Research project

Methane Hydrates

Lead researchers:

Emeritus Professor Chris Clayton
Research funder:

EPSRC
Status:

Not active

Project overview

Methane gas hydrates are solid, ice-like compounds formed from water and natural gas (methane) under certain pressure and temperature conditions. These conditions naturally occur in deep water (>500m) oceanic sediments, leading to large volumes of methane gas being stored within the hydrate structure. Gas hydrates can be changed back to their individual constituents of gas and water though changes in pressure or temperature. Therefore hydrates are of major interest as a potential energy resource, but also as a hazard for drilling activities because they can be destabilised by such activities, and such destabilisation may weaken the seafloor. This can lead to subsidence of platforms or at the other extreme large sea bottom slope failures. This project aims to improve the detection and characterisation of methane gas hydrates in sediments through laboratory testing and the development of theoretical models. These will help us understand the relationship between physical properties and hydrate content, as well as a more robust assessment into the risk that gas hydrate destabilisation may pose to oil drilling activities.