methane hydrates

[Greg Nowell]

Mark Jones' posted article on methane hydrates is
consistent with what I have read from Science News and
other internet sources.   The main question is whether
the problems identified are superable or insuperable
for capitalism.   In a 50-100 time period I'm inclined
to view them as superable, Jones, I think, would view
them as insuperable.  Some methane hydrates are
"onshore" in permafrost deposits and one of them
apparently was developed for a while, but the Russians
didn't "figure out" that it was methane hydrate until
after the fact.  However the bulk of methane hydrates
are under the oceans.  Reserves of methane hydrates
contain more carbon than ALL living things, oil and
coal reserves, combined.  So a big part of the world's
hydrocarbon future (if it even needs one) will depend
on how this plays out in the long term (if one sees
50-100 years as long term).

I don't follow global warming religiously, but I do
think that teh most "powerful" warming disaster
scenario that I've read to date involves ocean
temperature increases followed by methane hydrate
deposit evaporation.

Another disaster scenario is that 75 year-from-now
technology is required to exploit hydrates but someone
tries to do it with 35 year-from-now-technology and
does a giant gas boo-boo, perhaps causing spontaneous
release of more methane than has been used by the US in
the last century.

--
Gregory P. Nowell
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science, Milne 100
State University of New York
135 Western Ave.
Albany, New York 12222

Fax 518-442-5298