frozen methane

[happythoughts 0]

clicky

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Scientists have discovered an undersea deposit of frozen methane just off the Southern California coast, but whether it can be harnessed as a potential energy source is unknown.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in tapping methane hydrates, ice-like crystals that form at low temperatures and high pressure in seabeds and in Arctic permafrost.

Scientists estimate that the methane trapped in previously known frozen reservoirs around the globe could power the world for centuries. But finding the technology to mine such deposits has proved elusive.

The newly discovered deposit, believed to be substantial in size, was found about 15 miles off the coast at a depth of about 2,600 feet, at the summit of an undersea mud volcano. Scientists were conducting an unrelated study when they came across the volcano, which sits on top of an active fault zone in the Santa Monica Basin.

What are the road blocks to using this stuff?
The obvious one is that it is frozen.

"...power the world for centuries"
That sounds good.

[akarunway 1]

Smells like SHIT

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[happythoughts 0]

I thought about that. Can you imagine the interstate hwy at rush hour ?

[Andy9o8 2]

There's an action-adventure novel called "Fire Ice" by Clive Cussler that's based upon that premise. Not a stellar read, but solidly-enough entertaining that it kept me occupied on a long Amtrak ride a couple of years ago.

[kallend 2,148]

Quote

clicky

Quote

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Scientists have discovered an undersea deposit of frozen methane just off the Southern California coast, but whether it can be harnessed as a potential energy source is unknown.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in tapping methane hydrates, ice-like crystals that form at low temperatures and high pressure in seabeds and in Arctic permafrost.

Scientists estimate that the methane trapped in previously known frozen reservoirs around the globe could power the world for centuries. But finding the technology to mine such deposits has proved elusive.

The newly discovered deposit, believed to be substantial in size, was found about 15 miles off the coast at a depth of about 2,600 feet, at the summit of an undersea mud volcano. Scientists were conducting an unrelated study when they came across the volcano, which sits on top of an active fault zone in the Santa Monica Basin.

What are the road blocks to using this stuff?
The obvious one is that it is frozen.

"...power the world for centuries"
That sounds good.

It's not actually frozen. The gas molecules are trapped inside bigger "cage" molecules. So serious chemistry has to be performed to release the gas. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clathrate

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"The obvious one is that it is frozen. "
And wet.
Wet gas causes all sorts of problems once it is brought to the surface, its expensive to extract but not impossible. Hydrate formation pipework can wreck the process train if its not fully understood, every time you let the pressure down, such as flowing the gas through a chirtmas tree choke, the temperature will drop due to the Joules Thomson effect, any moisture will solidify and you have rock hard lumps flying around the process plant.
Quite often when you have wet gas it is also sour, that is, highly corrosive, and probably high in hydrogen sulphide, which is quite nasty stuff to deal with as well.

So not impossible to deal with, but expensive.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[tcnelson 1]

methane is actually odorless. so are the other low molecular weight hydrocarbons like ethane and propane and butane. industry adds sulfur compounds to make them smell so that leaks can be easily detected before explosions or health problems occur.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[akarunway 1]

Quote

methane is actually odorless. so are the other low molecular weight hydrocarbons like ethane and propane and butane. industry adds sulfur compounds to make them smell so that leaks can be easily detected before explosions or health problems occur.

You forgot acetylene and others. It was a joke. Been working w/ those gases all my life___________________________________________________

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

So not impossible to deal with, but expensive.

The oil industry is posting excellent profits this quarter.

I would imagine that those kinds of profits would be a motivator to the person(s) who could rdevelop that process.

The people that could come up with a good method to extract it would become wealthy beyond anyones dreams.