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Energy Department taps vast supply of frozen methane in Alaska

LA Times -- ANCHORAGE — A half-mile below the ground at Prudhoe Bay, above the vast oil field that helped trigger construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline, a drill rig has tapped what might one day be the next big energy source.

The U.S. Department of Energy and industry partners over two winters drilled into a reservoir of methane hydrate, which looks like ice but burns like a candle if a match warms its molecules. There is little need now for methane, the main ingredient of natural gas. With the boom in production from hydraulic fracturing, the United States is awash in natural gas for the near future and is considering exporting it, but the Energy Department wants to be ready with methane if there's a need.

"If you wait until you need it, and then you have 20 years of research to do, that's

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Submitted Nov 23, 2012 By: aservant

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,599 Points:1,607,570 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Nov 26, 2012 5:55:42 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse nsdp: no telling. Maybe marketing?
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,290 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 1:33:54 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse There is 15TCF(that doesn't count the other North Slope fields) in the gas cap at Prudhoe Bay and in the last 40 years no one has figured a way to get that to market. What makes this different?
Canucktree Champion Author Alberta Posts:4,886 Points:1,018,675 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 10:19:52 AM Ignore Canucktree Report Abuse Ouch! 45 Votes! This will be as old as the turkey!
Wizrd03 Champion Author Illinois Posts:8,142 Points:1,630,385 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 9:50:35 AM Ignore Wizrd03 Report Abuse Same news as yesterday
Tegger Champion Author Ontario Posts:3,113 Points:1,644,110 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 7:34:47 AM Ignore Tegger Report Abuse OK
Double_Golden Champion Author San Francisco Posts:2,555 Points:603,660 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 1:52:25 AM Ignore Double_Golden Report Abuse ok...
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,703 Points:729,890 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 12:51:32 AM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse That sounds promising
bobcatfan Champion Author Kentucky Posts:1,592 Points:616,570 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 12:37:15 AM Ignore bobcatfan Report Abuse Be prepared.
RevDrCBJ Veteran Author Ann Arbor Posts:363 Points:187,010 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 12:29:46 AM Ignore RevDrCBJ Report Abuse Implications for the environment?
CdnLynx Champion Author Ontario Posts:1,019 Points:522,110 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 12:11:02 AM Ignore CdnLynx Report Abuse Aviator Rob - How True, global warming will only increase exponentially with the melting permafrost! It's becoming more apparent here with many peoples psychology, that their desires for cheap energy to further their need for convenient transportation, that they wish away global warming with rhetoric that it does not exist; until it's to late! The Arctic once a frozen ocean is virtually liquid; when it was frozen it has a moderating effect on extreme temps not just in the northern hemisphere but globally! Let the onslaught (comments) begin!
camel1 Champion Author Minnesota Posts:8,260 Points:2,264,665 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 12:03:01 AM Ignore camel1 Report Abuse research could start now on uses for it
Sydman Sophomore Author Grand Rapids Posts:107 Points:1,803,435 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Nov 24, 2012 12:03:00 AM Ignore Sydman Report Abuse Dude!
mrbee Champion Author Little Rock Posts:3,744 Points:2,464,030 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:59:49 PM Ignore mrbee Report Abuse Go for it
driveonby1 Champion Author Toledo Posts:1,507 Points:256,665 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:55:57 PM Ignore driveonby1 Report Abuse Frozen? Well, maybe it doesn't smell as bad.
gilfarm Champion Author Alabama Posts:6,781 Points:1,945,915 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:55:14 PM Ignore gilfarm Report Abuse Ok
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:411,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:53:52 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse I never said govt has all the answers, @bojiway1. But at least their looking for some, unlike Big Oil that just has it's collective head down a borehole.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:411,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:52:07 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse I won't have to wait long, @SilliesRock. At this rate, it'll happen in our lifetime, although people who currently live at the shore and don't move may not live that long.
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,610 Points:3,492,755 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:51:33 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse The US should have, and still should be, developing its own resources (oil, natural gas, etc.) to become energy independent.
mfeldstein Champion Author Ottawa Posts:8,161 Points:1,928,430 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:51:25 PM Ignore mfeldstein Report Abuse I don't believe it can be done safely. Stick with cow herds.
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:7,295 Points:1,635,995 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:50:53 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse COOL!
bojiway1 Champion Author Minnesota Posts:2,034 Points:476,010 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:48:42 PM Ignore bojiway1 Report Abuse and the gov, has all the answers Rob, I say if we can do it safely and under control, do it
granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:8,812 Points:1,428,800 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:44:45 PM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse Methane... The Next Big Thing.
SilliesRock Champion Author Detroit Posts:2,184 Points:1,161,035 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:43:35 PM Ignore SilliesRock Report Abuse Keep waiting, Aviator Bob.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:411,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:40:57 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Ah, once again the Internet trolls don't care except to say that government is the problem. Otherwise, "Drill, baby, drill!" "Unleash Capitalism!" Blah, blah, blah. I'm just waiting to see how much the temperature spikes when the permafrost starts to melt and all of this natural gas that's been locked up as methane hydrate escapes into the atmosphere.
nomad228 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,117 Points:575,140 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:40:32 PM Ignore nomad228 Report Abuse can me-thane be frozen when its a gas. oh! it's crystalized methane/frozen liquid. not the gas.
gsayeg1 All-Star Author Milwaukee Posts:775 Points:139,235 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:37:03 PM Ignore gsayeg1 Report Abuse ok sounds good
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,841 Points:1,611,050 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:36:19 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse The US is awash in natural gas right now. This is just one more source that can be tapped when conventional supplies begin to wane.
tco9436 Champion Author Connecticut Posts:1,772 Points:719,925 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:31:10 PM Ignore tco9436 Report Abuse the next big thing?
photobuddy Champion Author Washington Posts:1,620 Points:370,255 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:29:45 PM Ignore photobuddy Report Abuse we don't need it for the near future so why waste money and time now?
gd83goldwinger Champion Author South Bend Posts:1,428 Points:502,730 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:28:56 PM Ignore gd83goldwinger Report Abuse Ok.
dollarwatcher Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:7,930 Points:1,533,045 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:25:01 PM Ignore dollarwatcher Report Abuse Just leave it, it's like money in the bank.
boatmen Champion Author New York Posts:3,075 Points:621,605 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:24:18 PM Ignore boatmen Report Abuse very nice much needed
BigKart All-Star Author Indianapolis Posts:753 Points:222,945 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:22:20 PM Ignore BigKart Report Abuse It's obvious that we ought to be using our own plentiful energy product to power our cars. Why is the infrastructure not being developed? It's the only way that this will ever be successful. The hybrid car we need is dual-fuel: CNG/gasoline for now, straight CNG when the infrastructure will support it.
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,055 Points:1,729,430 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:21:03 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse not with this administration
vcsuksu21 Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:2,468 Points:705,180 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:18:19 PM Ignore vcsuksu21 Report Abuse good, go drill for it
VikingWoman Champion Author Washington Posts:1,251 Points:249,715 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:10:43 PM Ignore VikingWoman Report Abuse So Sarah Palin's old hot air rots and has a good use - who knew? "Drill, baby, drill" [Edited by: VikingWoman at 11/23/2012 11:12:08 PM EST]
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,790 Points:816,385 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:10:24 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Cool, if it can be safely gathered and transported to where it is needed...
DCbeachbum Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,642 Points:902,990 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:10:12 PM Ignore DCbeachbum Report Abuse This could be a very good thing. It looks like these climate change folks will have there say about it too.
Doomsday64 All-Star Author Austin Posts:849 Points:334,080 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:09:35 PM Ignore Doomsday64 Report Abuse Hope they don't export it.
OGW Champion Author London Posts:5,324 Points:1,530,400 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:03:57 PM Ignore OGW Report Abuse Old dumps and cow manure produce all kinds of methane gas and sometimes when they build houses on these old dumps, they will suddenly explode when the gas seeps into the house and is egnited by a flame or spark. Can be dangerous stuff.
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,912 Points:1,573,030 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 11:01:45 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse the enerygy of the future
mrselfdestruct All-Star Author Arkansas Posts:987 Points:165,950 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:59:10 PM Ignore mrselfdestruct Report Abuse Flammable dry ice, that'll be fun
esquared Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:8,057 Points:1,968,160 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:58:33 PM Ignore esquared Report Abuse ...colorless, odorless....
REKEY Champion Author South Carolina Posts:8,564 Points:1,696,490 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:57:10 PM Ignore REKEY Report Abuse WOW! Frozen methane, that gives me ideas.....
TBRR Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:3,662 Points:598,170 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:55:02 PM Ignore TBRR Report Abuse they could also tap cows for their methane which is not frozen.
Soglaos Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:2,770 Points:736,485 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:54:44 PM Ignore Soglaos Report Abuse ok but who is really doing it it is not the governemnt
hubhunts Veteran Author Alabama Posts:371 Points:79,770 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:51:34 PM Ignore hubhunts Report Abuse Pullsome taxes down?
walkingtall Champion Author Toronto Posts:3,984 Points:1,118,755 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:50:55 PM Ignore walkingtall Report Abuse It seems more fuel sources are being found.
TopGunn Champion Author Baltimore Posts:9,171 Points:2,613,355 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:48:38 PM Ignore TopGunn Report Abuse Next?
drobbbb Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,466 Points:810,380 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Nov 23, 2012 10:48:07 PM Ignore drobbbb Report Abuse interesting