Potential impact on climate of the exploitation of methane hydrate deposits offshore
DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography
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Title |
Potential impact on climate of the exploitation of methane hydrate deposits offshore
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Creator |
Glasby, G.P.
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Subject |
methane
gas hydrates potential energy oil and gas production environmental impact climatology |
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Description |
Considerable attention has focussed on methane hydrates as a potential energy resource but much less on the potential environmental problems of exploiting these deposits. In fact, methane hydrate deposits represent a dynamic system formed as a result of the continuous migration of methane gas along fracture systems. Any exploitation of methane hydrates offshore will perforce take place in these unstable systems and could lead to the large-scale release of CH sub(4) under unfavourable circumstances. However, most of this CH sub(4) would be oxidized to CO sub(2) within the water column under steady-state conditions. Only under exceptional circumstances would large-scale release of CH sub(4) into the atmosphere take place. The impact of exploiting these deposits offshore on global climate may therefore be limited provided serious efforts are made to minimize environmental impacts. At present, prospects for the commercial exploitation of methane hydrates are in their infancy. Considerable ingenuity will be required to satisfy the requirements of safe operating conditions, mitigation of environmental hazards and commercial viability. The need to exercise caution before attempting to exploit these deposits is emphasized
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Date |
2008-07-18T05:45:19Z
2008-07-18T05:45:19Z 2003 |
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Type |
Journal Article
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Identifier |
Marine and Petroleum Geology, Vol.20; 163-175p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/1260 |
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Language |
en
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Rights |
Copyright [2003]. It is tried to respect the rights of the copyright holders to the best of the knowledge. If it is brought to our notice that the rights are violated then the item would be withdrawn.
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Publisher |
Elsevier
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