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Gas-Hydrate Inventory on New Web Site
Global map showing
locations of inferred gas-hydrate occurrences (black dots) and recovered gas-hydrate
samples (white dots). Taken from a poster presented at the American Geophysical Union
Annual Meeting in San Francisco last December. For closer views, visit
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/globalhydrate/
and click on "Poster PDFs" links in lower left corner of page.
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Gas hydrate, popularly called "flaming ice," contains vast amounts of methane that has the potential to be (1) a future energy resource, (2) a factor in global climate change, and (3) a geohazard. The USGS has been investigating gas hydrate since 1979 and, now under the leadership of Bill Dillon (Woods Hole Field Center), the program has gained international recognition. A new global inventory of gas-hydrate occurrences has been developed by Keith Kvenvolden, Tom Lorenson, Carolyn Degnan, and Bruce Rogers (Western Coastal and Marine Geology) to provide the international community with ready access to background information for future research on the global distribution and significance of naturally occurring gas hydrate. There are currently about 80 localities identified worldwide where geophysical, geochemical, and/or geological evidence indicates the presence of gas hydrate. These localities are shown on a physiographic map of the world (see map). At 20 of these localities (white dots), samples of gas hydrate have been recovered and described. Details concerning individual gas-hydrate occurrences have been compiled at a new Web site now available for viewing (http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/globalhydrate/). This site is a work in progress and currently lists references to all gas-hydrate occurrences. Abstracts and technical comments will be prepared for each occurrence, followed by additional information, such as seismic lines, well logs, geochemical measurements, sample photographs, and so on, as available.
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February 2001
in this issue:
Monterey Bay
Gas Hydrate Web Site
Science Fair Night
cover story:
Tampa Bay Pilot Study
Art Dedication
Signell Sabatical
Knebel Retires
Welcome to Jessie Lacy
BRD Fish Center Director Visits WHFC
February Publications List
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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