Figure 8.10 Carbon distribution on EarthPros
■ Expands natural gas reserves 160 times above the current available
supplies. 1 m^3 of methane hydrate equals 164 m^3 of methane.
■ Reserves are widely distributed across the globe.Cons (in addition to the “Cons” of Methane)
■ Releases methane into the atmosphere when hydrates are mined.
■ Technology to profitably mine methane hydrates is not currently
available.
■ Could cause destabilization of the ocean floor (e.g., landslides and
earthquakes).OIL SHALE
Oil shale is an organic-rich, fine-grained, sedimentary rock that contains
significant amounts of an organic compound known as kerogen. If the oil shale
is heated in the absence of air, the kerogen converts to oil. Oil shale deposits
have been identified in some 40 countries. Current estimates of recoverable
worldwide oil shale resources are 3 trillion barrels (more than twice the current
proven conventional oil reserves). Recoverable oil from oil shale in the U.S. is
estimated at about 1 trillion barrels.
Oil shale can be extracted through either surface mining or in situ (in place)
methods that consist of heating the oil shale underneath the ground and
extracting the oil and gases through pumping. Most of the oil shale in the United
States is found in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The largest world reserves are
found in Australia, Estonia, Germany, Israel, and Jordan.