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A GLOBAL OUTLOOK ON METHANE GAS HYDRATES
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cipal issues are likely to include hazard mitigation, disrup-
tion of sensitive ecosystems, and the cumulative impacts of
development. Development will likely occur both in areas
with established energy production infrastructure, regulatory
frameworks, and public acceptance, as well as in areas with-
out these advantages. Careful attention to safety standards
and regulation will be critical, as will efforts to minimize any
negative societal and environmental impacts of development.
It is noteworthy that gas hydrates are generally located at
shallower depths than most currently producing gas reser-
voirs. In marine setting this shallow depth and the associat-
ed lack of consolidation of the host strata mean a heightened
potential for seafloor subsidence. As a result, this potential
impact is being considered closely in initial field research
and development programs (Rutqvist and Moridis, 2009;
Arata
et al.
2011).
Finally, while the rates and economic costs of gas hydrate
production can be studied, environmental implications
may be harder to estimate. Science has yet to understand
fully the socio-ecological impacts of extracting gas hydrates.
However, the advantages and consequences of these actions
must be understood and considered before moving for-
ward. Assessment of the net social cost or benefit of these
consequences must supplement purely economic analyses
of gas hydrate feasibility.
1.5.4
SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS
As science and industry work to find new sources of energy,
it is important to understand the societal implications of de-
veloping potential resources. The size of the resource, its eco-
nomic viability, and its environmental impacts all play roles
in determining the true value of gas hydrates to society.
The potential positive social impacts of gas hydrate exploita-
tion include improved living standards and enhanced safety
and security in both developed and developing countries. In
developing countries especially, increased local natural gas
exploitation has the potential to improve infrastructure for
electrification and all domestic needs. The potential bene-
fits of responsibly-managed gas hydrate operations include
increased local employment, the transfer of technical and
commercial skills, the development of local capacity, and a
share in fiscal revenues at the local level.