Methane cataclysm pending

[Badger]

Another way that the sky is falling can be found here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/01/040113080810.htm

Pardon me while I go run in a circle, shouting in terror. Or not.

 

[Dancing David]

I didn't read the article, but ever since I read about the layer of methane hydrate at the bottom of the ocean, I have wondered what it could do to our planet, one decent tsunami or earthquake could bring up enough methan e to gas up all and raise the temperature drasticaly.

Or we could be struck by a meteor.

 

[Hexxenhammer]

I read the same stuff in Discover magazine. I've heard methane blamed for the bermuda triangle etc. If it can cause these catastophes, it must be on a scale camparable to killer meteors.

 

[TillEulenspiegel]

Ya Ya ............Two words , Cow farts.

 

[Soapy Sam]

Don't know about Global Disaster guys, but take it from me, You don't want to be on a floating rig that drills into this sort of stuff.

Guess how well steel structures float in foam?

 

[DanishDynamite]

Soapy Sam:

Guess how well steel structures float in foam?

Hmmm.

a) The pressure of the expanding gas lifts the structure up into the air and makes it levitate

b) The foamy nature of the water makes no difference. If it did you could sink a destroyer using Soap Bombs or pouring shampoo all around it.

c) The structure will sink like a rock.

d) The arrival (real soon now) of Planet X will make the question irrelevant.

Hmmm. Tough choices.

 

[Soapy Sam]

...and then the foam ignites...

 

[Badger]

Don't know about Global Disaster guys, but take it from me, You don't want to be on a floating rig that drills into this sort of stuff.

Guess how well steel structures float in foam?

Say, do they design your escape pods to handle burning, foamy water?

(if on the off chance you had time to actually GET to a pod before the rig goes under)

 

[Soapy Sam]

They try. I hope never to put one to the test.

 

[pupdog]

There has been some successful exploratory drilling of hydrates for natural gas. The total amount of methane is enormous but, unfortunately, they're mostly too thin and scattered to recover very much of it.

 

[Soapy Sam]

Lots of reservoirs contain hydrates. It's just unexpected shallow ones that present a hazard.

 

[Charlie in Dayton]

Someone's already written a thriller using this stuff as a major plot point.

Clive Cussler's "Fire Ice"

IMO, not one of his best, but more than adequate for mental chewing gum...

 

[richardm]

It's going to be a busy time for Methane in the atmosphere. Since everything is warming up, permafrost is starting to melt and release methane that's been trapped in frozen bogs for the last 100,000 years or so. Methane bonanza! We're all doomed!

In other news; Calor Gas shares slump unexpectedly.

 

[MLynn]

Ya Ya ............Two words , Cow farts.

Ya Ya no. 2 - 6+ billion people farts.

 

[TillEulenspiegel]

Go forth my son and outgas no more, praise to Elsie the bringer of milk n cheez