Methane hydrates are the largest reserve of hydrocarbons in the planetary crust. The methane hydrates in sediment considered part of U.S. territory alone could supply U.S. natural gas needs for 1000 years. So far humanity has not devised a process to economically harvest this immense energy wealth. Today’s DOE announcement may point the way to a new era in abundant energy to build out a bigger and better world economy.—The US Department of Energy announced plans to ramp up methane hydrate extraction research after a preliminary test was declared a success Wednesday. Surveys estimate that successful extraction of natural gas from methane hydrates could power America for the next 1,000 years. Because methane hydrates are found both on and offshore along “nearly every continental shelf in the world,” the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys said the successful extraction of natural gas from the 3D ice-lattice structures could power America for the next 1,000 years. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called the successful test a “game-changer” for American energy production.