SKorea recovers natural gas hydrate
Monday, 25 June 2007
SEOUL, June 24 (AFP): South Korea said today it has successfully recovered samples of natural gas hydrate, a potential future energy source, from the floor of the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
The samples were collected last week at a depth of 135 kilometres (85 miles) in the sea northeast of Pohang, the commerce, industry and energy ministry said in a statement.
South Korea is the fifth country to recover natural gas hydrate samples, following the United States, Japan, India and China, the ministry said.
Gas hydrate, also known as "combustible ice", is found in seabeds or tundras. It has the potential to be converted into liquid natural gas and hence used as an energy source.
South Korea has been exploring the seabeds in its territorial waters since 2005, and hopes to conduct full-scale surveys before launching commercial production in 2015, the ministry said.
The country has earmarked 225 billion won (242 million dollars) for the exploration of seabeds for natural gas hydrate until 2014, it said.
The samples were collected last week at a depth of 135 kilometres (85 miles) in the sea northeast of Pohang, the commerce, industry and energy ministry said in a statement.
South Korea is the fifth country to recover natural gas hydrate samples, following the United States, Japan, India and China, the ministry said.
Gas hydrate, also known as "combustible ice", is found in seabeds or tundras. It has the potential to be converted into liquid natural gas and hence used as an energy source.
South Korea has been exploring the seabeds in its territorial waters since 2005, and hopes to conduct full-scale surveys before launching commercial production in 2015, the ministry said.
The country has earmarked 225 billion won (242 million dollars) for the exploration of seabeds for natural gas hydrate until 2014, it said.