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Gas Hydrates of Siberia
Author(s) -
KUZNETSOV F. A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2000.tb06763.x
Subject(s) - clathrate hydrate , natural gas , the arctic , natural (archaeology) , earth science , environmental science , geology , geochemistry , chemistry , oceanography , waste management , hydrate , paleontology , engineering , organic chemistry
A bstract : Natural gas hydrates were first observed on 21 July 1961 (the discovery was officially registered on 24 December 1969).1 It soon became clear that these compounds are not just chemical curiosities, or a nuisance for gas transportation in pipe lines, but rather that they are related significant natural phenomena. It is possible that in the past natural gas hydrates have manifested themselves in marine and land incidents. In future gas hydrates may offer an inexhaustible source of energy and chemical raw material. However, if not accessed with sufficient knowledge, gas hydrates may be destabilized to create many local problems and possibly global problems as well. In the USSR and more recently in Russia, a number of groups are traditionally involved in investigation of different aspects of gas hydrates problems. These groups have made significant contributions to present knowledge about the nature and properties of the gas hydrates. The Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences recently started an interdisciplinary program to comprehensively investigate all major aspects of gas hydrates, with special emphasis on natural gas hydrates and gas hydrates deposits in Siberia and its adjacent regions. The program consists of three components: (1) Geology of gas hydrates in the cryolito‐zone of Siberia and in the bottom deposits of the Arctic and East seas, and of Lake Baikal. (2) Physicochemical study of hydrates of different gases. (3) Ecological monitoring. In this paper we offer a short summary of the main results of these three components of the program. We emphasize the second component, since it is close to the scientific interests of the author.