4.3 Potential Energy Production
Technologies
4.3.1 Natural Gas Hydrate: A Strategic
Alternative to Natural Gas
China has abundant natural gas hydrate
(NGH) resources, with reserves estimated at 83.7
trillion cubic metres. There are large NGH
deposits in polar tundra sandstone in the
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in seabed sandstone in
the South China Sea. However, large-scale NGH
extraction technology has yet to be developed, as
there are environmental and safety production
risks like methane leakage and submarine
landslides.
China has made considerable breakthroughs
in NGH development. Bluewhale 1, the world’s
most advanced semi-submersible drilling rig, has
been charted to explore for NGH off the China
coast. China has also innovated 20 critical NGH
technologies and conducted safe and controlled
trial mining of muddy silt-type combustible ice,
which is a world-first. For the past two decades,
the USA has led the world’s shale oil and gas
revolution through wide deployment of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies. Like the USA, China will also rely on
continuously improving technologies and equipment to make extraction of NGH commercially
viable. China should also strengthen research so
that it can assemble a complete range of support
technologies for NGH exploration and production. These should include predicting, targeting
and evaluating NGH deposits; drilling and
wellbores; well pattern design; environmental
impact assessment of extraction; and safety. In
addition, China will accelerate its NGH surveys
and screening of potentially profitable exploration areas. After 2030, as commercial mining
of NGH becomes possible, China will strive to
sharpen its international competitiveness in NGH
exploration and production, to lead a new revolution in oil and gas production.
4.3.2 Advanced Nuclear Power
Technologies: Research
on Fourth-Generation
Reactor and Fusion
Technologies
China’s research and development of
fourth-generation reactor technology will drive
the nuclear power revolution. China will conduct
experimental research into the technology’s
application and will complete demonstration
projects of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors
as soon as possible. China’s short-term and
long-term targets for outlet temperature are 700–
950°C and above 1,000°C respectively. Research
on critical technologies will be completed by 2025
and pilot demonstrations by 2030.
China will strive to speed up the design and
certification of small reactors by 2020 to enable
wide deployment in applications such as floating
nuclear power plants; naval vessels; neutron
source; power supply for remote areas, households and industrial heating; offshore oil
exploitation; and sea water desalination. In
addition, following the fast reactor development
strategic
pathway
of
“test-demonstratecommercialise”, China will strive to build
fast-reactor demonstration projects by 2025 and
large commercial fast-reactor demonstration
projects by 2030.
China will also focus on basic research and
design concepts for such advanced technologies
as nuclear fusion reactors, very-high-temperature
reactors, supercritical water reactors, thorium
molten salt reactors and travelling wave reactors.
China will also carry out long-term R&D and
demonstration projects on basic and critical
technologies to enable the wide deployment of
mature technologies after 2030.
4.3.3 Marine Energy: Research
for the Future
Marine energy refers to the energy generated by
tides, waves, currents and temperature
Special Report 1: A Study of China’s Energy Supply Revolution
153
Technologies
4.3.1 Natural Gas Hydrate: A Strategic
Alternative to Natural Gas
China has abundant natural gas hydrate
(NGH) resources, with reserves estimated at 83.7
trillion cubic metres. There are large NGH
deposits in polar tundra sandstone in the
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in seabed sandstone in
the South China Sea. However, large-scale NGH
extraction technology has yet to be developed, as
there are environmental and safety production
risks like methane leakage and submarine
landslides.
China has made considerable breakthroughs
in NGH development. Bluewhale 1, the world’s
most advanced semi-submersible drilling rig, has
been charted to explore for NGH off the China
coast. China has also innovated 20 critical NGH
technologies and conducted safe and controlled
trial mining of muddy silt-type combustible ice,
which is a world-first. For the past two decades,
the USA has led the world’s shale oil and gas
revolution through wide deployment of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies. Like the USA, China will also rely on
continuously improving technologies and equipment to make extraction of NGH commercially
viable. China should also strengthen research so
that it can assemble a complete range of support
technologies for NGH exploration and production. These should include predicting, targeting
and evaluating NGH deposits; drilling and
wellbores; well pattern design; environmental
impact assessment of extraction; and safety. In
addition, China will accelerate its NGH surveys
and screening of potentially profitable exploration areas. After 2030, as commercial mining
of NGH becomes possible, China will strive to
sharpen its international competitiveness in NGH
exploration and production, to lead a new revolution in oil and gas production.
4.3.2 Advanced Nuclear Power
Technologies: Research
on Fourth-Generation
Reactor and Fusion
Technologies
China’s research and development of
fourth-generation reactor technology will drive
the nuclear power revolution. China will conduct
experimental research into the technology’s
application and will complete demonstration
projects of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors
as soon as possible. China’s short-term and
long-term targets for outlet temperature are 700–
950°C and above 1,000°C respectively. Research
on critical technologies will be completed by 2025
and pilot demonstrations by 2030.
China will strive to speed up the design and
certification of small reactors by 2020 to enable
wide deployment in applications such as floating
nuclear power plants; naval vessels; neutron
source; power supply for remote areas, households and industrial heating; offshore oil
exploitation; and sea water desalination. In
addition, following the fast reactor development
strategic
pathway
of
“test-demonstratecommercialise”, China will strive to build
fast-reactor demonstration projects by 2025 and
large commercial fast-reactor demonstration
projects by 2030.
China will also focus on basic research and
design concepts for such advanced technologies
as nuclear fusion reactors, very-high-temperature
reactors, supercritical water reactors, thorium
molten salt reactors and travelling wave reactors.
China will also carry out long-term R&D and
demonstration projects on basic and critical
technologies to enable the wide deployment of
mature technologies after 2030.
4.3.3 Marine Energy: Research
for the Future
Marine energy refers to the energy generated by
tides, waves, currents and temperature
Special Report 1: A Study of China’s Energy Supply Revolution
153