Energy Dictionary

methane hydrate crystals

Frozen natural gas crystals in which there are methane molecules trapped within frozen water molecules. One volume of methane hydrate crystal can liberate more than 160 volumes of methane gas, leaving behind less than one volume of water.

200,000 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of methane hydrate crystals are believed to exist in the permafrost region and in the coastal waters around North America, wheras conventional gas resources in the US amount to approximately 1,400 tcf. However an economical process to exploit this vast energy resource is yet to be developed.

The Office of Fossil Energy of the United States government is to undertake a five-year, $44 million methane hydrate research program. Its objective is to devise an appropriate technology that could harness energy from this huge resource. Their goal is to enable commercial production by 2015.

See also:

Fossil fuel