Analysis of Methane Hydrates as a Future Source of Energy
Open Access
- Author:
- Distanislao, Chad
- Area of Honors:
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Turgay Ertekin, Thesis Supervisor
Turgay Ertekin, Thesis Honors Advisor
Li Li, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- methane hydrates
energy
petroleum
natural gas - Abstract:
- The worldwide demand of natural gas as a clean source of energy is rapidly increasing. By 2035, natural gas is expected to surpass coal as the largest source of energy for electricity generation in the United States. While shale plays are currently producing excessive natural gas in some regions, alternative sources of natural gas will be needed in the future. Methane hydrates have long been considered a possible energy source and are increasingly being investigated as a source of natural gas for the future. Gas hydrates are ice-like crystalline solids that form from mixtures of water and light hydrocarbons like methane, ethane, and butane. Gas hydrates occur worldwide beneath continental shelves and in polar regions beneath the permafrost. Some resource estimates show that the amount of naturally occurring methane hydrates present could meet the world’s energy demand for centuries. However, the methods for safely and economically producing and transporting this gas remain underdeveloped. An analysis of the current state of methane hydrate research is detailed here, while describing the chemical structures, production methods, technological hurdles, environmental impacts, and future projections for development. This report will provide a high-altitude explanation of the current state of methane hydrates as a future source of energy and attempt to outline the road ahead.