Fundamental challenges to methane recovery from gas hydrates

Abstract

The growing use of natural gas, cleanest of all available fossils fuels, is already raising concern regarding the long-term supply of this precious resource. The amount of methane in gas hydrates is much greater than all other presently known sources of methane. This paper describes some fundamental challenges, the location, magnitude, and feasibility of recovery, which must be addressed to recover methane from dispersed hydrate sources. For methane recovery, we briefly describe kinetic models of methane hydrate decomposition for temperature and pressure conditions that mimic in situ methane hydrate stability. We also propose the catalytic role of sediment impurities, if any, in inducing nucleation sites for hydrate formation. The availability of plentiful methane is important to avoid future energy crises, such as that which crippled the world economy three decades ago.

Chemical Recycling of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol and Dimethyl Ether: From Greenhouse Gas to Renewable, Environmentally Carbon Neutral Fuels and Synthetic Hydrocarbons

“…86 Their recovery however is difficult and still a challenge. 87,88 Methane hydrates could also be processed, when CO 2 is available, through bireforming. Other sources such as methane formed by the hydrolysis of aluminum carbide could also be used.…”

“…Their amount is estimated to be significantly higher than all our conventional methane (natural gas) resources . Their recovery however is difficult and still a challenge. , Methane hydrates could also be processed, when CO 2 is available, through bireforming. Other sources such as methane formed by the hydrolysis of aluminum carbide could also be used.…”

Fuels for the future

“…A number of projects that seek to further unlock methane hydrates resources using the previously mentioned approaches are underway (Collett 2001, Servio et al 2003, Taylor and Kwan 2004, Englezos and Lee 2005, Nazridoust and Ahmadi 2007, Rath and Marder 2007, Liang et al 2008). However, whether methane hydrates will indeed be a major source of future fuels is still highly uncertain.…”

“…However, whether methane hydrates will indeed be a major source of future fuels is still highly uncertain. As yet no feasible commercial exploitation strategies have been demonstrated and in case of thermal decomposition it is likely that energy input will be high, possibly exceeding energy in the methane output (Rogner 1997, Servio et al 2003. The same probably holds for the use of microwave irradiation (Liang et al 2008) when the fuel necessary for the generation of input electricity is taken into account.…”