Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority
Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority
aware of any studies of natural earthquake zones and the location of hydrate deposits. Another participant made the observation that the term slumping as used by Dr. Desa was a little euphemistic because there have been massive failures in some continental margins because of methane hydrates. This participant said that these failures led to the creation of tsunamis. Yet another participant said that it has been estimated that a single methane eruption has the potential to change the composition of the earth’s atmosphere in methane by four (4) per cent. This participant while noting the large amounts of carbon in hydrates spoke about the concerns of the Australian mining industry as they relate to carbon emissions. With regard to hydrate development this participant made the point that since it is the general public that would bear the associated social and economic costs, the information on the potential benefits and risks from developing these resources should be fully brought out. While congratulating Dr. Desa on his statements on bottom simulating reflectors, it was stated by another participant that there are bottom simulating reflectors that are not associated with hydrates. This participant said that the very first BSR that was described by the US Geological Survey in the Bering Sea was not methane related. To this comment, Dr. Desa made the observation that in contrast hydrates could be found with no manifestation of BSR. Another participant noting that Dr. Desa had mentioned glaciation as one of the effects of methane’s release in the atmosphere said that since the glaciation cycle is roughly between 100 to 1000 years. This participant wanted to know why this cycle is not considerably reduced if this effect governed or controlled climate. Dr. Desa responded by stating that the methane released caused an abrupt change in the cycle. With regard to stimulating research funds, one participant recalled that recent drilling by industry in offshore northwest Europe that was directed to looking at BSRs found silicate. This participant said that drilling was to ascertain potential risks in the area and not for the discovery of gas hydrates. This participant stated that this project illustrated how funds could be stimulated from industry for research. INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 570
It was recalled that in Dr. Desa’s closing remarks, he had made a call for some kind of international mechanism to regulate research and exploration for methane hydrates. In this regard, he was asked how much work on hydrates had been conducted in international waters, and whether it would justify the international community to actually consider at this stage making plans to regulate research and exploration activities or whether that could fall within the realm of scientific research. In his response, Dr. Desa said that he had no idea of any work that is being undertaken on hydrates in international waters. It was his belief that almost all work is being conducted in EEZs. He said that his proposal for a global regulatory mechanism is because of the potential dangers from mining this resource. He said that a set of mechanisms or safety procedures for drilling and associated activities would benefit all potential developers because once methane gas is released into the atmosphere control over it is lost. INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 571
- Page 528 and 529: In the 1960's scientists discovered
- Page 530 and 531: Figure 2. Worldwide locations of kn
- Page 532 and 533: methane by bacteria in an anoxic en
- Page 534 and 535: It has been assumed that the struct
- Page 536 and 537: identification of gas hydrate in ma
- Page 538 and 539: ottom simulating reflections (BSR)
- Page 540 and 541: Figure 6: Interpretative plot of hy
- Page 542 and 543: floor have indicated the presence o
- Page 544 and 545: of free gas below the BSR is usuall
- Page 546 and 547: sediment and to provide an indicati
- Page 548 and 549: 6. Harvesting methane hydrates -Som
- Page 550 and 551: deposits can be commercial, even in
- Page 552 and 553: at a catastrophic scale. Some of th
- Page 554 and 555: Figure 8. Development of hydrate re
- Page 556 and 557: This is perhaps due to the percepti
- Page 558 and 559: would provide Japan with methane fo
- Page 560 and 561: NOTES AND REFERENCES 1. E.D. Sloan
- Page 562 and 563: 20. R.F. Meyer (1981), Speculation
- Page 564 and 565: Master Workshop on Gas Hydrates: Re
- Page 566 and 567: 60. M.D. Max and M.J. Cruickshank (
- Page 568 and 569: is that their exploitation might re
- Page 570 and 571: further pointed out that even if on
- Page 572 and 573: Dr. Desa also informed participants
- Page 574 and 575: thickness of the sediments, the thi
- Page 576 and 577: pressure at sea level leads to hydr
- Page 580 and 581: CHAPTER 15 A CASE STUDY IN THE DEVE
- Page 582 and 583: NAMIBIA L W OR CT BOTSWANA SOUTH AF
- Page 584 and 585: The Orange River, one of Africa’s
- Page 586 and 587: formation of a large accretion coar
- Page 588 and 589: The deep-water ore body more closel
- Page 590 and 591: 4. The mineral resource management
- Page 592 and 593: deployed on a MacArtney FOCUS 400 R
- Page 594 and 595: Utilising Jago has made very detail
- Page 596 and 597: Although at first glance the nature
- Page 598 and 599: to levels capable of sustaining sea
- Page 600 and 601: In accordance with De Beers’ over
- Page 602 and 603: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank my many co
- Page 604 and 605: 16. I.B. Corbett (1989), The sedime
- Page 606 and 607: SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION AND DISCUSS
- Page 608 and 609: eroded during regression and transg
- Page 610 and 611: diamond mining business. Dr. Corbet
- Page 612 and 613: technological step, Dr. Corbett sug
- Page 614 and 615: and Ore Reserves (JORC). He also sa
- Page 616 and 617: With another slide, Dr. Corbett sho
- Page 618 and 619: of De Beers’ deepwater operation
- Page 620 and 621: system that allows other functions
- Page 622 and 623: CHAPTER 16 A CASE STUDY IN THE DEVE
- Page 624 and 625: change through heat transport and c
- Page 626 and 627: Main sites of oxygen minimum Flow o
It was recalled that in Dr. Desa’s closing remarks, he had made a<br />
call for some kind of international mechanism to regulate research and<br />
exploration for methane hydrates. In this regard, he was asked how much<br />
work on hydrates had been conducted in international waters, and<br />
whether it would justify the international community to actually consider<br />
at this stage making plans to regulate research and exploration activities or<br />
whether that could fall within the realm of scientific research.<br />
In his response, Dr. Desa said that he had no idea of any work that<br />
is being undertaken on hydrates in international waters. It was his belief<br />
that almost all work is being conducted in EEZs. He said that his proposal<br />
for a global regulatory mechanism is because of the potential dangers from<br />
mining this resource. He said that a set of mechanisms or safety<br />
procedures for drilling and associated activities would benefit all potential<br />
developers because once methane gas is released into the atmosphere<br />
control over it is lost.<br />
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 571
Change language