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Environmental
Research of Gas Hydrates
Gas Hydrates, ice cubes that burn, have
been long been of interest and concern to the Minerals Management
Service. Stable under a variety of temperatures and pressures, these odd
minerals have been noted in many of the areas of the outer continental
shelf including the Blake Escarpment in the Atlantic Ocean, Green Canyon
in the Gulf of Mexico, and Prudoe Bay of the Alaskan North Slope.5,
6, 9 Early research focused on the
potential for hydrate areas to have unstable sediments that could be
hazardous to drilling operations.3, 4,
7 Research to study deepwater benthos in the mid 1980’s
discovered clams and worms that lived in chemosynthetic communities
associated with gas and hydrothermal vents.
While this research initially
seemed unrelated to gas hydrates, subsequent research to learn more
about these benthic creatures in 1997 discovered a new species of
polychaete worm, fondly known as "ice worms," that actually live on the
outcrops of frozen methane hydrates that occur in deepwater areas of the
Gulf of Mexico. This curious symbiotic relationship created a natural
link between MMS resource evaluation efforts to understand the effects
of hydrates on geophysical data and environmental efforts to better
understand the benthic habitat of the ice worms. High positive-amplitude
seafloor echoes from geophysical records appear to be good indicators of
the potential for outcropping gas hydrates and may help to identify
areas of sensitive biological fauna.10
An MMS review "Oceanic Gas Hydrate
Research and Activities Review" noted the following: "Gas hydrates are
ice-like crystalline structures of water that form 'cages' that trap low
molecular weight gas molecules, especially methane. Gas hydrates have
recently attracted international attention from government and
scientific communities. This document outlines the major issues
surrounding gas hydrates, research initiatives that are underway around
the world, and the potential information needs of and the role that
Minerals Management Service (MMS) may play in future activities. Gas
hydrate interests are multifaceted and intertwined. The major issues can
be divided into three categories: 1) Safety Hazards, 2) Energy Resource,
and 3) Environmental."1 MMS is currently involved with
studying hydrates from each of these perspectives to fullfill the
responsibilities of the OCS Lands Act to develop marine energy and
mineral resources in an environmentally sound manner.
Bibliography & Selected References: |
1 |
Oceanic Gas Hydrate Research and Activities Review.
Boatman, M.C. and Peterson, J., 2000. US DOI, Minerals
Management Service OCS Report MMS 2000-017 |
2 |
Diving on ‘Bush Hill’. Boland, Gregory; 2000,
People, Land & Water, US DOI. p. 32 |
3 |
Coincident Sediment Slump/Clathrate Complexes on the U.S.
Atlantic Continental Slope. Carpenter, G., 1981.
Geo-Marine Letters, 1:29-32 |
4 |
Carpenter, G.B.,
1981, Potential geologic hazards and constraints for blocks
in Proposed South Atlantic OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 56:
U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 81-019, p. 325 |
5 |
Han-Padron
Associates, 1985,
Beaufort Sea Petroleum Technology Assessment.
U.S. Department Of The Interior Technical Report No. 112
Contract No. 14-12-0001-30154, OCS Study MMS 85-0002
Summary |
6 |
MacDonald, Ian
R. (ed.), 1992,
Northern Gulf of Mexico Chemosynthetic Ecosystems Study
Literature Review and Data Synthesis Volume III:
Appendix, OCS Study MMS 92-0035, Prepared under MMS Contract
14-35-0001-30555 by Texas A&M University Texas A&M Research
Foundation College Station, Texas |
7 |
McCarthy, J.C.,
Clingan, R.S., and Roberts, J.W., 1980, Potential geologic
hazards and constraints for blocks in South Atlantic OCS Oil
and Gas Lease Sale 43: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File
Report 80-866a, p. 41 |
8 |
Subsea Permafrost in Harrison Bay, Alaska: An
Interpretation from Seismic Data. Neave, K.G. and
Sellmann, P.V.; 1982, U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and
Engineering Laboratory; CRREL Report 82-24 |
9 |
Environmental Geologic Studies on the Southeastern Atlantic
Outer Continental Shelf. Popenoe, Peter (ed.), 1981,
1977-1978 Final report submitted to the U.S. BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT under Memorandum of Understanding AA551-ML18-13,
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81- 582 -A |
10 |
Seismic Surveys Pinpoint Chemosynthetic Communities on Gulf
of Mexico Seafloor; 2000, Diving on ‘Bush Hill’;
People, Land & Water, US DOI. pp. 32-33. |
11 |
Monitoring the Physical and Chemical Conditions Affecting
the Hydrocarbon System Within the Hydrate Stability Zone of
the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Woolsey, J.R.; 2000,
presented at the Minerals Management Service Information
Transfer Meeting |
Last Updated:
01/29/2009,
05:26 PM
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