Hydrates - could they be the cause of mysterious phenomena in the Bermuda Triangle?

Methane hydrates, known as methane ice, are attracting increasing attention from both an energy and environmental perspective. Their presence on the ocean floor is believed to be responsible for mysterious phenomena such as shipwrecks in the Bermuda Triangle. Although methane hydrates are a promising energy source, their extraction carries significant environmental risks, including potential greenhouse gas emissions that could accelerate global warming. This article examines both the properties of methane hydrate and the risks associated with its exploitation.

Methane hydrate deposits in the world

Some believe it's the cause of shipwrecks in the Bermuda Triangle. Methane ice—a mysterious substance mined from the ocean depths—burns with a steady, red flame, leaving behind only a cascade of water.

This one of the most efficient fuels could become hope for industry or... the cause of the destruction of the Earth.

The drillship took up position over a hill on the ocean floor. The drill bit easily passed through the sediment and bit into the rock. Suddenly, rows of red lights in the control room flashed, and the gauges went haywire. The engines were stopped. The sea boiled – large gas vesicles burst around the ship. The hydraulically controlled flare valves slammed shut. Too late – underwater cameras showed clouds of gas rising from the seabed. Thunder rang out, and a column of water, gas, and rock fragments shot out of the sea. The ship disappeared. After a few hours, the sea calmed. Chunks of a white, glassy substance, similar to ice, floated everywhere, foaming and quickly melting. After a few days, satellites recorded a significant increase in methane concentration in the atmosphere. A year later, the Earth's temperature rose significantly. In Warsaw, lilacs bloomed in March; in Cairo, thermometers were off the scale.

The glaciers of Greenland and Antarctica began to flow into the sea...Could this really happen? It could, though only under specific geological conditions. If so, it means that sooner or later such a catastrophe will occur somewhere. Therefore, searches for and attempts to exploit methane hydrate—because this compound was responsible for the hypothetical accident—are being conducted with extreme caution. Methane ice—humanity's energy hope—is also the most dangerous substance geologists and miners have ever encountered.

Left: Methane hydrate burns, releasing methane and water.

Right: structure of methane hydrate