Posted on 06/07/2008 10:37:38 AM PDT by usa_losangeles
AOMORI, Japan, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Japan and the United States agreed on Saturday to conduct cooperation on joint development of methane hydrates, a promising alternative energy.
The agreement was signed by Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari and U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the five-party meeting of energy ministers of China, Japan, India, South Korea and the United States.
According to the agreement effective for three years, Japan and the United States will enhance the understanding of, and accelerate research into, the geologic occurrence, distribution, exploration and production of methane hydrates.
The two sides agreed to exchange scientific personnel and technical information, and have extensive research with respect to methane hydrate exploration and resource assessment.
The agreement enjoyed good timing as crude oil price rocketed to new record high the night before.
Field testing of the production capability of Alaskan North Slope hydrate reservoirs will be carried out under the agreement, Japanese officials said.
The two sides believed that their cooperation over methane hydrates carries far-reaching significance.
Methane Hydrate boil to the top
What, no oil! But we can take hydrates from Alaska’s North slope. Lunacy.
The first shovel full of ocean bottom will result in shrieking enviro-whackos shutting down the whole process.
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