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Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

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Abstract<br />

CHAPTER 14<br />

SUBMARINE METHANE HYDRATES - POTENTIAL FUEL<br />

RESOURCE OF THE 21 ST CENTURY<br />

Erhlich Desa, Director, National Institute of Oceanography<br />

Dona Paula, Republic of India<br />

Natural methane hydrates, which have a potential of being an<br />

alternate fuel resource, are known to occur worldwide in the sediments of<br />

the continental margins and in the Polar Regions in association with<br />

permafrost. Methane hydrates, composed of water and gas molecules are<br />

ice-like crystalline solids, which are thermodynamically stable within a<br />

limited range of pressure and temperature. The global amount of carbon<br />

stored in methane hydrates is estimated to be about 10000 Gigatons, which<br />

is nearly double the amount of carbon stored in all known fossil fuel<br />

deposits. The presence of methane hydrates within the sediments can<br />

largely be detected through geophysical techniques and by nongeophysical<br />

proxies. Though harvesting of methane hydrates has not been<br />

initiated to date, but some ideas have been conceived for the production of<br />

methane from hydrates and its transportation to shore. Apart from being<br />

an abundant fuel resource, methane hydrates are also a matter of concern,<br />

as destabilization of sub-sea- bed methane hydrates can cause geological<br />

hazards and/or release of methane- a powerful green house gas- to the<br />

atmosphere. Research on the methane hydrate system may also lead to<br />

the development of useful downstream technologies: such as, desalination<br />

of seawater, and sequestering of exhaust-generated carbon dioxide in the<br />

deep seabed. The paper visits various aspects of methane hydrate and<br />

proposes the need for evolving regulations for their safe prospecting and<br />

future exploitation.<br />

1. Introduction<br />

Throughout the 20th century, the demand for hydrocarbon-based<br />

fuel has been increasing rapidly. To meet this ever-increasing demand,<br />

exploration and exploitation of the vast resources of conventional oil and<br />

gas has been keeping pace. These resources however are not renewable,<br />

INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 517

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