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Book 2: Methane gas hydrates and human impacts

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Visible hydrates in a core sample. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. The modular dynamics formation tester (or MDT) tool enables short duration scientific testing of gas hydrate reservoir properties; April 2011. Photo courtesy of ConocoPhillips. A curious local (Arctic fox) observing the research activities near the Ignik Sikumi well site, April 2011. Photo courtesy of Ray Boswell. The drill bit used at the holes during the April 2009 Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II gas hydrate expedition. Photo courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II Science Team. Helix Q4000 platform crew running pipe during the April 2009 Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II gas hydrate expedition. Photo courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II Science Team. More drilling operations during the April 2009 Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II gas hydrate expedition. Photo courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II Science Team. The Nordic #3 rig on site at the Ignik Sikumi well location, April 2011. Photo courtesy of ConocoPhillips. Well cementing operations underway at the Ignik Sikumi well, April 2011. Photo courtesy of ConocoPhillips. The Ignik Sikumi well being drilled from an ice pad (foreground) adjacent to the Prudhoe Bay Unit L-pad (background); April 2011. Photo courtesy of ConocoPhillips. Drilling tools laid out on deck during the April 2009 Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II gas hydrate expedition; from left to right: EcoScope, TeleScope, SonicVision and PeriScope. Photo courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II Science Team. Derrick of the Q4000 platform during the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II gas hydrate expedition, April 2009. Photo courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II Science Team. Q4000 platform on location at the Walker Ridge 313 well site during the April 2009 Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II gas hydrate expidition. Photo courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico JIP Leg II Science Team. Veins of sediment and seashells visible in hydrate sample. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. Methane gas hydrate sample. Methane gas is trapped within this ice-like solid, initially thought to be found only in the outer solar system. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. Drilling vehicle in position. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada An example of a thick, clean hydrate sample. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. The Mallik drilling well in Northern Canada. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Splitting open the sediment core. Photo courtesy of: University of Ghent. Science team at the Mallik drilling well. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Scientists examining sediment cores collected during the 2008 PGC Piston Coring Expedition off the Cascadia Margin. Photo courtesy of: U.S. Geological Survey A crew member with a lit sample of gas hydrate. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. Scientific party with hydrate recovered from the expedition UBGH01, Ulleng Basin in East Korea. Photo courtesy of: KIGAM Drilling into the ice. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. Disseminated occurrence of methane gas hydrates in sandy marine sediment cores. Photo courtesy of: KIGAM Hydrate bearing sand core. Photo courtesy of: KIGAM After removal from the piston, the core liner is measured to determine the total length of recovered sediment and is marked in preparation for cutting into meter-long segments. Photo courtesy of: University of Ghent. Splitting sediment cores collected during the 2010 expedition in the Beaufort Sea. Photo courtesy of: NETL Cutting into a large block of hydrate. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR Mount Elbert Well. Photo courtesy of: NETL Examination of core sedimentology samples using a petrographic microscope - Korean gas hydrate expedition 2007. Photo courtesy of: NETL The ice road is a treacherous but necessary means of transport for accessing the Mallik drilling site in Canada. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada The Mallik drilling well is known as being the production site of the first constant stream of natural gas - from Methane Gas Hydrates. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Hydrate bearing sand core from the Mount Elbert well, Alaska. Photo courtesy of: NETL Large pores can be seen in this gas hydrate sample. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR Trucks at the Mallik drilling well. Photo courtesy of: Geological survey of Canada At work on the Mallik drilling well. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Working out on the ice. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Working with machinery at a drill site. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada For a couple of months each year, truckers must navigate frozen river and ocean water areas to transport loads to and from the Mallik drilling well site. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Science team at the Mallik drilling site. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Workers at the Mallik drilling site. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Science team at rest at the Mallik drilling site. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada At work on the Mallik drilling well. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Researchers at the Mallik drilling well. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Science team on the Mallik drilling site. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Researcher at the Mallik drilling well. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada On the ice road to the Mallik drilling site, water is used to flood and reinforce the roadway in preparation for the transportation of heavy drilling equipment, such as this ice auger. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Working high in the Mackenzie River Delta, Canada, scientists are gaining an understanding of the role of natural gas hydrates in climate change and as a potential source of World energy. Photo courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Compact gas hydrate sample with sediment. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR Taking pore-water samples from sediment core. Photo courtesy of: NETL Field work conditions on Lake Baikal, Russia, during Winter. Photo courtesy of: L. Naudts, RCMG, Gent Assessing core that has just arrived on deck - Korean gas hydrate expedition 2007. Photo courtesy of: NETL Thin vein patterns in the sediment core. Photo courtesy of: O. Khlystov Veins of gas hydrate visible in a sediment sample from the Gulf of Mexico. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. Researchers sampling sediment cores aboard the USCG vessel The Polar Sea, during an expedition in the U.S. Beaufort Sea. Photo courtesy of: NETL A photomicrograph (x20 magnification) of foraminifera from hydrate-bearing sediment core. The study of foraminifera leads to a better understanding of the Earth's climatic past amongst other fields of interest. Photo courtesy of: NETL A photomicrograph (x20 magnification) of pumice and quartz grains from hydrate-bearing sediment core. Photo courtesy of: NETL A photomicrograph (x 63 magnification) of nanofossils (plant and animal material) from hydrate-bearing sediment core. Sedimentary rocks and materials such as this contain information about ancient environments. Photo courtesy of: NETL Shards of volcanic glass from a hydrate-bearing sediment core viewed under the microscope at 10x magnification in a coarse fraction sample. Photo courtesy of: NETL Researcher taking natural gas samples from sediment cores aboard the USCG vessel The Polar Sea, during the 2009 expedition in the U.S. Beaufort Sea. Photo courtesy of: NETL Researcher conducting tests on sediment cores aboard the USCG vessel The Polar Sea during the 2009 expedition in the U.S. Beaufort Sea. Photo courtesy of: NETL Scientist working on a core sample from the Arctic Ocean. Photo courtesy of: NETL Scientific team aboard the CCGS Tully during the July-August 2008 research cruise off the Cascadia Margin. Photo courtesy of: PGC Close-up hydrate core. Photo Courtesy of: Geological Survey of Canada Scientists with hydrate-bearing core samples from the Gulf of Mexico. Photo courtesy of: IFM-GEOMAR. Sand-rich core sample from the Mount Elbert gas hydrate well, Alaska North Slope. Photo courtesy of: NETL

Research on methane gas hydrates has been progressing for decades. Subjects of interest include global distribution, geohazards linked to human activities, ecosystems associated to near surface occurrences, technology issues linked to possible production and future scenarios about methane gas hydrates in the global energy mix. The following gallery places methane gas hydrates in the context of current human activities such as exploration and production research and scientific field and laboratory studies.

Methane gas hydrate sites by region