### History and Current Status of Methane Hydrate Development - March 1996 to 2020s

### History and Current Status of Methane Hydrate Development - March 1996 to 2020s

#### Situation in March 1996
Methane hydrate reserves in the seas around Japan have been attracting attention as a new resource for stabilizing energy supply. The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy had a plan to conduct a survey of reserves and test mining technology in FY1999, and private companies such as Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Hokuriku Electric Power Company, and Chiyoda Corporation were working together to commercialize the extraction technology. At the time, the major expectations were to improve domestic energy self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on overseas resources.

#### Progress in the 2000s
In the early 2000s, the Japanese government began full-scale research and development of methane hydrate. In 2008, the first seafloor survey was conducted to determine the specific conditions of methane hydrate reserves. In 2008, the first seafloor survey was conducted to determine the specific conditions of the reserves.

#### Results from the 2010s
In 2013 and 2017, the world's first offshore production tests were successfully conducted in the eastern Nankai Trough area. This proved the feasibility of gas production from methane hydrate, but at the same time highlighted challenges in terms of long-term production stability and cost. During this period, Japan began to further advance its technological development and to set up a system for environmental impact assessments.

#### Current Status and Issues in the 2020s
In the 2020s, research aimed at the commercialization of methane hydrate accelerated, and in 2021, a "Technology Evaluation Committee for Surface-Type Methane Hydrate Recovery and Production" was established within the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), with technical evaluations underway. Both sand-bed type and surface type methane hydrate exist in the seas around Japan, and especially in the eastern Nankai Trough, large-scale resource development is expected to continue.

Current challenges include the following:
- **Establishment of stable gas production technology**: Technology is needed to enable stable production over a long period of time.
- **Minimizing environmental impact**: Assessment and measures to limit environmental risks from mining are essential.
- **Cost reduction**: Commercialization requires a significant reduction in mining and production costs.

#### Future Outlook
The government plans to improve production technology and conduct environmental impact assessments from FY2023 to FY2027 with the aim of starting a commercialization project in the late 2030s. If this development is successful, it could lead to an increase in Japan's energy self-sufficiency and a breakaway from dependence on foreign resources.

Methane hydrate is expected to become a new pillar of Japan's energy policy while overcoming technical challenges.