NSF CRC Project on Gas Hydrates

Methane hydrate burning⁷

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Clathrate hydrates are solid cages of water that form around small gas molecules such as methane, hydrogen, or carbon dioxide when the appropriate conditions are met.  Methane hydrates are of interest as a s potential energy source.  It is estimated that the amount of methane in hydrates is equivalent to twice that of all other fossil fuels combined.¹  It has been hypothesized that methane hydrate dissociation may explain a 4-8°C temperature rise over approximately 10³ years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¹Kvenolden, K.A. in Methane Hydrates:  Resources in the near future?  (Proct. Int. Japan. Natl. Oil comp, Chiba City, Japan, 1998)

²Sloan, E. D.  Nature 2003, 426, 353

³Dickens, G. R., Castillo, M. M., Walker, J. C. Geology 1997, 25, 259

⁴Dickens, O'Neil, J.,  Rea, D.,  Owen, R.  Paleoceanography 1995, 10, 965

⁵Kaiho, K. et. al.  Paleoceanography 1996, 11, 447

⁶C. A. Koh & P. J. Hendra Int. J. Vibr. Spec., [www.ijvs.com] 6, 1, 2 (2002)

⁷Courtsey United States Department of Energy

References

Sample of bromine hydrate made in the Janda lab