Posted on 02/05/2010 5:14:58 AM PST by thackney
A landmark U.S. study that examines the "potentially enormous" global storehouse of methane hydrate -- an icebound form of natural gas found largely in Arctic perma frost and seabed deposits -- has highlighted a Canadian site as one of the world's most important sources of the powerful but elusive fuel.
The report, released this week by the U.S. National Research Council, summarizes the promising research conducted over the past three years at the Mallik methane hydrate site in the Mackenzie Delta near Inuvik, N.W.T., about 1,200 kilometres north of Whitehorse.
While the full results of the experimental tapping of the Mallik resource "remain confidential at this time," the report states, extraction efforts "demonstrated sustained methane production" and generated "continuous gas flow" during tests, with "rates generally ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 cubic metres per day."
The Mackenzie Delta site, which has been extensively studied by the report's Canadian co-author, Scott Dallimore, a B.C.-based researcher with the Geological Survey of Canada, is now described as "the best-evaluated methane hydrate deposit in the world."
Interest in exploiting the frozen hydrocarbon has been stoked in recent years by soaring oil prices and forecasts of dwindling supplies of conventional petroleum resources.
Some estimates peg the global resource of methane hydrate at as much as 10 times the known supply of recoverable, conventional natural gas. The record retreat of Arctic sea ice over the past few summers has also turned attention toward northern oil and gas resources and the looming possibility of year-round navigation through polar waters formerly blocked by impenetrable, multi-year ice.
"The existence of such a large and as-yet untapped methane hydrate resource has provided a strong global-research incentive to determine how methane from methane hydrate might be produced as a technically safe, environmentally compatible, and economically competitive energy resource," states the U.S. report.
"Although the scientific, engineering, and environmental questions associated with exploration and potential commercial production of methane from methane hydrate are challenging," the study acknowledges, "research programs around the world, including (in) the United States, have made recent, substantial progress in understanding the behaviour and extent of the resource, and in performing drilling and production tests to extract methane from it."
Japan and South Korea are at forefront of methane-hydrate research, and a Japanese energy firm has been a key player in the tests being performed at the Mallik site.
Scientists around the world are still trying to develop reliable, sustainable and cost-e ffective methods of capturing the methane gas once it's unlocked from its icy medium. Unless the released methane is carefully contained to be used as fuel, it can escape into the atmosphere and create a greenhouse effect 20 times more powerful than similar amounts of carbon dioxide.
In 2008, following a successful round of experiments at the Mallik test site, Dallimore told The Northern News Service that exploiting the potential resource won't be possible until researchers fully address "environmental issues, including the processes controlling methane release in the natural environment."
Still, the U.S. report states that methane "has emerged as a central piece in planning and implementing the nation's transition to a future with cleaner, more efficient energy use."
Last January, just before leaving office, former U.S. president George W. Bush issued a sweeping White House directive on Arctic issues that highlighted the potential importance of methane hydrate as a future energy source for the country.
"Defining with certainty the area of the Arctic seabed and subsoil in which the United States may exercise its sovereign rights over natural resources such as oil, natural gas, methane hydrates, minerals and living marine species is critical to our national interests in energy security, resource management, and environmental protection," the directive stated.
Realizing the Energy Potential of Methane Hydrate for the United States (2010)
http://dels.nas.edu/dels/viewreport.cgi?id=6150
PDF of the original report available at the link above.
I’d have bet on DC being a giant source of methane.
But what about those starving caribou? We couldn’t possible drill/mine there. It will damage their environment.
Or what about the majestic moose?
OK, Team. By Post #25, I want 50 reasons why the Canucks should not be allowed to tap this natural resource. Ready, Go!!
Beat me to it.
Silly. We can’t possibly use it because of threat of Globull Warming. / sarc
Not to mention the cheese.
#2 Sierra Club won't allow it.
#3 A rare and elusive mouse that emits methane would be affected by the extraction.
we have a huge source of Natural Gas right here in the US...centered in PA and extending into surrounding states....
here in NY our Dhimmbulbocrat pols have stoped future drilling because we may polute our pristene underground...the dirt worshipers want us broke....and NY state is also broke....what a bunch of tools.
No, the Alaska Season of Ice Road Truckers did not involve these activities, at least not that I caught and I tried to watch them all. Most all of it involved the existing oil fields and the under construction Qannik field, expansion of CD2 of the Alpine Gathering system. (I was on the design team for some of that facility so I watched for that one in particular). There was also some others.
I cannot say for certain nothing on any truck when to the Alaska test field. But the first test well I am aware of was winter 2006-2007. The Alaska IRT season was recorded the following year, I believe.
North Slope gas hydrate well hits target
http://www.petroleumnews.com/pnads/608307478.shtml
BP-operated Mount Elbert well confirms presence of gas hydrate accumulation and enables coring and testing of gas hydrate zone
February 25, 2007
Weren’t we all supposed to quit eating meat because methane was destroying the planet? How dare ‘mother nature’ store it so we can ‘man make’ it.
Same thing I was thinking. Glad I read your comment before typing.
I believe I said 2 seasons ago...
Elusive??? Seems to me pretty much about a daily phenomenon for there to be an announcement of another major natgas find.
I'm beginning to come to the conclusion that we need to switch the economy over to natgas, for both electricity generation AND for transportation.
Moose is quite tasty if properly prepared.....
Yes. That was the year they changed from Canada to Alaska.
Producing Methane Hydrates (economically) remains elusive.
Whew! My sanity thanks you! :)
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