A simulated picture of the cold seeps ecosystem research facility Photo: Liu Caiyu/GT

TheMKsports research facility of cold-seep ecosystem, a megaproject whose launch was recently announced in South China's Guangdong Province, aims to deepen humanity's understanding of deep-sea science by studying cold seep systems in the South China Sea. The research program will also be open to international cooperation, the project's chief director told the Global Times.

The facility - designed to support cutting-edge fundamental research and development in exploring the origins of life in extreme deep-sea environments of the South China Sea and the green development of deep-sea resources such as combustible ice - was officially launched on Friday in Guangzhou.

The facility is the first major national scientific and technological infrastructure combining both marine and land elements, developed independently by China, the Global Times learnt from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SCSIO).

"This is a project designed to deepen our understanding of deep-sea science through the study of cold-seep systems in South China Sea," Li Chaolun, the head of the institute, also the chief director of the facility, told the Global Times.

By leveraging the deep-sea facility to understand potential environmental challenges and promote biodiversity conservation linked to new energy resource exploration, as well as to conduct ecological and in-situ experimental monitoring, we are able to advance our knowledge of the deep sea, Li stressed. 

This will be an internationally open mega-science facility, Li said, revealing that currently, under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, his team is initiating a large-scale scientific program focused on cold seeps study with other international scientists. 

The facility comprises three key components: a manned deep-sea laboratory located in the deep ocean, an authentic simulation subsystem on land, and a support and guarantee subsystem on the water's surface.

When asked why many countries have been studying cold-seep system in the deep sea, but such a megaproject consisting of manned deep-sea lab only so far has been launched in China, Li explained, "The concept of establishing a manned deep-sea laboratory is not new. Scientists from countries like France, the US, and Europe have also expressed interest in such projects. However, these initiatives require significant investment and effort to execute."

He added, "Currently, each country, including China, is pursuing this goal based on its own urgent needs, scientific priorities, and available resources. It's not about comparing what each country has, but rather about addressing different needs, ideas, and considerations at different stages of progress."

Led by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the project has been under discussion for years before the institute announced to commence the construction on Friday. 

In 2017, it was included in the Chinese Academy of Sciences' 14th Five-Year Plan and later incorporated into the National Development and Reform Commission's (NDRC) 14th Five-Year Plan for national major science and technology infrastructure in 2021. In late August 2023, it successfully received approval for its feasibility study report from the NDRC.

The manned deep-sea laboratory has garnered significant attention among on-site scientists during the project's launch meeting on Friday, though the other two subsystems play equally vital roles in the overall system.

Some scientists said the construction of the manned deep-sea laboratory turns long-term vision into reality. 

The laboratory has a displacement of 600 tons, a maximum operating depth of approximately 2,000 meters, and is designed to accommodate up to 6 personnel, with the capability to sustain operations underwater for up to 30 days, according to the institute.

The deep-sea laboratory integrates both manned and unmanned technologies. According to the institute, the deep-sea lab is designed with several sections such as a scientific experiment cabin, a navigation and operation control cabin, a multifunctional detection cabin, a living quarters cabin, and an auxiliary power cabin. 

Additionally, it will be outfitted with mobile exploration equipment, including manned mobile observation platforms, underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and winches, the institute said. 

"The facility incorporates technologies from manned space missions and deep-sea submersibles, as well as life-support systems from mining operations. This ensures that scientists stationed underwater can work in a relatively comfortable environment for up to 30 days," Li told the Global Times. 

Zhang Xin, a research fellow at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is also involved in the project, told the Global Times that China has two of the most mature submersible technologies, though both are currently limited to short-term ocean operations. The first is the country's manned submersible, exemplified by the Jiaolong, alongside the Discovery, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) aboard China's research vessel KEXUE (Science).

"The manned deep-sea lab represents an advanced solution for submersible technology," Zhang said. 

The breakthrough in deep-sea in-situ long-term manned experimental technology achieved by the cold-seep facility can be applied to the development of various deep-sea habitation equipment in the future, the institute told the Global Times. 

Such technology will also have broad applications in areas such as offshore oil and gas exploration, mining of mineral resources like iron-manganese nodules, underwater engineering construction, and the development and rights protection of resources in the South China Sea's islands and reefs.

The Global Times learnt that during the construction and operation of the facility, a series of other key core technologies will be advanced.

Such as the advancements in ultra-deep, large-scale pressure-resistant structural safety and large-scale titanium alloy processing technology applied by the megaproject will drive the upgrading of equipment across the domestic titanium alloy manufacturing and construction industry chain. This will also improve the guidelines and evaluation criteria for titanium alloy material selection and processing, promoting the establishment of standards for underwater vehicles.

Besides, the deep-water docking and hatch-opening technology used in construction of the facility will break through the current depth limit of 500-700 meters, extending it to 2,000 meters. This will significantly enhance China's maximum operational depth for underwater rescue missions, providing reliable rescue support for future deep-sea manned operations and equipment.

The entire project is expected to take five years to complete. The first four years will focus on engineering design and the physical construction of the facility, while the final year will be dedicated to system testing, equipment calibration, and operational validation through marine trials.

Deep-sea cold seeps were first discovered and identified by American scientists in the Gulf of Mexico in 1983. They refer to the phenomenon where fluids primarily composed of water, hydrocarbons, and hydrogen sulfide seeps from beneath the seafloor. Cold seeps broadly encompass these phenomena, along with the accompanying physical, chemical, and biological processes, as well as the resulting products.

Cold seeps harbor natural gas resources rich in methane, serving as significant global reservoirs of methane and carbon. They also provide critical insights into the functioning of ecosystems and the evolution of life in extreme deep-sea environments. According to available data, over 900 cold seeps have been reported worldwide, with eight currently identified in China—seven in the South China Sea, primarily distributed along the continental shelf margins.