Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) researchers are creating new procedures for separating methane from natural gas hydrates. Gas hydrates are ice-like pens, found in Indian mainland coastline, in which methane gas is caught.
As per official information, more than 1,900 trillion cubic meters of methane gas lie undiscovered in these cages. This is 1500 times more than the nation’s present gas hold.
Researchers are concentrating on new methane extraction techniques so the nation’s natural gas import will descend. Jitendra Sangwai, Professor (Petroleum Engineering) from IITM’s Ocean Engineering division, is heading the project.
As per Public statement from IITM said that four procedures are being considered in different labs for this separation, specifically – thermal stimulation, depressurisation, chemical injection and carbon dioxide injection. Sangwai’s group examine the consolidated impacts of thermal stimulation and depressurisation in one part of the study, and polymer infusion in another. “Controlled extraction of methane from gas hydrates can not only meet the enormous demand for energy all over the world but can also reduce the detrimental geological release of greenhouse gas into the environment from these sources,” Sangwai added.