Different climate change scenarios may influence dynamics of ocean reserves
The Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources (IPR) has published the article Gas Seeps at the Edge of the Gas Hydrate Stability Zone on Brazil’s Continental Margin in Geosciences journal, from Switzerland. The article discusses the recent discoveries of gas hydrates on the oceans, especially on the Brazilian continental margin. Researchers discussed the environmental concerns associated with different climate change scenarios, which may influence the dynamics of hydrate reserves on the oceans.
“When we mention global warming in our recent investigations, we bear in mind that the ocean water temperatures are increasing, too. If nothing happens, this could destabilize gas hydrates on the continental shores all over the world”, Luiz Frederico Rodrigues says. These reserves mainly store a high amount of methane and the release of a fraction of this gas into the oceans into the atmosphere would contribute to the increase of greenhouse gases. Therefore, with increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, there is the possibility of increasing the temperature of the planet.
Canadian researcher Daniel Praeg, who researches the IPR, made a meaningful contribution to the article. He has been doing research at PUCRS since 2018 on the project SEAGAS. In addition to Rodrigues, IPR researcher, and Praeg, other researchers from UFRGS, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Linnaeus University, French laboratory Géoazur and Petrobras contributed to the research.
