gas hydrate is on the seabed in that area.

The technology could generate data that is "10 times better than before," he said. It could also help to predict the impact of hydrate mining on the stability of the ocean floor, he added.

The joint project will begin on the German research ship Sonne and will be followed by a second excursion in June on a brand new Taiwanese research vessel, the institute said.

Germany's Federal State Ministry of Research will input funding of 1.2 million euros (NT$46 million) for the project, while Taiwan will contribute 300,000 euros, according to the institute.