Japan's National Methane Hydrate R&D Program - Overview and Status

Oil & Natural Gas / Gas Hydrates / Development Technology

Date posted: 02/28/10

5th March, 2009 - Research Consortium for Methane Hydrate Resources in Japan These findings have encouraged Japan a potential of methane hydrate as one of the future energy resources. METI compiled in 2001 a long term national plan called "National Methane Hydrate R&D Program", which intended to find and clarify challenges and to develop technologies for possible production of methane from hydrate. "Research Consortium for Methane Hydrate Resources in Japan"(also known as MH21), an industry-government-academia collaboration research group, was established in FY2001 in order to undertake research in accordance with "Japan's Methane Hydrate R&D Program" announced in July 2001. "Japan's Methane Hydrate R&D Program" is comprised of three phases. Phase 1 was finished in FY2008 and Phase 2 was started in FY2009.