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   Recently, China announced it had achieved success in drilling fire ice or methane hydrate(天然气水合物,即可燃冰), from the seabed in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea. It produces high amount of energy when it is burned, leaving nothing but dioxide and water.

Many countries, including the United States and Japan, have long been doing research on methane hydrate, but taking it from bottom of the sea has been a common problem they are facing. According to reports, China succeeded in drilling methane hydrate for a number of days continuously and got an average of over 16,000 m³ daily. It is believed to be a big breakthrough.

Scientists say there is about 21,000 trillion (万亿 ) m³ of methane hydrate in the world. If we can use it, it can meet the world's energy need for 1,000 years. However, it is too early to say a new energy source  (来源 ) has been found because we are still facing two main challenges ——environmental risk and economic (经济的) cost. When methane hydrate is taken from the seabed, it may go into the air easily. That's very bad for the environment because methane is one of the worst greenhouse gases. Besides, drilling methane hydrate is very expensive as well.

However, China's technology breakthrough is very important because it shows the way researchers across the world should take. It also raises hopes that one day we can drill methane hydrate as a source of energy.