A process for extracting hydrocarbon gases from marine sediment hydrates.
In one embodiment, the process includes drilling from a sea floor into a
hydrate rich subsea sediment to form at least one opening therein.
Electrical heaters are inserted into the opening or openings. The hydrate
rich subsea sediment is heated with the electrical heaters in order to
release hydrocarbon gas therefrom. The released hydrocarbon gas is
collected in an overhead receiver. The hydrocarbon gas forms hydrates
again when moving through the cold sea water and inside the overhead
receiver. The overhead receiver is raised to a sea depth where pressure
and temperature permit the hydrates to dissociate and to release the
hydrocarbon gas. The hydrocarbon gas is then gathered from the top of the
overhead receiver.