Offshore methane hydrate assessment and evolution with novel geophysical methods

甲烷笼形水合物是水和甲烷的固体化合物。它是在温哥华岛西海岸水深超过500米的海底下通过钻探和综合地球物理学发现的。海格力斯甚至被渔民拖到了水面。据估计，在世界范围内，类似的矿床含有的碳氢化合物数量超过了所有其他已知储量的总和。这种材料很可能成为本世纪的清洁燃料。甲烷也是一种强大的温室气体。显然，矿床的探测、评估和长期监测不仅对确定资源价值，而且对自然灾害和环境评估都很重要。

Methane clathrate hydrate is a solid compound of water and methane. It has been discovered by drilling and integrated geophysics beneath the sea floor in water depths exceeding 500m off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Hydrate has even been trawled to the surface by fishermen. Worldwide, similar deposits are estimated to contain an amount of hydrocarbon that exceeds the sum in all other known reserves. The material may well become the clean burning fuel of this century. Methane is also a powerful greenhouse gas. It is clear that the detection, evaluation and long term monitoring of deposits is of importance, not only to determine the resource value but also for natural hazard and environmental assessment.