Rajya Sabha
The Indo-Russian Centre for Gas Hydrates Studies (IRCGHS) was set up on February 12, 2004 at National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai under the Integrated Long Term Programme (ILTP) for S&T cooperation with Russia. The Centre has been set up pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in November, 2003. The Department of Science & Technology is the coordinator on the Indian side for the cooperation projects under ILTP. Following projects have been identified encompassing various aspects of Gas Hydrates estimation, characterization and other studies:
Geology of gas hydrates;
Ecological aspects of gas hydrates processing;
Economics of gas hydrates exploitation;
Natural processes involving gas hydrates;
Estimation and modeling of gas hydrates resources;
Physical, chemical, mechanical and other basic properties of gas hydrates;
Development of technologies for exploration, sampling, recovery, purification and transportation of gas from gas hydrates deposits;
Joint research of gas hydrates in Lake Baikal and its application to the Indian conditions; and
Design and development of necessary instruments and observing devices.
The projects of scientists are facilitated under all the above-mentioned areas of collaboration, which is coordinated by Indo-Russian Centre for Gas Hydrates Studies. 15 Indian/Russian scientists who visited Russia and India respectively for various Gas Hydrate related activities, as a part of this cooperation under ILTP.
This information was given by the Minister for Science & Technology and Ocean Development Shri Kapil Sibal in the Rajya Sabha today.