Deep beneath the ocean floor and locked within permafrost, a strange phenomenon forms under intense pressure and frigid temperatures—methane hydrate, often called burning ice. At first glance, it looks like regular ice, but strike a match near it, and the trapped methane ignites in a ghostly blue flame while the water structure remains intact. It’s a paradox: ice that burns.
The science behind it is fascinating. Methane molecules become encased in a lattice of frozen water, forming a solid that can only exist under specific conditions—low temperatures and high pressure. If either factor changes, the hydrate destabilizes, releasing methane gas. This is why scientists take great care when retrieving methane hydrates from deep-sea deposits; if they warm up too quickly, the methane escapes, bubbling up and dissipating into the atmosphere.
Methane hydrates aren’t rare. They’re estimated to hold more than twice the amount of carbon as all known fossil fuel reserves combined. They tend to accumulate along continental slopes and in Arctic permafrost, where conditions allow them to remain stable. However, because they exist on the edge of stability, even slight environmental shifts—like ocean warming—can cause them to decompose, adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
There’s another intriguing aspect to burning ice: its energy density. A cubic foot of methane hydrate can hold around 164 cubic feet of methane gas. That’s an incredibly compact and concentrated energy source, which has fueled interest in its potential as an alternative fuel. Extracting it safely and efficiently, however, remains a challenge. Disturbing hydrate-rich sediments could lead to undersea landslides, and accidental methane release could accelerate climate change.
Despite its potential risks and rewards, burning ice is a reminder of how complex and dynamic our planet’s geology can be. It blurs the line between solid, liquid, and gas, challenging our basic assumptions about what ice—and fire—should be.
Potential applications and environmental impact
The idea of harnessing burning ice as an energy source has intrigued scientists and engineers for years. With its immense methane content, it could, in theory, supplement or even replace traditional fossil fuels. Countries with large methane hydrate deposits, such as Japan, China, and the United States, have already conducted test extractions, hoping to tap into this unconventional resource. Japan, in particular, successfully extracted methane from hydrates off its coastline in 2013 and again in 2017, marking important milestones in this ongoing exploration.
The potential benefits are hard to ignore. Methane burns cleaner than coal or oil, producing less carbon dioxide per unit of energy. If extracted efficiently, burning ice could provide a bridge energy source as the world transitions to renewable alternatives. For nations with limited conventional energy reserves, like Japan, methane hydrates offer a domestic supply that could reduce dependence on energy imports.
Yet, the environmental stakes are high. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas—far more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over short timescales. If extraction methods aren’t carefully controlled, unintentional methane leaks could accelerate climate change faster than burning coal or oil ever could. Beyond atmospheric risks, disturbing methane hydrate deposits could destabilize seafloor sediments, increasing the likelihood of underwater landslides or tsunamis.
Science is working to solve these challenges. Researchers are developing techniques that might allow for controlled methane release while minimizing the risk of leakage. One approach involves replacing methane within hydrates with carbon dioxide, effectively storing CO₂ while extracting fuel. If perfected, this process could turn methane hydrate extraction into a form of carbon sequestration, reducing its overall climate impact.
Still, the rush to exploit this strange phenomenon comes with uncertainty. As technologies improve, the balance between economic opportunity and ecological risk remains a contentious issue. Whether burning ice becomes a major energy source or remains a geological curiosity depends on advancements in safe extraction methods—and the broader urgency of reducing fossil fuel reliance.