ADVANCED GAS HYDRATE TECHNOLOGIES AND SPHERES OF THEIR EFFECTIVE USE

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the problems of methane hydrates. Increased attention to them is caused by the abundant occurrence of hydrate containing reserves in seas and permafrost. High specific concentration of methane in hydrates (150 ... 180 volumes of methane per volume of water) and  their shallow formation under the seabed starting from the depths of 300 ... 500 m allow us to consider natural hydrates as a real alternative to now mined various hydrocarbons. Despite a great number of discovered hydrate reserves, their industrial development has not been carried out yet. In the future, these resources will certainly be used. So far, only the first steps in the study of the geology of gas hydrate deposits have been made. Currently, however, there is a lot of interest in several developed advanced gas hydrate technologies. Transportation and storage of natural gas in a hydrate state are considered. Foreign experience shows that it allows a 25 % reduction in operating costs as compared with the delivery of natural gas in a liquefied form.  Work on organizing methane extraction by means of its replacement by using CO2 is extremely relevant. In addition, the problem of a reliable disposal of carbon dioxide can be solved. Implementation of combined processes such as gas transportation from offshore fields to the mainland and delivery of CO2 gas hydrates for their burial at sea in the opposite direction has a great potential.