Why is Gas Hydrates Research Important?
Naturally occurring gas hydrates represent a major source of untapped energy. It is estimated that more energy resides in gas hydrates than in all of the energy available in existing gas, oil and coal resources. Gas trapped within or below the hydrates structure has the potential to be extracted and utilized just as conventional natural gas resources are today across the globe. The challenge is to develop environmentally safe and economic procedures by which to locate and extract the largest gas accumulations trapped by hydrate structures. Gas hydrates research may also be a key to gaining greater understanding of carbon cycles and an important element in climate change study. Studies of geologic record indicate several past intervals of deep ocean warming, such as the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum 55 million years ago, when immense quantities of carbon suddenly entered the ocean and atmosphere, possibly deriving from a disruption of gas hydrates. Further study is needed to determin
