“Bubbling cauldrons of gas”—“They're quite spectacular.”—“They're pure methane.”

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bubbling-cauldrons-of-gas/article1277849/

‘Bubbling cauldrons of gas'

Unimaginable quantities of methane — a greenhouse gas 20 to 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide — are stored underground in the Arctic. Some of it is leaking out

Bob Weber

The Canadian Press Last updated on Sunday, Sep. 06, 2009 11:11AM EDT

You can see them from shore along the Arctic coast or even in some northern lakes — seething domes of water churned up by gas escaping from deep below.

“The largest ones have the feeling of a hot tub,” says Scott Dallimore, a scientist with Natural Resources Canada.

“They look like floating hot tubs out in the water. They're bubbling cauldrons of gas. They're quite spectacular. ”

“They're pure methane.”

…

[Cirque du So-What]

1. 'Spectacular' is not quite the word that comes to mind

'Ominous?' Certainly.

'Menacing?' Undoubtedly.

'Apocalyptic?' Likely!

[GreenPartyVoter]

+1

[Dead_Parrot]

13. I like "Apocabubble"

Yeah, I just made it up. but say it aloud a few times, it's fun: It takes your mind off just how fucked we are.

[MineralMan]

2. Sad that we cannot capture it, compress it, and use it

as fuel. We could, but the technology doesn't currently exist for the particular situation. It's a shame, because all of that methane could be used anywhere natural gas is used.

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. I don't see how we possibly could

http://www7430.nrlssc.navy.mil/7432/hydrates/background.htm

Where are Natural Methane Hydrates Found?

Methane Hydrate is stable on land in polar regions and at sea in water deeper than a few hundred meters, and likely exists on all continental margins. The triangles here show actual discoveries (updated from Kvenvolden, 1988).

…

[MineralMan]

6. Well, when it's actively bubbling to the surface and escaping

into the atmosphere, it certainly could be captured. Locked into sediments, probably not, but escaping into the air...sure it could.

All that is required is a collection membrane and plumbing to compression equipment or even liquification equipment.

It's a no-brainer. The question is whether there will be enough of it escaping to make the process profitable. I have no answer for that.

It's just an extension of the methane collection facilities at huge dairies, pig farms, and landfills. It's already happening...just not on the scale needed for these leaks.

[OKIsItJustMe]

7. All that is required is a collection membrane and plumbing …

Did you look at that map? You're saying (in effect) “all we need to do is” make a membrane large enough to cover all of the continental margins… (not to mention all of the tundra.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_margin">Continental margins represent over a quarter of the oceans.

Now, that would be spectacular!

[MineralMan]

8. Yah...can't be done...no sense thinking about it...

You'd think people were trying to drill for oil from platforms out in the ocean. Everyone knows that'll never work.

Look, the actual locations where this gas is coming to the surface are limited. It's not the entire continental margin. It's not the entire tundra. It's way more localized than that.

But, hey, you've already figured out that it's impossible, just like heavier-than-air flight is impossible. I'll alert those who are trying to figure out just how they can turn this into a commercial enterprise and tell them to give it up. Yah...that's what I'll do...

[hatrack]

14. Thanks for the straw man . . .

I was in desperate need of tinder until you showed up.

[MercutioATC]

4. Planet farts.

[tularetom]

5. "Bubbling cauldrons of gas" - I was expecting this to be about the liberal media

But it really is a lot more informative (and alarming) than what you would ever hear from them.

[3waygeek]

9. This thread isn't about Rush, BillO and Beck? n/t

[Odin2005]

10. Oh shit!

:scared:

[windoe]

11. Could we maybe use it for power?

It doesn't look good.

[Dead_Parrot]

12. Trapping it is the problem

Land deposits are spread over an area about the size of North America: about the same again if you include ocean deposits.

That's a lot of tube.