If we could extract them at economic prices, that could have enormous significance.<p>The resources of methane hydrate are enormous. By some estimates there are more of them there other fossils:
<a href="http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/gas-hydrates/" rel="nofollow">http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/gas-hydrates/</a><p>On the other hand, if they start leaking we will have incredible strong greenhouse effect...
I'm reminded of Homer Simpson confessing during an AA meeting that he was so desperate for a drink he ate the dirt under the bleachers at the football stadium.<p>C'mon world, enough with the fossil fuels.
Too bad natural gas is trading about what it was in 1980 (largely from lot of new supply from fracking), and about 60% below its peak in 2009 - at least in the US [1]. Although prices in Japan are about 5X higher [2]<p>1 - <a href="http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n9190us3a.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n9190us3a.htm</a><p>2 - <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-natural-gas-prices-reshaping-global-market-2012-12-12-144851222" rel="nofollow">http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-natural-gas-prices-resha...</a>