- The Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin holds a massive reserve of methane hydrate, a rich source of clean fuel, according to a recent study conducted at the Agharkar Research Institute.
- Methane is a clean and economical fuel and it is estimated that “one cubic meter of methane hydrate contains 160-180 cubic meters of methane”.
- Even the lowest estimate of Methane present in the Methane hydrates in KG Basin is twice that of all fossil fuel reserves available worldwide.
- Methane’s clean burning process makes it a very attractive fuel.
- When burnt in the presence of Oxygen, its one molecule releases two molecules of water and one of Carbon Dioxide.
- The KG basin is known to be a rich source of hydrocarbons.
- The study was conducted as a part of the DST-SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board) young scientist project titled ‘Elucidating the community structure of methanogenic archaea in methane hydrate’.
- Further identified the methanogens that produced the biogenic methane trapped as methane hydrate, which can be a significant source of energy.
- Methane hydrate is formed when hydrogen-bonded water and methane gas come into contact at high pressures and low temperatures in oceans.
- “The massive methane hydrate deposits of biogenic origin in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin and near the coast of Andaman and Mahanadi make it necessary to study the associated methanogenic community.
