Definition
Gas hydrates are nonstoichiometric crystalline compounds in which hydrogen-bonded water molecules (host) create cavities that enclose a gaseous molecule or low molecular weight hydrocarbon (guest). The guest molecule inside the cavities rotates freely as there is no chemical bonding between the host water molecules and the enclosed guest molecule. Unlike crystalline ice which exists below 0 °C, solid crystals of gas hydrate are stable above or below 0 °C. Methane (CH4) is the most common guest molecule. Methane hydrates are found in many subsea and permafrost regions on earth. Methane hydrates represent a highly concentrated form of methane; a cubic meter of methane hydrate may contain as much as 170 m3 of methane at standard temperature-pressure condition along with 0.84 m3of (potable) water. An estimated 99% of worldwide gas hydrate occurs in ocean (marine) sediments at water depths ranging from 300 m to greater that 2500 m. Key challenges in exploiting this resource are...
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Kumar, R., Linga, P. (2018). Gas Hydrates. In: White, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_177-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_177-1
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