Offshore Gas Hydrates ― Origins, Development, and Production

Gas hydrates collect and store both thermogenic and biogenic methane generated in deep ocean sediments that, over geologic time, forms vast methane repositories.Offshore Gas Hydrates: Origins, Development, and Production presents gas hydrates emerging as a new, clean energy source possibly more abundant than all other fossil fuels, especially important for countries geographically and economically restricted from conventional fossil fuel resources. The book explores feasible methods to produce offshore hydrate gas, means to store and transport the remotely produced gas, new hydrate inhibitors for conventional and hydrate production in ultra-deep waters, instability manifestations of seafloor hydrates, and hydrate roles in complex ecological scenarios. Complementing production and drilling method presentations are computer simulation studies, hydrate field tests, seismic and logging developments.Offshore Gas Hydrates delivers a well-developed framework for both the oil and gas researcher and corporate engineer to better exploit the future of this unconventional resource. It empowers the oil and gas professional with the latest data and information on sophisticated challenges that offshore hydrates present.

• Addresses as first comprehensive text the technical, economic, and environmental problems of producing hydrate gas.
• Introduces the overlooked and unchartered role of microbes in catalyzing offshore hydrate formations with attendant effects on stability/dissociation.
• Reviews the latest world-wide field tests, research, and case studies involving seafloor hydrates, inclusive of most known hydrate provinces.
• Displays two separate film footages: (1) hydrates, carbonates, chemosynthetic communities, natural hydrocarbon leakages on seafloor at Mississippi Canyon hydrate observatory site; (2) hydrate nucleation, migration and self-packing in laboratory test cell under influence of anionic surfactants.
• Extends deep-water hydrate knowledge, regarding hydrate formation and protective cover for microbes, to Mars extreme environment.