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Methane Hydrates Research Advisory Committee
On May 17th-18th, the Department of Energy (DOE) Methane Hydrates Research Advisory Committee arrived in Woods Hole, MA, for their first meeting after being created by H.R. 1753, the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-193). The group of 11 academic and industry representatives are tasked with (a) preparing a report no later than May 2002 on the global warming aspects of methane hydrates and (b) providing advice to the secretary of DOE on hydrate-related matters. Of the six presentations to the committee at the beginning of their meeting, two were by USGS speakers: Bill Dillon (USGS-WHFC) on problems of seafloor stability related to gas hydrate, and Tim Collett (USGS-Central Energy Resources Team) on resource characterization and results from Mallik Well tests. During the course of the meeting, all participants visited the WHFC Gas Hydrate and Sediment Testing Laboratory Instrument (GHASTLI) for a tour and explanation, ably given by Bill Winters, Bill Waite, and Dave Mason. Participants remaining through Friday afternoon also visited the Woods Hole Oceanographic Fye Chemistry Lab for a tour and description of research. The committee members consisted of Art Johnson (Chair, Chevron), Peter Brewer (MBARI), Richard Charter (Environmental Defense Fund), Gerry Holder (University of Pittsburgh), Steve Holditch (Schlumberger), Miriam Kastner (Scripps), Bill Parrish (Phillips), Harry Roberts (LSU), and Sabrina Watkins (Conoco). Bob Kripowitz (Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy) was the DOE liaison on the Committee. Edie Allison (from Headquarters Fossil Energy) and Brad Tomer (from National Energy Technology Lab) represented the DOE gas hydrates program. A number of other federal and academic observers also participated in the deliberations.
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in this issue:
Global Assessment of Geologically-Sourced Methane Methane Hydrates
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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