The Possible Distribution of Hydrate Gas in the Area of East China Sea and Its Vicinity

Key words: 
• East China Sea and its vicinity area /
• gas hydrate /
• distribution

Abstract: The area of East China Sea and its vicinity includes East China Sca Shelf Okinawa Trough Rvukvu Island Rvukvu Trench and the west part of Philippine Sca.This is the famous zone of collision and suhduction between an ocean block and a continental block.It is famous and attractive not only for its complex tectonic content but also for its abundant oil and gas resources. Since 1960s, the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Acadcmv of Sciences has conducted many geology and gcophysics explorations in the area of East China Sea and its vicinity such as seismic reflection explorations scisic refraction ex- plorations, heatflow measurements sea floor temperature measurements and samplings.Rcccnt vears, scientists all over the world pay attention to the gas hydrate study in this area. This paper gives a brief introduction to what is gas hydrate and its steady state under a given temperature-pressure condition.All the geological and geophysical data obtained in the cxplorations mentioned above has been carefully studied in the view of gas hydrate.Based on this data the pressure and temperaturc was calculated along a profile which is perpendicular to the tectonic direction of Rvukvu T-A-Ba system down to several kilometers from the sea floor. Steady temperature-pressure condition of the gas hydrate is also analyzed along this profile.The paper points out that the possible areas that the gas hydrate can he steadily exit mainly are the west slope of the East China Sea, the west part of Okinawa Trough the cast slope of Rvukvu Trench and Philippine basin.The paper points out that it can not say that there are area in the East China Sca basin that the hydrate gas can steadily exist.