I would like to thank you, Admiral Watkins and Chairman Bob Gagosian [Ga GO Shian], for the invitation to address distinguished leaders from oceanographic institutions across the country. I would also like to recognize my compatriot, Dean Barry Raleigh, from the University of Hawai'i. [School Ocean & Earth Sciences and Technology, Univ. of Hawaii]

I commend CORE for its leadership on ocean research & technology, and on its ocean education initiatives, bringing greater insight about marine sciences to teachers and students across the U.S.

During my tenure on the Senate Energy Committee, I have given significant attention to marine resources, especially research on mineral and energy development. My latest venture in this area is legislation to promote methane hydrates research and development.

Conversations with the ocean science community led me to the conclusion that fundamental research on methane hydrates is urgently needed. That is why I introduced S. 330, the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act. S. 330 will serve the long-term goal of developing a new energy supply as well as near-term goals of increased safety and recovery of conventional oil and gas. This bill will also significantly advance the science of global climate change. Senators Lott, Graham, Craig and Landrieu joined me as cosponsors of the bill.

It is hard to imagine that so little is known about something so abundant as methane hydrates. The resource is so large that we measure it in gigatons and trillions of cubic feet. The characteristic of methane hydrates that intrigues me most is its tremendous gas storage capacity: one volume of methane hydrate will expand to more than 160 volumes of methane under normal temperature and pressure. Yet, our understanding of these deposits, their location, and their potential as a commercial resource is surprisingly limited. In the years ahead, I hope that CORE institutions will dramatically improve our knowledge of methane hydrates.

Significant, widespread deposits of gas hydrates have been detected, but not characterized, all over the globe. In the United States, on-shore Arctic deposits are found in Alaska. Deep sea methane hydrate deposits are the most abundant source of methane, occurring at depths greater than 300 meters. Marine geologists have identified large deposits off the coasts of Alaska, Louisiana, Texas, New Jersey, Oregon and North and South Carolina.

Worldwide, the amount of methane trapped in gas hydrate form is estimated to be 10,000 gigatons -- twice the carbon found in all other fossil fuels and 3,000 times the amount of methane present in the atmosphere. THAT'S A LOT OF GAS! Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey estimate that 320,000 trillion cubic feet of natural gas exists in methane hydrate form in the U.S. -- a staggering resource. The question is: can we safely and economically recover it? I hope that marine scientists at your institutions can help answer that question.

Natural gas from hydrates will never be realized without a serious methane hydrates research program. But the United States lags far behind other nations that have launched aggressive R & D programs to explore methane hydrates. Japan and India are believed to have methane hydrate research budgets that approach $50 million each. Some assert that Japanese commercial production is only a decade away. In the face of dwindling energy resources and increased reliance on energy imports, the United States cannot afford to miss this important opportunity.

Unfortunately, the Department of Energy budgeted only $500,000 for methane hydrates in fiscal year 1999. The Department is requesting $2 million for fiscal year 2000. It's impossible to have a meaningful research program with a budget so small.

S. 330 will authorize a broad research and development program to answer many profound questions about methane hydrates. Even if we never produce a BTU of methane from hydrates, we need answers to many fundamental questions about this resource.

My bill establishes a modest research and development program with a potential payback that far exceeds the dollars we invest. It directs the Secretary of Energy to facilitate and develop partnerships among government, industry, and institutions of higher education to research and assess methane hydrate resources. The Secretary is authorized to award grants or contracts, or enter in cooperative agreements, with institutions such as those represented in this room. The bill requires close consultation with the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the National Science Foundation. I believe that the importance of this research demands that we transcend the institutional bias of individual departments and agencies, and establish genuine, sustained, multi-agency collaboration.

Methane hydrates present a research and development opportunity from which the entire public can benefit, through a partnership between federal energy programs and academic institutions. We need to characterize the energy potential and risks, overcome obstacles to conventional oil and gas development,

and determine any role in release of methane and accumulation of greenhouse gases. A great deal of R&D is needed.

I firmly believe that methane hydrates research has great promise, and I was disappointed that Congress did not enact this measure last year. Although we passed my bill in the Senate and a hearing was held in the House, the Science Committee failed to consider a bill before adjournment.

I hope things will be different this year, and that's where you can help. Please excuse me if this sounds like a commercial advertisement, but the most significant thing that the oceanographic community can do to advance this legislation is to encourage the House Science Committee to introduce a companion to S. 330. I invite the membership of CORE to seriously examine this bill and establish a role in this research initiative for the organizations you represent.

My bill is scheduled to be marked up by the Energy Committee this Thursday. As the bill advances to the Senate floor, I pledge to work with you and consider your ideas so that we can enact methane hydrates legislation this Congress. I want Congress to produce a bill that enjoys your strong support.

Thank you.