Federal scientists have concluded that Alaska's North Slope holds one of the nation's largest deposits of recoverable natural gas in the form of gas hydrates, a finding that could open a major new front in domestic energy exploration. Researchers have speculated for years that gas hydrates -- a combination of gas and water locked in an icelike solid that forms under high pressure and low temperatures -- could provide an important source of natural gas in the United States and worldwide. Today the U.S. Geological Survey will release a study estimating that 85.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas can be extracted from Alaska's gas hydrates, an amount that could heat more than 100 million average homes for more than a decade. ... Part of the reserve's significance, federal officials said, is that gas companies will be able to tap into it with existing technology. A coalition of American and international experts conducted three tests on gas hydrates over the past five years in the United States and Canada and demonstrated that the gas can be extracted by reducing the pressure that binds them together. Gas hydrates have also been found in the Wyoming basin, Texas's western Gulf basin, and the San Juan basin in New Mexico and Colorado, as well as in several offshore areas. "The assessment points to a truly significant potential for natural gas hydrates to contribute to the energy mix of the United States and the world," Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said in a statement. "This study also brings us closer to realizing the potential of this clean-burning natural gas resource." The prospect of extracting methane from gas hydrates, some of which lie below the permafrost of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, worries some environmentalists. Athan Manuel, who directs the lands program for the Sierra Club advocacy group, said that the refuge should remain "inviolate" and that tapping into gas hydrates can harm less-pristine areas as well. ... The energy hate groups in the environmental movement are so predictable. Whatever source of energy emerges they find reasons to oppose it. Natural gas is clean energy and removing it from these hydrate formations will actually reduce the potential for natural methane to seep into the atmosphere. The pipeline that Sarah Palin recently got approved would carry this gas to the lower 48. That is probably another reason for the anti energy left to oppose its development. The CNN story on the energy potential gas hydrates says the natural gas would go straight to the pipeline and not be released into the atmosphere. [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

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Extracting it "worries some environmentalists". Well, freezing in my home worries me. These guys are not going to be happy until they are living in caves and not allowed to even have a nasty, carbon producing fire to stay warm. They are such idiots.

I'm no environmentalist, so if it's "technically recoverable" with minimal impact, go for it.

We just need to clarify something...
That's fine and dandy...the "pipeline to nowhere" was made a big deal only when it was convenient during the election...Palin had the chance to divert additional existing natural gas to the lower 48 early this year, but chose instead to sell it overseas for more profit...but people wonder why environmentalists complain...

Didn't know Sarah Palin owned natural gas.

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She's full of Natural Gas.....what a joke she is. Gets her arse handed to her this election and blames Bush for losing. Claims she might run for Senator...maybe President...when is she going to figure out she is just a flavor of the month and is a loser??

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Who is the joke, her or you for still talking about her?

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but people wonder why environmentalists complain...


No. We know why they complain. Because in their holier than thou attitude they want us all to go back to living like cavemen. They just dont want to do it themselves. It is a political agenda and they are very hypocritical.

Me neither, weird.

From the ultra left-wing Time magazine...
[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

Umm, no...they complain because the right wants to drill their way out of everything, yet folks like Palin decide to push the DOE to sell gas overseas instead of transporting it down the west coast in a new pipeline. The link is in the above post.

That doesn't say it was her natural gas. Nice try though.

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