Methane Hydrate: Little Known Energy Resource of the Future

Methane hydrate was discovered only a few decades ago and little research has been done on it until recently. However, the immense volumes of gas and the richness of the deposits may make methane hydrates a strong candidate for development as an energy resource. By some estimates, the energy locked up in methane hydrate deposits is more than twice the global reserves of all conventional gas, oil and coal deposits combined. The present paper briefly updates some of the issues related to methane hydrates with respect to its origin, occurrence, structure and properties, energy potential and extraction.