【摘要】 天然气水合物是极具潜力的能源资源，具有重要的战略价值，加强对天然气水合物的勘探已成为各国共识。天然气水合物只有在低温高压的条件下才能稳定存在，外部环境的变化极容易导致水合物的分解，从而引发海底甲烷渗漏。因此，研究海底甲烷渗漏事件对于天然气水合物勘探具有重要的理论和实践意义。南海作为西太平洋最大的边缘海，资源丰富，战略地位突出，是研究天然气水合物的天然实验室。甲烷渗漏活动过程的演化，以及甲烷渗漏自生矿物的成因及其与甲烷活动的关系等作为新兴的事件沉积学课题，在部分研究方向上已取得突出进展。本文总结了近年来南海沉积物甲烷渗漏事件研究取得的基本认识，主要包括：(1)甲烷气体的成因和来源；(2)地质学、地球化学和地球物理学等多学科、多指标识别体系；(3)甲烷渗漏通量的时间变化特征及其潜在驱动力，并指出了目前研究的亮点及局限。根据目前的研究进展，笔者提出了未来具有潜力的研究手段和可能的发展方向，同时建议将南海琼东南盆地海马冷泉区作为我国大洋钻探船未来在南海的钻探目标区。更多还原

【Abstract】 Natural gas hydrate is an important energy resource, necessitating strengthening its exploration. Natural gas hydrates exist under conditions of low temperature and high pressure, and changes in the external environment will lead to the decomposition of gas hydrate and seafloor methane seepage. Therefore, it is important to study the seafloor methane seepage. The South China Sea is the largest marginal sea in the Western Pacific and is a natural laboratory for gas hydrate research. The evolution of methane seep activity process, the origin of methane seep authigenic minerals and their relationship with methane activity are emerging issues in the field of event sedimentology, and some research directions have made outstanding progress. This paper summarizes the basic understanding about methane seepage events in the South China Sea in recent years, which includes(1) origin and source of methane,(2) geological, geochemical and geophysical identification of methane seepage,(3) methane flux variation and its controlling mechanism. Based on the current research progress, we propose future research methods and directions of seafloor methane seepage.Meanwhile, we suggest making the seafloor methane seep area in the Qiongdongnan basin of the South China Sea as the potential area for further drilling by China ocean drilling vessel.更多还原