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A GLOBAL OUTLOOK ON METHANE GAS HYDRATES
9
source of greenhouse gas for a world with ever-increasing
energy demands and rising carbon emissions. Even if no
more than a small subset of the global resource is accessible
through existing technologies, that portion still represents
a very large quantity of gas. The accessible subset could in-
clude highly concentrated gas hydrate accumulations in loca-
tions where conventional hydrocarbon production is already
planned or underway, and more diffuse deposits in areas
with strong societal motivations for developing domestic en-
ergy resources. To date, a few short-term, pilot-scale methane
production tests have been conducted in research wells. The
results suggest that larger-scale exploitation may be feasible,
but no commercial gas hydrate production has yet occurred.
Several nations, however, are currently researching the en-
ergy potential of gas hydrates (Fig. I.3). Recent detailed as-
sessments of the energy potential of methane-gas hydrates
concluded that there are no anticipated technical roadblocks
to producing gas from hydrate deposits (Expert Panel on Gas
Hydrates 2008; Committee on Assessment of the Depart-
ment of Energy’s Methane Hydrate Research and Develop-
ment Program 2010).
Ultimately, a combination of technological advances and fa-
vourable global/regional market conditions could make gas
hydrate production economically viable. Therefore, Volume
2 provides a summary of gas-hydrate-based, energy-related
information useful in evaluating future energy resource op-
tions. Topics addressed in Volume 2 include a review of likely
future trends in energy supply, a characterization of prospec-
tive gas hydrate resources, technologies for exploration and
development, and the potential environmental, economic,
and social implications of gas hydrate production.