Poseidon to the Rescue: Mining the Sea for Energy—A Sustainable Extraction

Abstract

The first sources of ocean energy that come to mind are the hydrocarbons. From timid extraction operations hugging the coastline and shallow depth wells, not too difficult to cap, giant steps have been made, to the point that platforms have been erected, far out at sea, and oil is obtained from ever-greater depths. The value of methane has become more apparent during the last half-century and gaso-ducts—gas-pipelines—cross ever longer water and land expanses, just as oleoducts, the oil carrying pipelines, do. However, with the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the love affair with gas and oil has considerably tapered down.