I hear that on some parts of the ocean floor natural gas is bubbling up to the surface. This has been theorized as one of the causes for the Devil's triangle and its ilk. If a giant tarp shaped like a cone to cover a field, it can collect the gas and we'll have a new energy source.
-- the great unknown, Apr 07 2009

Bacteria and undersea methane http://www.ens-news.../2007-12-20-095.asp
recent info on bubbles [csea, Apr 07 2009]

Clathrate Bomb Clathrate_20Bomb
BOOOMfizzzzzzzzzz [bungston, Apr 08 2009]

Underground Methane Farm Underground_20Methane_20Farm
workin on a methane farm [bungston, Apr 08 2009]

Interesting thought. Might be hard to get to where it can be transported. +
-- csea, Apr 07 2009


How big a tarp? Is this a Cristo-style endeavor?
-- bungston, Apr 07 2009


One could drop explosive charges down onto the sea floor to shake loose extra methane bubbles.. You would want a little hole in the middle of the tarp for the explosive to go through. It would be closed after wards to keep the bubbles on the underside. Small and progressively larger charges could be sent down first to softly explode midwater and scare away the squid and things.
-- bungston, Apr 08 2009


I think that when oil and other sources of fuel dries up and drive the price up, it may be feasable to at least look into this way of getting natural gas.

We already ship gas across the sea, like oil.

You don't need to blow open the surface, the bubbles are already seeping from the sea floor. all we need to do is collect it.

I could be one massive tarp, but it can also be a series of smaller collectors.
-- the great unknown, Apr 08 2009


Am I the only one disappointed that this idea does not involve flatus in any way? Yes? Carry on, then.
-- justaguy, Apr 08 2009


How much gas bubbles up per unit area? This could either be a good idea, or a very stoopid one, depending on this single number.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 08 2009


Bomb => mass extinction again.
-- nineteenthly, Apr 08 2009


Once the mass is extinct, it cannot reextinct.
-- bungston, Apr 08 2009



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