Global warming seems to be a looming threat that most people either blissfully ignore or fearfully accept. Whichever end you are on, we all know that in order for our society to move forward, we need resources. Resources to fuel our cars, cook our food and keep us warm at night. Yet in light of global warming, those same resources that feed us seem to be destroying us. By polluting the air with CO2 and other atmospheric gases, the use of our resources is arguably creating what we know as the "green house effect."
Now there is much debate over whether global warming is a natural occurrence or a man made problem that should be addressed. In light of these problems and debates, Japanese researchers have extracted a new energy source from the sea floor about 50km from Japan's mainland. The source is known as Methane clathrate, or "Fire Ice."
What is Fire Ice? (Methane clathrate). It is a frozen cage complex of water and methane. Methane gas is formed when micro-organisms on sedimentary rock (within the sea floor) break down organic matter. The methane then seeps up the sedimentary and becomes frozen within water near the surface of the ocean floor. It is the high pressure and extreme cold of the ocean bed that facilitates the process.
Fire Ice looks a powdery ice cube. However, when it is lit on fire, it burns very well while remaining a solid piece of ice. Thus, the name "fire ice" was adopted. Not only does it look cool, but it also burns up to 40% more efficiently than coal. The main reason for this is that hydrogen in methane is burned rather than the carbon in coal. It is also is a relatively pure compound versus coal --which contains large amounts of ash. Reportedly, as well, Fire Ice releases 50% less CO2 into the atmosphere than its oil and coal counterpart.
Japan, largely importing its oil from the United States, has been looking for alternate fuel resources for a long time. The estimate is that there is enough Fire Ice in Japan's Nankai Trouth to sustain the country for the next 11 years. At the same time, the U.S. and Canada have been looking into Fire Ice as a potential resource as well. So sounds like a win-win, right? Not quite.
Remember that CO2 is a green house gas? Well Methane is also a green house gas. In fact, methane is much more potent green house gas than CO2. The reason methane is not as much of a big deal is that there is so much less methane in the atmosphere. The effects of it are not as clearly seen as CO2. So this presents a different question.
Isn't it bad to be pulling up all that methane from the sea floor? The answer is yes and no. The methane that comes from the sea floor is in the form of ice as methane clathrate. It does not escape into the atmosphere. However, methane clathrate does melt and here lies the problem. When methane clathrate (Fire Ice) melts, it will release methane into the atmosphere. In fact, it will release a lot of methane into the atmosphere.
Not only this, but methane from permafrost melt and methane hydrates on the arctic sea-floor has become a growing concern for environmentalists. On the arctic seabed, frozen methane is feared to be releasing as ocean floors become warmer. The released methane then creates a "run-away" amount of global warming that scientists are concerned would be irreversible. Now methane only stays in the atmosphere for around 10 - 15 years. However, it would still cause 10 - 15 years of harsh climate change.
At the moment, we do not know the effects of the arctic permafrost melt and the fears of scientists are not realities. At the same time, the potential of Fire Ice is incredible. And as long as the Fire Ice is burned before melting, no methane is released into the atmosphere. Yet it is still a risk. How much of a risk? It is a worthy question. What do you think? Incredible resource or a disaster waiting to happen?
M.
Sources:
Japan extracts gas from methane hydrate in world first
Japan becomes first country to unravel mystery of Fire Ice
Ice on Fire: The next Fossil Fuel
Is methane a better greenhouse gas than CO2?
Disclaimer: The articles in this blog fall under the "Fair Use" clause of the Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. § 107 for news journalism.
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