This group was created to cater to the sustained development of technology towards harnessing the enormous potential offered by the ocean towards the energy sectors and also to the industries related to offshore activities with particular reference to gas hydrates.
Gas hydrates are crystalline combination of a natural gas and water (known technically as a clathrate) looks remarkably like ice but burns if it meets a match lit. Energy in the gas hydrates amount to twice as much as all fossil fuels combined. Gas hydrate estimated to contribute a very large amount of methane, a potential clear hydrocarbon fuel resource. Our physical, chemical, geological and geotechnical knowledge is too limited to predict about possible exploration and unwanted environmental consequences of gas hydrate production. Hence, "gas hydrates" will most certainly be subject to increased research in the years to come
In India occurrence of gas hydrates are proved during JOIDES drilling program of NGHP under Ministry of Petroleum during 2006. During the drilling and geophysical logging thick gas hydrates occurrence were proved and recovered from Krishna – Godavari basin at a depth 950 m and 40 bsf. During drilling gas hydrates are recovered in association with intercalated volcanic ash beds in Andaman Sea.
