Building a Gas Hydrate Information System in China

Gas hydrates, low molecular weight gas molecules trapped in water-ice "cages," have gained international attention over the last few years for energy, safety, and environmental reasons. In 2000 CODATA (Committee on Data for Science and Technology, International Council for Science) established a task group for Data on Natural Gas Hydrates, which aims to develop a comprehensive information system of all aspects of natural gas hydrates. As important participants of this task group, Chinese scientists have constructed a gas hydrate information system in China. Now they are developing the data-based research support system of gas hydrates based on the existing gas hydrate information system. In this paper, the authors introduce the idea of constructing a data-based research support system of gas hydrates in detail, including the high level framework design of constructing this system, system platform and functions, and database designs. We believe this system will definitely facilitate the data sharing and scientific research of gas hydrates.