Since the late 1960s, researchers have found methane-rich gas
hydrates in sediments of the deep ocean and beneath permafrost
regions.
It is not easy to ascertain the volume of methane hydrate deposits. It
is extremely difficult to assess the quantum of deposits in
Antarctica and polar regions. As per a 2013 estimation, the methane
deposit in methane hydrates will be double the volume of natural gas
resources. There are claims that these deposits can be much more than
this estimation. If this methane gas can be extracted on commercial
basis, it will be tomorrow’s gas fuels. But how far is that tomorrow is
the big question. In India, it is estimated that there will be 1894
million, million, cubic meter of gas deposit in west, east and
Andaman seas.
But the climate change and global warming pose frightening threat
about methane hydrate. The methane hydrate is stable only at low
temperature. If the temperature of sea rises, then the methane hydrate
in stability zone, will disintegrate and release methane. The microbes
in sea water will oxidize majority of the methane gas. But some
methane will reach atmosphere as bubbles. Methane gas is of high
greenhouse effect, more than 20 times than carbon dioxide. The
carbon dioxide released due to oxidation of methane gas will dissolve
in water and will increase the alkyne nature of water. This will badly
affect the biodiversity of oceans.
Though we see methane hydrate as the future source of fuel, the threat
posed in the light of global warming is alarming.
Translated by Joseph Philip
Friends of Scientifica,
October
2016