OK, this is a pretty deep subject, so let me summarize for you.
Methane/Gas hydrates is literally frozen compressed methane under the sea floor and in permafrost in the Arctic, when extracted it looks just like a packed snowball, only it's flammable.

Unlike shale oil, this gas is found everywhere throughout the world, and literally dwarfs shale deposits and no one can put a number on it's amount, because there is more than we could ever begin to use, let alone deplete in the span of mans existence.

Quote
Japan announced Tuesday that researchers had succesfully produced natural gas from offshore methane hydrates, a breakthrough with potentially explosive consequences for both global energy markets and the effort to tackle climate change.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry announced that a team aboard a drilling ship pearched above the Eastern Nankai Trough had extracted the gas from hydrates trapped 1,000 feet below the sea floor surface. Methane hydrates, also known as clathrates, are deposits of natural gas trapped within the crystaline structure of frozen water, leading some to refer to hydrates as "fire ice."

Types of methane hydratesThe extraction of usable gas from undersea methane hydrates Tuesday was thought to be the world's first, a breakthrough step towards tapping a potentially massive new alternative source of natural gas.

 


To see a short video of the frozen gas extract afire, jump to the end, the 6 minute mark, this stuff is pretty cool.

USGS Gas Hydrates Lab

Amazing what you find, when you don't accept the BS.

Quote from: mdgiles on January 10, 2014, 07:33:50 AM
Amazing what you find, when you don't accept the BS.

LOL! Isn't it though? The Japanese know their future depends on everyone else to supply their energy needs, this alone is motivation to search for alternatives and they found a hell of a source of plentiful clean fuel.

I love it when we prove the doom sayers are full of shit.

Quote from: Solar on January 10, 2014, 08:05:50 AM
LOL! Isn't it though? The Japanese know their future depends on everyone else to supply their energy needs, this alone is motivation to search for alternatives and they found a hell of a source of plentiful clean fuel.

I love it when we prove the doom sayers are full of shit.

The Israelis have also searched for, and found, a huge gas field of their coasts. With Shale oil and gas hydrates coming in soon we'll be able to ignore the Middle East. Let the savages kill each other. They already concluded that if Iran gets nukes, Saudi Arabia will buy some from Pakistan - and missiles from North Korea.

Quote from: mdgiles on January 10, 2014, 08:10:30 AM
The Israelis have also searched for, and found, a huge gas field of their coasts. With Shale oil and gas hydrates coming in soon we'll be able to ignore the Middle East. Let the savages kill each other. They already concluded that if Iran gets nukes, Saudi Arabia will buy some from Pakistan - and missiles from North Korea.

In just 10 short years we have gone from importers to exporters, and in another 10, the whole face of the oil industry will change once more, when OPEC is nothing but a blip in the history books.

Now if we can just put the left in their place and once again become the power house of producers in the world we were for so many decades.
Something that will drive the left nuts, American capitalism, a leader in production.

Quote from: Solar on January 10, 2014, 11:06:09 AM
In just 10 short years we have gone from importers to exporters, and in another 10, the whole face of the oil industry will change once more, when OPEC is nothing but a blip in the history books.

Now if we can just put the left in their place and once again become the power house of producers in the world we were for so many decades.
Something that will drive the left nuts, American capitalism, a leader in production.

We just need a conservative in the WH with a GOP majority in both houses. Then we can harvest our energy resources and tell every country in the Middle East except Israel to shove it.

Quote from: supsalemgr on January 10, 2014, 11:45:51 AM
We just need a conservative in the WH with a GOP majority in both houses. Then we can harvest our energy resources and tell every country in the Middle East except Israel to shove it.

After all the abuse by the left over their Green bull shit, the country will be happy to trash that crap.
I believe you're correct, people are looking for ways to save money, and energy is the key motivator to cutting all costs from the bottom up, and a side effect would be no need for imported terrorist oil.

Quote from: mdgiles on January 10, 2014, 08:10:30 AM
The Israelis have also searched for, and found, a huge gas field of their coasts. With Shale oil and gas hydrates coming in soon we'll be able to ignore the Middle East. Let the savages kill each other. They already concluded that if Iran gets nukes, Saudi Arabia will buy some from Pakistan - and missiles from North Korea.

Word is they already own some of the Pakistan nukes. they financed the Pakistan nuclear program!! If Iran gets a Nuke the Saudi's will have theirs within weeks. They are already have Chinese missiles that may be capable. The same news report said they have 2 suspected missile launch sites already built.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24823846

Back on subject! Why is it that with all the new natural gas resources coming on line we don't see the auto makers moving more in that direction?

Quote from: redbeard on January 10, 2014, 04:25:21 PM
Back on subject! Why is it that with all the new natural gas resources coming on line we don't see the auto makers moving more in that direction?

Infrastructure, the same problem they have with electric cars. If your regular car runs out of gas - or diesel - you simply grab the gas can and walk to the nearest gas station. Until the fuel infrastructure for electric is that handy, it will never become a big seller. BTW, will someone please explain to the EcoNuts that electricity - and the rare earths used in the batteries - has to be produced somewhere.