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(tel) 617.253.8027 (fax) 617.253.6385 |
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Oceanic
Methane Hydrates :
An Unconventional Energy Resource
Methane hydrate is an ice-like form of methane and water that is stable at
the pressure and temperature conditions characteristic of permafrost areas
and marine sediments on continental margins. By volume, methane hydrate concentrates
methane by more than 100 times compared to gaseous methane at standard temperature
and pressure. The high concentrations of methane in gas hydrate deposits and
the relative accessibility of gas hydrates render them an attractive target
for exploration for unconventional hydrocarbon resources. The huge potential
size of this energy source has sparked interest from the U.S., Japan, India,
and other countries. The destabilization of methane hydrate deposits may also
exacerbate global warming events and contribute to seafloor collapse or large
submarine landslides.
Our research in gas hydrates includes: (1) ocean drilling and multidisciplinary
oceanographic expeditions that use physical, chemical, and biological measurements
to quantify fluid and energy fluxes in gas hydrate reservoirs; (2) first-principles
numerical modeling to assess hydrate reservoir evolution, sediment clogging
during gas hydrate formation, renewability of hydrate resources, and the impact
of climate and tectonic/sedimentary events; and (3) collaborative laboratory
measurements of the mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, and seismic properties
of silt, sand, and clay sediments containing synthetic gas hydrate.
