Re: A world without oil

Dan Bloomquist wrote:

Sevenhundred Elves wrote:

What is methane hydride?

Don't let him fool you. There is no practical way to exploit the stuff.

Google: methane hydrates

And if they do try to get at the stuff, let's hope there is never a
catastrophic release....

Thanks. Reading this NG only sporadically, I simply didn't realize that
the poster was speaking of methane clathrates, aka methane hydrates.
Knowing that methane can't be further hydrogenated, I figured it had to
be either a mistake, a hoax, or the trivial name of some new compound.

I took your advice and googled it, nonetheless, and it seems you are
right: As yet the technology for extracting methane from oceanic
clathrates in greater amounts is non-existant.

It was interesting to learn that those clathrates are now hypothesized
to have played a role in the Permian-Triassic extinction event,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clathrate_Gun_Hypothesis
but I don't believe that human methane extraction all by itself could
trigger another such event. Global warming, on the other hand, might.

The root of the current energy and raw materials problems is that there
are too many humans around, consuming natural resources faster than they
are renewed. A population of something between half a billion to one
billion would probably be able to survive safely for a long time without
ruining its own environment. Six billions is just too much.

S.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Think up something cool and original
    ... Mark wrote: ... I bet there's 400 listings. ... Maybe I don't know how to google very well, but I couldn't find a single reference to using the term serious methane as a metaphor for bad gas. ...
    (misc.writing)
  • Earth Lights..?
    ... swamp gas or methane.. ... describe ignition source.. ... feel free to Google.. ... Prev by Date: ...
    (soc.culture.irish)
  • Re: I doubt your data.
    ... Or did you switch to reality recently, and started caring about the ... sorry shape  our planet is in? ... Is google your god? ... Why do you use an unusual spelling of methane? ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: O/T: Up Yours
    ... complexes in the cold nether regions of the oceans. ... Yes clathrates. ... Methane forms them too. ... Will those voids be sufficient, ...
    (rec.woodworking)
  • Re: Global Warming
    ... CO2 deep under water under pressure. ... large amounts of methane from the methane hydrates existing ... pressure stabilizing in the cold deep waters. ...
    (soc.retirement)