A primer on the geological occurrence of gas hydrate
Kvenvolden, K.A. (1998). A primer on the geological occurrence of gas hydrate, in: Henriet, J.-P. et al. Gas hydrates: relevance to world margin stability and climate change. Geological Society Special Publication, 137: pp. 9-30. https://dx.doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1998.137.01.02 In: Henriet, J.-P.; Mienert, J. (1998). Gas hydrates: Relevance to world margin stability and climate change. Geological Society Special Publication, 137. The Geological Society: London. ISBN 1-86239-010-X. 338 pp., more In: Hartley, A.J. et al. (Ed.) Geological Society Special Publication. Geological Society of London: Oxford; London; Edinburgh; Boston, Mass.; Carlton, Vic.. ISSN 0305-8719; e-ISSN 2041-4927, more |
| Available in | Author | VLIZ: Non-living Resources [23548] |
| Keywords | Chemical compounds > Organic compounds > Hydrocarbons > Gas hydrates
Chemical compounds > Organic compounds > Hydrocarbons > Saturated hydrocarbons > Acyclic hydrocarbons > Methane
Hazards > Geological hazards
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract | Natural gas hydrates occur world-wide in polar regions, usually associated with onshore and offshore permafrost, and in sediment of outer continental and insular margins. The total amount of methane in gas hydrates probably exceeds 1019 g of methane carbon. Three aspects of gas hydrates are important: their fossil fuel resource potential; their role as a submarine geohazard; and their effects on global climate change. Because gas hydrates represent a large amount of methane within 2000 m of the Earth’s surface, they are considered to be an unconventional, unproven source of fossil fuel. Because gas hydrates are metastable, changes of pressure and temperature affect their stability. Destabilized gas hydrates beneath the sea floor lead to geological hazards such as submarine slumps and slides, examples of which are found world-wide. Destabilized gas hydrates may also affect climate through the release of methane, a ‘greenhouse’ gas, which may enhance global warming and be a factor in global climate change. |
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