Gas hydrates (clathrates) in the geosciences -- resource, hazard, and global change
Journal Article
·
· AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)
OSTI ID:5465284
- Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Natural gas hydrates are solid, ice-like substances composed of rigid cages of water molecules that enclose molecules of gas, mainly methane. These substances are sometimes called water clathrates of methane or methane clathrates, but the terms [open quotes]methane hydrates[close quotes] or [open quotes]gas hydrates[close quotes] are most commonly used in the geoscience literature to describe these extensive deposits of solidified water and methane. Natural gas hydrates occur under specific conditions of pressure and temperature, where the supply of methane is sufficient to stabilize the hydrate structure. These conditions are met on Earth in shallow, less than 2000-m-deep sediment of two regions: high latitudes where surface temperatures are very cold, and the deep sea where pressures are very high. Thus, at high latitudes, gas hydrates are found in sediments of continental slopes and rises. The amount of methane present in gas hydrates is thought to be enormous, but estimates are more speculative than real. Nevertheless, at present there has been a convergence of ideas regarding the size of this worldwide reservoir. Today's best guess is that there are about 10[sup 4] Gt (Gigatons = 10[sup 15] g) of methane carbon in gas hydrates. This number translates to about 18 [times] 10[sup 15] m[sup 3] or 6.5 [times] 10[sup 5] tcf of methane. If this number is correct, there is more carbon in gas hydrates than in all known fossil fuel deposits by a factor of perhaps two. The potentially large size of the gas-hydrate reservoir and its shallow depth are two of the principal factors driving research concerning these substances. Such a large reservoir of methane, if it could be harnessed, provides a potential energy source for the future, but probably not until well into the 21st century.
- OSTI ID:
- 5465284
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 77:11; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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