Drilling for Natural Gas

[Truth_and_Power]

Are there any downsides to coastal drilling for natural gas? If you spill it.. it just dissipates into the atmosphere, right?

[tecoyah]

Are there any downsides to coastal drilling for natural gas? If you spill it.. it just dissipates into the atmosphere, right?

No downsides....other than this:

Inferred Reserves 232.7
Onshore 183.03
Offshore 47.68
Deep 7.72
Shallow 39.96

These are the areas we know about^^^

These are the areas we do not VVV

Undiscovered 247.71
Onshore 121.61
Offshore 126.1
Deep 81.56
Shallow 44.52


I might suggest we go for the easy stuff first.

http://www.naturalgas.org/overview/resources.asp

[potter]

It seems like I read something many years ago about some large natural gas deposits off the east coast, however there was concern that drilling and sucking out the gas might cause the collapse of a shelf in the ocean which could cause a tsuami. But I read this several years ago....

[brien]

Over most every oil deposit there is a layer of Natural Gas than can be harvested and used to replace gasoline, HH oil, and oil used for electricity generation, thus increasing the supply of crude for other purposes. This gas could be delivered to the public as soon as the well is sunk to tap the reserve. It is absolutely nonsensical to not begin to drill for it. And after it is harvested, go deeper for the crude below it.

[apdst]

If you spill it.. it just dissipates into the atmosphere, right?

Unless it pockets, because of geography and weather, then ignites and explodes. Natural gas is heavier than air. A cloud will form, as long as the gas flow continues. Again, it dependent on geography and weather conditions.

The process for drilling a gas well is identical to to drilling an oil well, with the exception of a few added safety features because of the pressure coming from the gas pocket. The key factor is a gas well blowout, is to ignite the gas flow as soon as possible.