Deep-ocean field test of methane hydrate formation from a remotely operated vehicle

Research Article| May 01, 1997 Deep-ocean field test of methane hydrate formation from a remotely operated vehicle Peter G. Brewer; Peter G. Brewer 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Franklin M. Orr, Jr; Franklin M. Orr, Jr 2School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gernot Friederich; Gernot Friederich 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Keith A. Kvenvolden; Keith A. Kvenvolden 3U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Daniel L. Orange; Daniel L. Orange 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James McFarlane; James McFarlane 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar William Kirkwood William Kirkwood 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Peter G. Brewer 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Franklin M. Orr, Jr 2School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 Gernot Friederich 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Keith A. Kvenvolden 3U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 Daniel L. Orange 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 James McFarlane 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 William Kirkwood 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1997) 25 (5): 407–410. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0407:DOFTOM>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Peter G. Brewer, Franklin M. Orr, Gernot Friederich, Keith A. Kvenvolden, Daniel L. Orange, James McFarlane, William Kirkwood; Deep-ocean field test of methane hydrate formation from a remotely operated vehicle. Geology 1997;; 25 (5): 407–410. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0407:DOFTOM>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract We have observed the process of formation of clathrate hydrates of methane in experiments conducted on the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Ventana in the deep waters of Monterey Bay. A tank of methane gas, acrylic tubes containing seawater, and seawater plus various types of sediment were carried down on Ventana to a depth of 910 m where methane gas was injected at the base of the acrylic tubes by bubble stream. Prior calculations had shown that the local hydrographic conditions gave an upper limit of 525 m for the P-T boundary defining methane hydrate formation or dissociation at this site, and thus our experiment took place well within the stability range for this reaction to occur. Hydrate formation in free seawater occurred within minutes as a buoyant mass of translucent hydrate formed at the gas-water interface. In a coarse sand matrix the filling of the pore spaces with hydrate turned the sand column into a solidified block, which gas pressure soon lifted and ruptured. In a fine-grained black mud the gas flow carved out flow channels, the walls of which became coated and then filled with hydrate in larger discrete masses. Our experiment shows that hydrate formation is rapid in natural seawater, that sediment type strongly influences the patterns of hydrate formation, and that the use of ROV technologies permits the synthesis of large amounts of hydrate material in natural systems under a variety of conditions so that fundamental research on the stability and growth of these substances is possible. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.