THE CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF GAS HYDRATES IN THE ANTARCTIC MARGINS

Gas hydrates can accumulate in the Antarctic margins,whic could be inferred from geophysical and geochemical evidences, such as Bottom Simulating Reflector(BSR) on the seismic profile, high concentrations of methane and organic carbon and abnormal varieties of salinity, chlorinity and sulfate of pore waters in boring sediment samples of DSDP and ODP sites. Seven potential distributing areas of gas hydrates are South Shetland continental margin, Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Sea continental margin, Wilkes Land continental margin, Prydz Bay continental margin, Riiser-Larsen Sea continental margin and the southeast margin of the South Orkney Islands. Antarctic margins have advantageous geological conditions for the formation and accumulation of gas hydrates according to analysis of the reservoir conditions, including gas source, sedimentation, heat flow, temperature, pressure and tectonic conditions etc. It is shown that there is considerable resource potential of gas hydrate in the Antarctic margins.