Japan exploits natural gas from burnt ice

On March 12, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said the country extracted natural gas from a new energy source called methane hydrate (also known as ice burning) in the Pacific ocean floor. , off Central Japan.

This is the first case in the world to exploit gas from such an energy source.

An official from the ministry said a certain amount of metal gas was produced at 9 am (local time).

Japan has extracted gas from burnt ice

If this gas source is stably exploited for about two weeks of testing in the waters 80km south of Atsumi Peninsula, Aichi Prefecture, this will be a "big step" towards a commercial development. future resources.

The preparation for this mining project has been carried out by a group led by Japan National Oil and Gas Group in February 2012.

Under the mining project, the complex used a pressure-reducing method of seabed strata containing methane hydrate to remove solids and obtain gas metal - a key component of natural gas. .

Methane hydrate is composed of methane gas that is compacted in ice under the seabed or permanently frozen, which is considered as a promising new energy source.

This new energy source is located on a large scale in the seabed surrounding Japan, with estimated reserves sufficient to serve Japan's natural gas consumption demand for about 100 years.

It is hoped to develop this gas source because Japan has very few natural resources. However, the cost reduction in drilling operations such as drilling wells on the seabed . remains a challenge for Japan.