Research Projects
The mission of Fuel Resource Geology Research Group
○ Elucidation on the Origin of Fuel Resource Deposits and Potential Evaluation in Fuel Resources for Stable Supply.
○ Exploration and Technological Developments for Fuel Resource Assessment.
Ongoing major research projects
Exploration and Evaluation of Unconventional Resources
Methane hydrate
The global demand for natural gas has been increasing owing to environmental load than oil and coal. Methane material is a solid hydrate in which a large amount of methane gas being a main component of a natural gas. It is estimated that high amount of methane hydrate in the seas around Japan. Therefore, Methane hydrate is considered a potential energy resource in the future. We provide technical support for resource assessment and develop a production technology of methane hydrate through activities such as a submarine topographical and geological structure survey, seabed observation and thermal structure modeling of under the seabed using AUV and ROV.
Other Unconventional Resources (Shale gas/oil, coalbed methane)
The production quantity of unconventional resources such as shale gas and coalbed methane are growing fast by technological innovation. It is expected that the of unconventional resources is higher than conventional resources. However, a survey on unconventional resources quantity is inadequate. We are examining the potential evaluation of shale gas/oil in Japan.