Who needs oil? When you have Ice. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

tecoyah · 04-18-2004, 03:36 AM

Interesting possibilities, or just another reason to mess up the Arctic?

R&D
Fire From Ice
By Alex Stone
DISCOVER Vol. 25 No. 05 | May 2004 | Environment

Gas hydrates, icelike deposits of methane locked away in permafrost and buried at the ocean bottom, may pose a threat to our climate (see Discover, March 2004). Then again, they may also prove a valuable fuel resource. In 2002 an international team of scientists began drilling into the frozen Mallik Gas Hydrate Field in Canada’s Northwest Territories to explore this second possibility. By heating and jostling the permafrost, the researchers have now managed to extract significant amounts of methane—the primary component of natural gas—from the field. “Everyone believed it was possible, but this is the first time it has ever been done in a controlled environment,” says Tim Collett, a chief scientist of the Mallik Project.

Courtesy of the Mallik Project

Richard’s Island in northern Canada, site of the Mallik research well, has one of the highest concentrations of gas hydrates.

Within a couple of years, Collett and his colleagues plan to try developing hydrates as a usable resource. This spring, the Japanese National Oil Company, one of the partners in the Mallik Project, will also begin its own hydrate-drilling project off the coast of Japan. Collett notes that natural gas consumption is soon likely to exceed production in the, the world’s second-largest supplier. Gas hydrates, which are found all around the globe, could easily make up the shortfall. Recent estimates indicate that just 1 percent of Earth’s hydrate deposits could yield enough natural gas to meet American needs for 170,000 years at current rates.

Supple Cow · 04-26-2004, 07:12 PM

Methane locked away in permafrost? Turning it into a usable resource - maybe. Turning it into a sustainable resource - somehow I doubt it. Wouldn't that mean _actively_ trying to melt an icecap? Unless I'm misunderstanding this process, we would all have to get used to some massive climate change in the next decade or so. Sheesh. Why do we even bother with things like the Kyoto Protocol? If this is another plot to exploit the arctic circle, I'd say that this is an especially stupid way to do it.

04-18-2004, 03:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
tecoyah Illusionary	Who needs oil? When you have Ice. Interesting possibilities, or just another reason to mess up the Arctic? R&D Fire From Ice By Alex Stone DISCOVER Vol. 25 No. 05 \| May 2004 \| Environment Gas hydrates, icelike deposits of methane locked away in permafrost and buried at the ocean bottom, may pose a threat to our climate (see Discover, March 2004). Then again, they may also prove a valuable fuel resource. In 2002 an international team of scientists began drilling into the frozen Mallik Gas Hydrate Field in Canada’s Northwest Territories to explore this second possibility. By heating and jostling the permafrost, the researchers have now managed to extract significant amounts of methane—the primary component of natural gas—from the field. “Everyone believed it was possible, but this is the first time it has ever been done in a controlled environment,” says Tim Collett, a chief scientist of the Mallik Project. Courtesy of the Mallik Project Richard’s Island in northern Canada, site of the Mallik research well, has one of the highest concentrations of gas hydrates. Within a couple of years, Collett and his colleagues plan to try developing hydrates as a usable resource. This spring, the Japanese National Oil Company, one of the partners in the Mallik Project, will also begin its own hydrate-drilling project off the coast of Japan. Collett notes that natural gas consumption is soon likely to exceed production in the, the world’s second-largest supplier. Gas hydrates, which are found all around the globe, could easily make up the shortfall. Recent estimates indicate that just 1 percent of Earth’s hydrate deposits could yield enough natural gas to meet American needs for 170,000 years at current rates. __________________ Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

04-26-2004, 07:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Supple Cow Americow, the Beautiful Location: Washington, D.C.	Methane locked away in permafrost? Turning it into a usable resource - maybe. Turning it into a sustainable resource - somehow I doubt it. Wouldn't that mean _actively_ trying to melt an icecap? Unless I'm misunderstanding this process, we would all have to get used to some massive climate change in the next decade or so. Sheesh. Why do we even bother with things like the Kyoto Protocol? If this is another plot to exploit the arctic circle, I'd say that this is an especially stupid way to do it. __________________ "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." (Michael Jordan)