Page 203 - Technology Roadmap Transportation

TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP: TRANSPORTATION

India should also develop its technological
capabilities and technical knowhow of operating
vessels in the arduous environments of the
Arctic. Powerful icebreakers are a key investment
for countries having major interests in the
Arctic region, as a necessity for all year access
through the ice. Therefore, India should develop
technological capabilities to build and manage
such powerful ice-breakers, preferably nuclear
powered ones. The specific needs of the ice-
breaking ships make them one of the only
cases, where nuclear propulsion is economically
practical – barring nuclear submarines, which take
advantage of the fact that the nuclear reactors do
not require oxygen to run.

6.7 GAS PRODUCTION FROM HYDRATE
RESERVOIRS
Gas hydrates are ice-like crystalline materials
that contain water and gases. The gas molecules
are trapped in the cage like structure of the
surrounding water molecules, leading to a tight
structure. One volume of hydrate could release
150 to 180 volumes of natural gas at standard
conditions. The high concentration of natural
gas puts the energy content of hydrate bearing
formations at par with bitumen and heavy oil
reservoirs, and much higher than the energy
content of other unconventional sources of gas,
such as coal bed methane.

It is estimated that that the amount of natural
gas trapped in hydrates around the world is
approximately twice that of the recoverable
gas in conventional reservoirs. India should also
develop its technological capabilities and technical
knowhow in this field for exploiting the potential
towards improved energy security.

REFERENCES

1. http://web.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/microsites/climate-change/files/Arctic-Resources/
Shipping/FNI%20Arctic%20shipping%20legal%20analysis.pdf

WATERWAYS 201