Effects of Biosurfactants on Gas Hydrates

The increasing demand of fossil fuels resources and their continuous consumption has created a necessity for exploring the alternative resources of energy like gas hydrates. Gas hydrates exist under oceans and in permafrost regions. They are also known as methane hydrates or methane clathrates. These are stable at high pressure and low temperature. These are formed when methane gas comes in contact with sediments saturated with water. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis were found in gas hydrates samples investigations from Gulf of Mexico and these microbes generated biosurfactants like Rhamnolipid and Surfactin. The current paper reports the effects of biosurfactants such as Rhamnolipid, Surfactin, Snomax, Emulsan, Phospholipids, Hydroxystearic acid etc. on Gas Hydrate formation.