On October 25, at the opening ceremony of the Symposium on Li Siguang’s Academic Thought, when Canadian scholar Lu Hailong carefully held up in both hands a red certificate bearing the five gilded characters “Scholar Li Siguang,” he felt both honored and deeply aware of the weighty responsibility that came with it.

　　As the only foreign scholar among the first four “Li Siguang Scholars” selected by the China Geological Survey, Lu Hailong, currently a distinguished professor at the School of Engineering at Peking University, has made significant contributions to the field of natural gas hydrate research. The fact that he was appointed under extremely stringent conditions—conditions that demand highly specialized and scarce talent—serves as strong evidence of his exceptional capabilities and underscores the China Geological Survey’s keen hope that, under his leadership, breakthroughs in natural gas hydrate research will be achieved.

　　His unique experiences have enabled him to accumulate extensive expertise ranging from field surveys to laboratory experiments.

　　Lu Hailong, 51, has spent many years working in the field of geology. In the 1990s, Lu Hailong pursued his doctoral studies at the University of Tokyo. During this time, he participated in Japan’s pioneering projects on gas hydrates and in 1998 became the first person in Japan to earn a doctorate with gas hydrates as his research topic. Although Japan’s research on gas hydrates started relatively late, it quickly rose to world-class standards within just a few years. This experience in Japan laid a solid theoretical foundation for Lu Hailong’s future research and also enabled him to accumulate initial practical experience.

　　After graduation, Lu Hailong worked at institutions including the Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., the Geological Survey of Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, and Peking University. His primary research area remains natural gas hydrates.

　　Lu Hailong’s work covers all aspects of natural gas hydrate research—from the microscopic to the macroscopic level, ranging from the mobility of gas molecules within hydrate cages to the formation and accumulation of natural gas hydrates. In each of these areas, he has achieved groundbreaking research results and made unique discoveries.

　　During his time at the Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., he was involved in extensive project management and was one of the key designers behind the first national natural gas hydrate project plan in Japan. While working in Canada, he also received recognition from Canada’s Department of Natural Resources and the Canadian government for his research on natural gas hydrates.

　　An expert involved in the review told reporters, “Lu Hailong’s unique work experience has enabled him to accumulate extensive expertise—from field surveys of gas hydrates to laboratory experiments. This has also laid a remarkably solid foundation for his innovative work.”

　　Possesses strong capabilities in addressing resource and environmental issues as well as fundamental geological problems.

　　Lu Hailong has extensive fieldwork experience: he participated in the Marmara Sea gas hydrate survey; took part in a shale gas field investigation in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and joined the research team for gas hydrate exploration in the Sea of Japan...

　　The combination of field surveys and laboratory experiments has equipped him with strong capabilities to address resource and environmental issues as well as fundamental geological problems.

　　Throughout his decades-long career in natural gas hydrate research, he has achieved numerous global “firsts.” For example, he developed analytical methods and procedures tailored to different types of natural gas hydrates; he was the first to discover the non-uniform distribution of components in multi-component natural gas hydrates; he was the first to confirm the existence of H-type natural gas hydrates in nature and elucidated their structural, compositional characteristics, and stability conditions; and he was the first in the world to propose the principle and methodology of the “formation fluid extraction method” for pilot exploitation. He also led the technical development of the implementation plan for pilot exploitation of natural gas hydrates in China’s offshore waters.

　　In both microscale experimental research and theoretical approaches, he has developed unique mechanisms for the formation of natural gas hydrates as well as simulation methods for their exploration and utilization. He has also achieved significant insights into both the fundamental and applied research on gas hydrates. Moreover, he independently designed and built pressure vessels for simulating natural gas hydrate experiments, and theoretically elucidated the kinetic properties of hydrogen molecules within hydrate cages. Additionally, he has advanced a method using microbalances to evaluate the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of natural gas hydrate inhibitors.

　　Building on his theoretical research, he also placed great emphasis on translating these findings into practical applications and providing effective services. During field surveys in Japan’s Nankai Trough, Canada’s Mallik, and the Sea of Japan’s gas hydrates, his theories directly facilitated the discovery of gas hydrate samples, and he became one of the first discoverers of gas hydrate samples in Japan’s Nankai Trough. In addition, he participated in the gas hydrate production pilot test in Canada’s Mallik Delta and achieved excellent production results.

　　As a highly sought-after, urgently needed, and scarce high-level talent, Lu Hailong deeply understands the importance of talent.

　　Throughout his geological career, both in theoretical research and field investigations, he has consistently placed great emphasis on talent development. During his time at the National Research Council of Canada, he mentored graduate students from the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, Queen’s University, the University of Ottawa, and Carleton University. He also trained 12 researchers in gas hydrates for institutions including the Indian Oil Corporation, the Colorado School of Mines in the United States, the China Geological Survey, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

　　Upon returning to China, he established a research team on natural gas hydrates at Peking University, comprising more than 20 technical specialists from fields including geochemistry, geology, geophysics, microbiology, mechanics, physics, and numerical simulation of oil and gas production. This team is playing a crucial role in conducting fundamental research on the physical and chemical properties related to the exploration and development of natural gas hydrates.

　　We will prioritize alignment with the national special research program on natural gas hydrates.

　　Lu Hailong is currently a specially appointed expert under the National Thousand Talents Program and also serves as the Chief Scientist at the Key Laboratory of Natural Gas Hydrates (International Research Center) jointly established by the China Geological Survey and Peking University.

　　This laboratory is jointly established by the China Geological Survey and Peking University. Its goal is to meet the strategic needs of China’s natural gas hydrate development, establishing a world-class experimental platform for natural gas hydrates. The laboratory aims to achieve breakthroughs in areas such as the fundamental physical properties and theoretical understanding of natural gas hydrates, resource exploration and evaluation, and development technologies as well as environmental impact assessments, thereby providing technical and theoretical support for China’s natural gas hydrate exploration, pilot production, and commercial development projects.

　　On the one hand, having been engaged for a long time in exploration and experimental research related to gas hydrates, Lu Hailong has a profound understanding of the cutting-edge issues in natural gas hydrate studies. On the other hand, through his long-term, in-depth exchanges and collaborations with domestic institutions researching natural gas hydrates, he also has a good grasp of the pressing challenges that need to be addressed in China’s natural gas hydrate research. With these two strengths combined, Lu Hailong is playing a significant role in advancing both the theoretical research and the development and utilization of natural gas hydrates in China.

　　After being appointed as one of the first “Li Siguang Scholars,” Lu Hailong felt deeply moved: “This is a great honor, but it also comes with considerable pressure.” That pressure will be evident in his future work.

　　Lu Hailong has the following vision for future work: “We will prioritize supporting the national research efforts on natural gas hydrates, promote the exploration and development of domestic natural gas hydrates, and establish a dedicated team to conduct cutting-edge scientific research on issues related to natural gas hydrates.”

　　Its specific contents encompass many aspects. For example, based on a careful assessment of existing production methods, we will develop new approaches for the exploration and development of offshore natural gas hydrates, thereby ensuring the smooth implementation of China’s first pilot extraction of offshore natural gas hydrates. We will also assist in refining China’s methodologies for surveying and evaluating offshore natural gas hydrates; once the survey methods have been finalized, we will conduct targeted surveys of natural gas hydrates in response to specific development needs.

　　In addition, Lu Hailong will lead his team to conduct research on the accumulation characteristics of natural gas hydrates in China’s maritime areas, investigate the relationship between natural gas hydrates and deep-seated oil and gas resources, and carry out experimental studies on the fundamental physical properties of natural gas hydrates.

　　As Lu Hailong stated in his speech after being appointed: “We must carry forward Mr. Li Siguang’s pioneering spirit and scientific ethos, and through innovative breakthroughs, truly harness natural gas hydrates as a viable energy source and make the most of them.”