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USGS Woods Hole Science Center Hosts a Delegation from India
On December 19, 2008, a delegation of seven Indian scientists and managers visited the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The purpose of their visit was to learn about our facilities and, in particular, the gas hydrates laboratory (GHASTLI—Gas Hydrate and Sediment Testing Laboratory Instrument). This delegation of high-level experts had come to Washington, D.C., to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the USGS and India's Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) for joint studies of gas hydrates on the continental margins of India. USGS Energy Resources Program Coordinator Brenda Pierce and Tim Collett (USGS Central Energy Resources Team, Denver, Colorado) were present when Mark Myers, then Director of the USGS, signed the Memorandum of Understanding with V.K. Sibal, Director of DGH. R.S. Pandey, Secretary of Petroleum in India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, was also present. After several days of discussions in Washington, D.C., about cooperative studies related to drilling and assessing gas hydrates along the Indian margins, the delegation came to Woods Hole before returning to India. V.K. Sibal served as head of the delegation after Secretary Pandey returned to India from Washington, D.C.
Although the daylong visit was cut short because of an impending snowstorm, the delegation was able to tour the core-storage facility, the sediment lab, the geotechnical lab, and the GHASTLI lab, as well as participate in a short round-table discussion. We had a lively exchange about how gas hydrates occur in the natural environment and how to use laboratory studies to understand and quantify natural gas hydrates. The Indian research program emphasizes the energy-resource aspects of gas hydrates. USGS scientists know many of the delegation from previous gas-hydrates work. Bill Winters had met many of the delegation in 2006 aboard the drill ship JOIDES Resolution during initial drilling for gas hydrates on the continental margins of India and in followup postcruise science meetings. USGS scientist Tim Collett was chief scientist during the drilling; other USGS participants were Tom Lorenson, Warren Agena, and Jim Brewton. Details about the 2006 drilling are posted at URL http://energy.usgs.gov/other/gashydrates/india.html. Tim Collett, Warren Agena, Tom Lorenson, Bill Waite, and Bill Winters worked with scientist R.K. Sinha during gas-hydrate drilling on the Alaskan North Slope in February 2007. Details about the 2007 drilling are posted at URL http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/oil-gas/FutureSupply/MethaneHydrates/rd-program/ANSWell/ANSWell_main.html. After their curtailed visit, the delegation reached Boston before the worst of the snowstorm arrived, and made their (delayed) flights back to India and Washington.
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in this issue:
Modeling Climate Change and Ocean Acidification Sediment Transport at Cape Hatteras
Oceanographer Joins NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System Program |
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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