2006-08-26 05:29:16 · 5 answers · asked by smashbrolover 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
"Methane is one of several greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Human influenced sources include landfills, natural gas and petroleum systems production and distribution, agriculture, coal mining, combustion, wastewater treatment, and certain industrial processes. Natural sources include wetlands, termites, oceans, and hydrates."
Source: http://www.climatescience.gov/infosheets/highlight1/default.htm
We can't eliminate methane emissions we can control to a certain extent those that are under man's influence.
Further information is available at http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html including a table of man made sources for the US
2006-08-26 06:53:51 · answer #1 · answered by Robert A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The major source of methane is extraction from geological deposits known as natural gas fields. It is associated with other hydrocarbon fuels and sometimes accompanied by helium and nitrogen. The gas at shallow levels (low pressure) is formed by anaerobic decay of organic matter deep under the Earth's surface. In general, sediments buried deeper and at higher temperatures than those which give oil generate natural gas. Apart from gas fields an alternative method of obtaining methane is via biogas generated by the fermentation of organic matter including manure, wastewater sludge, municipal solid waste, or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. Industrially, methane can be created from common atmospheric gases and hydrogen (produced, perhaps, by electrolysis) through chemical reactions such as the Sabatier process, Fischer-Tropsch process. Coal bed methane extraction is a method for extracting methane from a coal deposit. It is also caused by cows' natural gas.
2006-08-26 12:36:39 · answer #2 · answered by aries2cp 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sources of methane
Sediments which underlay the shelf and slope of the Western Black Sea contain source rocks with a significant oil and gas potential:
Holocene gas-charged sediments cover parts of the shelf. They consist of fine material mainly from the Danube river, which is highly enriched in organic matter. The quantity of gas within these sediments is estimated to be more than 10 x 109 m³.
The sediments of the Moesian platform that reach a thickness of 6-7 km and that are inclined toward the south-east, providing favourable conditions for upward hydrocarbon migration, contain:
- Devonian and Lower Carboniferous sediments highly enriched in organic material, situated within the lower thermogenic gas window,
- Upper Triassic and Paleocene clays which lie in the main oil and gas window,
- Cretaceous coals
They are assumed to provide 1 to 3 million tonne of hydrocarbons /km².
The Paleocene and Neogene sediments of the Burgas depression, 3,5 to 4 km thick, are assumed to have formed 0,1 - 0,3 million tonne of hydrocarbons/ km².
The continental slope with its optimal conditions for hydrocarbon generation and migration - thick sediment sequence (up to 10 km) and monoclinic structure - contains Upper Eocene and Oligocene sediments with a total production of 12-15 million tonne of hydrocarbons /km².
2006-08-28 00:00:58 · answer #3 · answered by hamdi_batriyshah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cows
2006-08-26 12:34:32 · answer #4 · answered by Barkley Hound 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cow farts...cigerettes
2006-08-26 12:34:42 · answer #5 · answered by enigma 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋