Gas (methane) hydrates in Antarctica: A review of research on gas hydrates in the Antarctic continental margin, 1975-2004

Type of content
Theses / Dissertations
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Science
Degree name
Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies
Publisher
University of Canterbury
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
English
Date
2005
Authors
Baker, Narelle
Abstract

Gas hydrates are icy substances that occur naturally beneath the world's oceans and in polar regions. These deposits contain vast and potentially unstable reserves of methane and other natural gases, which have been blamed for everything from abrupt climate change to the disappearances of ships in the Bermuda Triangle. This review will briefly define the structure and outline the distribution and importance of gas hydrates in global context. All research undertaken on the continental margin on Antarctica that relates to gas hydrates will then be reviewed. It will be shown that these studies are very limited, both spatially and temporally, and largely consist of one-off drilling projects with principle aims other than locating gas hydrates. This appears largely to be due to the remoteness on the Antarctic and the non-viability of energy-driven mineral extraction in the region.

Description
Citation
Keywords
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
All Rights Reserved