Oil and Gas News from OilGasDaily.Com
OIL AND GAS
Unusually deep methane leak in Baltic Sea: researchers
Unusually deep methane leak in Baltic Sea: researchers
by AFP Staff Writers
Stockholm (AFP) Sept 22, 2023

Researchers in Sweden have discovered large amounts of methane gas, a powerful planet-warming gas, leaking from unusual depths on the Baltic Sea seabed, they said on Friday.

A recent expedition found methane gas bubbling up from a depth of 400 metres (1,312 feet) at Landsortdjupet, off of Nynashamn on Sweden's southeastern coast, in a 20-square-kilometre (7.7-square-mile) area.

Methane gas is formed by microorganisms that live in the seabed's deep sediment layers, and is emitted into the atmosphere by leaks in fossil fuel installations as well as from other human-caused sources like livestock farming and landfills.

While it remains present in the atmosphere for a shorter period, methane is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide when it comes to warming, and is responsible for roughly 30 percent of the global rise in temperatures to date, even though it is far less abundant in the atmosphere than CO2.

"We know that methane gas can bubble up from shallow seabeds near the Baltic Sea coast, but I've never seen such intense bubbles before and definitely not from such a deep area," researcher Christian Stranne said in a statement from Stockholm University.

He was part of the research project conducted by Stockholm University and Linne University.

Normally, researchers would expect to see methane bubbles rising up at a height of 150-200 metres from the seabed, but in this case they were surprised to observe them at a height of 370 metres from the seabed -- unusually close to the surface.

"The methane in the bubbles dissolves in the sea and therefore they usually gradually decrease in size as they rise toward the surface," Stranne explained.

"I am not aware of any study where such resilient bubbles have been observed at these depths."

"It could be a new world record, and it could force us to reevaluate the role of deep areas in terms of their contribution to methane in the surface water," Stranne said.

He said the phenomenon may be linked to the oxygen-free conditions in the Baltic Sea's deep waters.

The bubbles remain more intact in this environment, making the methane transport to the surface more efficient, Stranne explained.

He said there may also be other similar methane leaks in other parts of the Baltic Sea.

Researchers now hope to do further analyses to determine why so much methane gas is being released in this particular area.

"Knowledge about the factors that govern how much methane is produced in these deeper areas and where the methane goes is lacking," said project leader Marcelo Ketzer, professor of environmental science at Linne University.

Related Links
All About Oil and Gas News at OilGasDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
OIL AND GAS
China to control half the world's hydrogen electrolyser capacity
Paris (AFP) Sept 22, 2023
By the end of 2023, China will control half the world's installed capacity of electrolysers for producing low-carbon hydrogen amid a slowdown in new projects due to inflation, according to an International Energy Agency report released Friday. "After a slow start, China has taken the lead on electrolyser deployment," the IEA report on hydrogen said. China's installed electrolyser capacity has jumped significantly in recent years, and is expected to reach 1.2 gigawatts - 50 percent of the globa ... read more

OIL AND GAS
Making aviation fuel from biomass

Chevron, partners develop a transportation fuel using animal waste as a feedstock

Illinois research leading to cleaner propane production method

Transforming flies into degradable plastics

OIL AND GAS
Solar panels go into service near North Pole

Flexible solar cell achieves major power conversion efficiency gains

The tricky path to tripling renewable energy capacity

New insight for stabilizing halide perovskite via thiocyanate substitution

OIL AND GAS
Harvesting wind energy in small countries with low wind speed and limited

How wind turbines react to turbulence

Work starts on key German wind power energy line

No offshore wind in latest UK green energy auction

OIL AND GAS
UK and Japan partnership to develop new technologies for nuclear waste disposal

Toshiba says $14 bn offer to go private set to succeed

Framatome breaks industry record for safe and timely reactor vessel exam at Surry Power Station

Rwanda inks deal to build nuclear reactor

OIL AND GAS
For climate activists, New York's lights shine too bright

COP28 will include first local climate summit

NASA Announces Summer 2023 Hottest on Record

Half of glaciers vanish with 1.5 degrees of warming

OIL AND GAS
Novel AI system enhances the predictive accuracy of autonomous driving

Tire maker honored for tackling electric car pollution

Taiwan's TSMC to help train German students for semiconductor careers

UK carmakers hope for delay to post-Brexit tariff

OIL AND GAS
Iraq sentences IS member to death over pilgrim bombing

18 Iraq police get jail terms over Sweden embassy fire

Millions of Shiite pilgrims flock to Iraq's Karbala

Three killed in ethnic protests in Iraq's Kirkuk

OIL AND GAS
Kim Jong Un back in North Korea after 'new chapter' opened with Russia

Russia's Shoigu makes Iran visit; EU slams Iran blocking nuclear inspectors

US, France, UK, Germany urge Iran to reverse bar on nuclear inspectors

UN nuclear chief urges Iran to allow inspectors

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.