Combustible ice heralds clean energy

China gains edge for commercial production after sustained trials

China's success in mining gas hydrate in the South China Sea is a breakthrough that could revolutionize the global energy industry, and prove more significant than the United States' shale gas, experts said.

The gas hydrate, commonly known as combustible ice, is perhaps another 15 years away from commercial use, but its successful mining in China is a breakthrough nevertheless, said Lu Hailong, a professor at the Institute of Ocean Research, which is part of Peking University.