Methane hydrate is a cage-like lattice of ice inside of which are trapped molecules of methane,  the chief constituent of natural gas. If methane hydrate is either warmed or depressurized, it will revert back to water and natural gas. When brought to the earth's surface, one cubic meter of gas hydrate releases 164 cubic meters of natural gas. Hydrate deposits may be several hundred meters thick and generally occur in two types of settings: under Arctic permafrost, and beneath the ocean floor. Methane that forms hydrate can be both biogenic, created by biological activity in sediments, and thermogenic, created by geological processes deeper within the earth.

MORE INFO DOE FY2008 Methane Hydrate Program Report to Congress [363KB PDF] Overview of Methane Hydrate: Future Energy Within Our Grasp [1.65MB PDF] An Interagency Roadmap for Methane Hydrate R&D [2.17MB PDF] An Interagency Five-Year Plan for Methane Hydrate R&D FY2007-2011 [426KB PDF] Methane Hydrate R&D Act [18KB PDF]

While global estimates vary considerably, the energy content of methane occurring in hydrate form is immense, possibly exceeding the combined energy content of all other known fossil fuels. However, future production volumes are speculative because methane production from hydrate has not been documented beyond small-scale field experiments. 

The U.S. R&D program is focused on the two major technical constraints to production: 1) the need to detect and quantify methane hydrate deposits prior to drilling, and 2) the demonstration of methane production from hydrate at commercial volumes.  Recent and planned research and field trials should answer these two issues.

In recent field tests, researchers have demonstrated the capability to predict the location and concentration of methane hydrate deposits using reprocessed conventional 3-D seismic data, and new techniques, including multi-component seismic, are being tested.  Modeling of small-volume production tests in the U.S. and Canadian Arctic suggest that commercial production is possible using depressurization and thermal stimulation from conventional wellbores. Large-scale production tests are planned in the Canadian Arctic in the winter of 2008 and in the U.S. Arctic in the following year. 

MORE INFO Alaska North Slope Test Well

Demonstration of production from offshore deposits will lag behind Arctic studies by three to five years, because marine deposits are less well documented, and marine sampling and well tests are significantly more expensive. 

Why We Need Methane From Hydrate

Natural gas is an important energy source for the U.S. economy, providing almost 23 percent of all energy used in our Nation's diverse energy portfolio. A reliable and efficient energy source, natural gas is also the least carbon-intensive of the fossil fuels.

Historically, the United States has produced much of the natural gas it has consumed, with the balance imported from Canada through pipelines. According to EIA, total U.S. natural gas consumption is expected to increase from about 22 trillion cubic feet today to 26 trillion cubic feet in 2030- a projected jump of more than 18 percent.

Production of domestic conventional and unconventional natural gas cannot keep pace with demand growth. The development of new, cost-effective resources such as methane hydrate can play a major role in moderating price increases and ensuring adequate future supplies of natural gas for American consumers.

International Cooperation in Methane Hydrate R&D

In April and June 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy signed agreements for cooperative research efforts with representatives from three countries with gas hydrate research programs: India, Korea and Japan. Officials from DOE and the Indian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Methane Hydrate Research and Development in New Delhi on April 4. The agreement provides for exchange of information and personnel in the areas of exploration and quantification of natural gas hydrates, resource assessments, laboratory characterization, and production testing.
On April 18, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and South Korea Minister Lee Youn-ho signed a Statement of Intent to exchange information on gas hydrate topics and technologies. Korea is looking to gas hydrates as a future energy source and hopes to take part in U.S. pilot testing early next year.

On June 6, 2008, Secretary Bodman and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Akira Amari signed a Statement of Intent for cooperation in methane hydrate research and development. Japan has an active methane hydrate R&D program that has resulted in the discovery of large offshore hydrate deposits and successful short-term production testing in the Canadian arctic.