Charting the Future of Methane Hydrate Research in the United States (2004) / Chapter Skim
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6 Summary of Findings and Recommendations
6 Summary of Findings and Recommendations
Pages 93-104
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From page 93... ...
A successful program in methane hydrate research requires clearly defined scientific program goals, has an effective data management and dissemination strategy, coordinates actively with other agencies and international programs, develops applications that are useful to ongoing and future projects, and recognizes the importance of community support and scientific oversight. The program has, for the last four years, administered funds from a funding base of $9 million to $10 million each year.
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From page 94... ...
To meet the goals of the act in the future, the DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program should strengthen its contribution to education and training through funding of postdoctoral fellowships and should increase efforts in basic research to address the relationship between gas hydrate and climate change. It is, however, appropriate that some research areas mentioned in the act (e.g., transportation)
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From page 95... ...
Therefore, unless substantially greater resources are devoted to the DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program, the United States may fall behind other nations in leading hydrate development technology. It is clear that projects such as the Mallik 2002 Production Research Well Program and the ODP Leg 204 represent achievements that will multiply the DOE investment leading to energy production from hydrate.
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From page 96... ...
understand how natural gas hydrate affects seafloor stability; (5) gather data to aid the development of safe and efficient drilling and coring protocols in naturally occurring gas hydrate; and (6)
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From page 97... ...
, concluded that the likelihood of encountering gas hydrate at the proposed Anadarko Hot Ice Drill sites was very low; a point reiterated in subsequent USGS communications from September and October 2002. An external science-based review process would benefit the program and allow an evaluation of possible drill sites or the identification of potential problems.
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From page 98... ...
The USGS should continue to play a major role in gas hydrate research as a collaborator in the DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program. Smaller-Scale Projects Smaller-scale projects funded by the DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program are generally funded through either broad-based solicitations or national laboratory projects.
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From page 99... ...
As much as practical, these instructions should include the consequences of noncompliance. Program Breadth The DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program has effectively advanced a number of research and development goals to determine the production potential of gas hydrate as a future energy resource and to assess potential geohazards associated with disturbance of gas hydrate deposits.
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From page 100... ...
The DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program should sponsor a workshop focused on specific aspects of required research, for example, finding "sweet spots" or monitoring the evolution of gas hydrate deposits over time in the context of the OOI. Efforts to determine whether hydrate is economically producible are commendable; however, a more systematic science-based plan should be developed to ensure that the best sites are chosen and drilled so that these sites will have the best chance of producing natural gas from hydrate formations.
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From page 101... ...
Roles of the Advisory Committees The DOE Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 mandated the establishment of two committees to help oversee the scientific aspects of the program. The Methane Hydrate Advisory Committee (MHAC)
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From page 102... ...
The DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program currently uses a "merit-based review" of proposals consisting of input from DOE project managers responsible for managing proposals to the program. Currently, the project managers reviewing these proposals have responsibilities in other research areas and therefore may not be able to examine the proposals as a whole to ascertain whether particular projects would help to meet program goals.
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From page 103... ...
The DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program provides a significant incentive and valued role in developing this nation's ability to produce energy from gas hydrate and to understand the potential geological constraints on drilling hydrate. Although commercial interest in drilling and producing hydrate is presently low, the DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program's continued support of hydrate efforts is a key component of this nation's ability to produce energy from hydrate in the future.
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