Methane Hydrates Disadvantages

In the article “An Inconvenient Ice”, author Lisa Margonelli examines what methane hydrates are, the capabilities of methane hydrates, and the potentially detrimental affects methane hydrates can have on global warming. Methane hydrates exist in the seabed along coastlines around the world and are massive deposits of gas that are trapped in large, icy structures underneath the coastal sea floor. Despite inadequate funding, scientists around the world are conducting experiments to determine if methane hydrates can serve as a solution to the energy challenges the ever-increasing global population is freezing. It is estimated that methane hydrates under the sea hold more carbon than all the coal, oil, and natural gas reserves on the earth. Margonelli follows the work conducted by researchers aboard the research ship Western Flyer. These researchers are attempting to discover basic information about methane hydrates that will assist researchers in addressing the larger issues associated with methane hydrates, as well as determine the extent to which hydrate outcroppings can be reliably mined for energy and if warming oceans can release
Although there are various advantages associated with synfuels, such as that is can be used as vehicle fuel and support mass transportation and results in lower air pollution than coal, synfuels release higher amounts of carbon dioxide than coal. Furthermore, synfuels require mining 50% more coal. This is associated with increased land disturbance, water pollution, and extensive water use. Although synthetic fuels could allow for carbon reduction in regards to the fleet of cars that are currently on the road, these still release larger amounts of carbon dioxide, a crucial greenhouse gas, than coal, which already emits incredibly large amounts of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants when produced and