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Proactive disclosure Print version   | |  Gas hydrates - Fuel of the future?
What are Gas Hydrates?
Gas hydrates are ice-like substances composed of water and natural gas that form when gases, (mainly biogenic methane produced by microbial breakdown of organic matter) combine with water at low temperature and high pressure. Gas hydrates represent a very large global reservoir of natural gas and they are estimated to contain more organic carbon than all other known fossil fuel sources combined. They bind immense amounts of methane within sea-floor or Arctic sediments ; the breakdown of a unit volume of methane hydrate at a pressure of one atmosphere produces about 160 unit volumes of gas. The worldwide amount of methane in gas hydrates is considered to contain at least 1x104 gigatons of carbon in a very conservative estimate. This is about twice the amount of carbon held in all fossil fuels on earth. Gas hydrates exist under large portions of the world's Arctic areas and on deep sea continental slopes in water depths greater than about 600m. All three Canadian continental margins contain gas hydrates. The Mackenzie River delta, in the NWT, contains some of the most concentrated deposits in the world. A number of other countries such as Russia, the United States, India, Japan and China also have substantial marine gas hydrate deposits.
Why is this work important? Gas hydrates research will lead to a better understanding of the links between gas hydrates and the huge volumes of carbon tied up in them. It will also help us understand its effects, or potential effects on how gas hydrates contribute to climate and climate change. Furthermore, studying the links between gas hydrates and sea floor slope instability will lead to better risk analysis of the potential for underwater land slides and their possible impact on offshore infrastructures and coastal communities. If appropriate recovery technologies are developed, gas hydrates could become a new 'clean' energy source and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. This would help Canada meet its commitments under the Kyoto Accord. About the Program NRCan has been actively involved in international gas hydrate research since 1985. The Gas Hydrates program of NRCan is working with many national and international partners to quantify the distribution and properties of Canada's marine and terrestrial gas hydrates. NRCan experts are also contributing to improving gas hydrate exploration techniques and to finding economically viable and environmentally responsible extraction and production methods. The program is also assessing the possible environmental issues posed by gas hydrates and associated geohazards. Program outcomes are achieved by three scientific projects that produce key scientific outputs resulting from specific activities. The terrestrial GH project studies terrestrial gas hydrates in permafrost regions including the Mallik research wells. Marine gas hydrate studies, including NRCan contributions to the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, occur on Canada's Atlantic and Pacific margins. Laboratory and modeling studies are performed at the Pacific Geoscience Centre in Sidney British Columbia. For more information about the Gas Hydrates Program at Natural Resources Canada, contact Program Manager Kirk Osadetz.
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