In May 2017 a group of researchers led by the University of Texas at Austin Jackson School of Geosciences took to the Gulf of Mexico to retrieve samples of methane hydrate, a potential future fuel source, from under the Gulf floor. The mysterious yet abundant ice-like substance contains 160-times the natural gas of deposits found closer to the surface, but the hydrate will melt under normal pressure, making its study and potential use a scientific challenge. The Jackson School is leading an $80-million effort to conduct research on the potential energy source funded largely by the U.S. Department of Energy.
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