Ice to burn?
Gas hydrates look like ordinary ice crystal, and burn like many conventional fossil fuels. They are crystalline compounds formed from water cages stabilized by guest molecules such as methane, ethane etc. usually at low temperature and high pressure. One unit volume of gas hydrate provides as much as 160 volume of gas at standard temperature and pressure. Gas hydrates therefore have been considered as one of the potential energy resources. Since the 3rd decade of the last century gas hydrates have been paid special attention due to their potential to block the oil and gas flow lines. Beside the energy concern, gas hydrates show various beneficial applications such as water desalination, gas storage and transportation of methane. The see floor and permafrost regions set optimum temperature-pressure conditions for the natural occurrences of gas hydrates. Recent reviews on the concerned subject show that more than 90 sites on the globe have been directly (experimental evidence) or indirectly (Geophysical data analysis) identified to contain natural gas hydrates. Current estimates show hydrates could contain from 10(to power 15) to 10(to power 17) m3 of methane at standard temperature and pressure.
Conversely, hydrates in marine sediments pose serious risk as geo-hazards; greenhouse methane gas may decompose for any disturbance followed by continental slope instability. Outside the scientific community, gas hydrate plays fascinating roles in popular books, movies, and even mysteries, for example, ship disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. Gas hydrate exploration programmes are underway in many countries. Notably,
India and China are quickly uncovering large hydrate findings on their continental shelves. To address some of the above important issues, a wide range of fundamental, geo-chemical and geophysical researches have been going on to understand natural hydrate occurrences and their possible exploration to cope with the increasing demand of energy.
I don't know if there is any finding of gas hydrates offshore Bangladesh (within the energy explorable boundary). Since this seems to be a serious issue in terms of gas blocks, energy, marine survey and many more political issues, the concerned governmental bodies should pay attention, especially, when they make contracts with oil and gas industries. Because for any possible ignorance, we may lose energy (if its strictly written as 'gas' in the contract but not as 'gas' and ' gas hydrate'), or embrace possible geo-hazards for any amateur (non-scientific) exploration.
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