3.5. Methane Hydrates Program (1982-1992)

As a result of a growing body of evidence for the prevalence of methane hydrate in natural settings (e.g., reports of hydrate sourcing of the Messoyakha gas field in the northern part of Western Siberia in 1972 and the recovery of gas hydrate in a core of seafloor sediment during Leg 84 of the Deep Sea Drilling Program in 1982), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) became interested in the question: What is the potential of methane from gas hydrates and what role should the U.S. Department of Energy play in pursuit of this resource?

Accordingly, in March 1982 a workshop was held at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) with three goals: to prioritize the critical R&D needs, to develop a meaningful R&D program consistent with the Government role, and to guide the very limited DOE R&D funds available in FY 1983 and beyond.