The first discovery of the gas hydrates in the sediments of the lake baikal

摘要

In 1997 an underwater borehole was drilled in the SOuth part of Lake Baikal (water depth, 1,433 m; borehole depth, 225 m; the temperature at these depths is about 10 deg C). Samples of sediments containing methane hydrate were collected at depths 121 and 161 m below bottom. At present, this is the only example of the existence of gas hydrates in a fresh-water basin under non-permafrost conditions.