臺灣西南海域為天然氣水合物廣泛分布之區域。天然氣水合物是天然氣分子在高壓低溫之情況下被水分子包合住所形成之冰晶狀物質，由於其含有大量之天然氣， 被視為21世紀之新能源。為了更能掌握探勘好景區的的地下構造以及天然氣水合物賦存系統，利用3維震測探勘調查，可得到清楚的地層影像。上圖為永安海脊好景區3維震測方塊，圖中顯示BSR 密布。BSR 代表含天然氣水合物地層與其下含游離天然氣地層之界面。
Gas hydrate is a solid crystalline material composed of gas molecule enclosed by a cage of water molecules. Among various techniques and proxies used for gas hydrate detection in marine sediment, bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) is the most widely used one. Marine seismic surveys conducted by the Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University have found widely distributed BSRs in the area offshore southwestern Taiwan. Recently developed 3D seismic technique can provide detail images of the sub-seafloor strata and help to delineate the gas hydrate reservoirs offshore southwestern Taiwan.
