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Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Tech 2024-11-01 20:50:31 Source: Network

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Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?The earth's reserves of methane hydrate are enough to sustain human consumption for 1000 years! China boasts the world's largest methane hydrate reserves. As a populous and industrial nation, ensuring energy security is paramount

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

The earth's reserves of methane hydrate are enough to sustain human consumption for 1000 years! China boasts the world's largest methane hydrate reserves. As a populous and industrial nation, ensuring energy security is paramount. As a result, methane hydrate was once held in high regard, with people believing it could replace dependence on oil. However, in recent years, enthusiasm for methane hydrate has dwindled. Why is that?

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

I. Methane Hydrate: Huge Potential, Yet Development Path Is Full of Challenges

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

The seabed of China's South China Sea holds abundant methane hydrate resources, equal to half of the nation's total oil reserves. Methane hydrate primarily consists of methane, producing only carbon dioxide and water upon combustion. Its reserves far exceed those of coal, natural gas, and oil, making it an excellent energy source.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Methane hydrate's immense potential has attracted global attention, particularly in the early 2000s, when China accelerated exploration and research efforts. In 2004, China and Germany announced joint methane hydrate research. In 2005, initial plans were made to drill for methane hydrate in the South China Sea. By 2007, China had successfully extracted methane hydrate in the northern South China Sea. In 2008, the South China Sea methane hydrate project was included in the 973 Program. In the same year, methane hydrate reserves equivalent to 185 billion tons of oil were discovered in the northern South China Sea. In 2010, 194 billion cubic meters of methane hydrate were discovered in the Shenhu Sea area, equivalent to the energy content of 164 cubic meters of natural gas. In 2012, experts predicted that fully utilizing the South China Sea's methane hydrate could satisfy human energy demand for 130 years.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

At the time, a widespread belief emerged that methane hydrate would gradually replace oil and other resources, becoming the dominant force in future energy. However, as time passed, the enthusiasm for methane hydrate has gradually fadedwhy?

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

II. Diminished Enthusiasm for Methane Hydrate: Challenges of Risks, Difficulty, and Price

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

The path to methane hydrate development has not been smooth. Factors such as risks, difficulty, and price have hindered its large-scale application.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

1. Significant Risks: Methane hydrate contains a significant amount of methane, which is highly unstable and easily disrupted. Even minor disruptions can lead to massive methane gas leaks. Methane hydrate's vast reserves represent a fatal flawa leak would accelerate the greenhouse effect, causing global warming and sea level rise.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Additionally, methane dissolving in seawater produces carbon dioxide. Excessive carbon dioxide concentration is lethal to fish. Scientists have discovered that history records massive disasters caused by methane hydrate eruptions. During the early Jurassic period, the earth experienced a significant oxygen deficiency, leading to the extinction of countless marine life. Scientists believe that methane hydrate eruptions were a primary cause of the rapid increase in ocean carbon dioxide concentration.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Methane hydrate's instability can have uncontrollable impacts on the seabed environment. Upon gasification, seabed surface collapse or instability of the continental shelf edge and landslides can trigger tsunamis.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

2. Extreme Difficulty: Methane hydrate typically lies 300-3000 meters below the seabed. Drilling, extraction, storage, and transportation present significant challenges.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

3. High Costs: The difficulty of extraction directly translates to high costs. Extracting one cubic meter of natural gas costs $1, extracting one cubic meter of shale gas costs $3, while extracting one cubic meter of methane hydrate costs $200! These high costs make methane hydrate economically uncompetitive against other energy sources.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

III. Does Methane Hydrate Still Hold Potential for Extraction?

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Although methane hydrate development faces numerous challenges, its immense potential continues to attract attention. In recent years, China has made breakthroughs in methane hydrate extraction technology.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Southwest Petroleum University has made breakthroughs in methane hydrate extraction technology and equipment development, innovatively proposing a solid fluidization extraction technology aimed at achieving safe and stable extraction of methane hydrate. This signifies that China has not abandoned research into extracting methane hydrate.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Methane hydrate's potential advantages lie in its stability, scale, and environmental friendliness. Compared to wind power and photovoltaic power, methane hydrate is more stable and less susceptible to weather conditions. Compared to nuclear power, methane hydrate is safer and produces no nuclear waste.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Policies released by the National Development and Reform Commission indicate that China will establish commercial methane hydrate development bases in the future, driving its commercialization process.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

IV. The Future of Methane Hydrate: Expecting Technological Breakthroughs and Commercialization

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

Methane hydrate development is not a sudden event but a long-term endeavor requiring continuous technological breakthroughs to achieve commercialization.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

1. Technological Innovation: Constant refinement of extraction technologies, cost reduction, and safety enhancement are necessary to enable large-scale methane hydrate extraction.

Methane Hydrate: From High Hopes to Diminished Enthusiasm, Does It Have a Future?

2. Environmental Protection: Establishing robust environmental protection measures is crucial to minimize environmental risks and ensure sustainable development.

3. Policy Support: Government policy support, including the development of relevant laws and regulations, is essential to encourage methane hydrate development and utilization.

Developing and applying methane hydrate is a long-term endeavor requiring collaborative efforts from all sectors. With technological advancements and policy improvements, methane hydrate will ultimately achieve commercialization, providing humans with cleaner, more efficient energy.

V. Conclusion:

The waning enthusiasm for methane hydrate does not signify its lack of value but reflects continuous development in the energy sector and broader exploration. In the future, methane hydrate development will prioritize technological innovation and sustainable development. We look forward to its true commercialization, making greater contributions to human energy security.

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