Flames burning from gas extracted from methane hydrates on the ocean floor, off the coast of Aichi, Japan, from the head office plane.

A flame burning with gas from the extraction of methane hydrate, a type of natural gas, from an undersea formation. The mining operation was conducted by the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), an independent administrative agency commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and other organizations. The deep Earth exploration vessel "Chikyu" succeeded in extracting gas from a well dug at a depth of about 1,000 meters under the ocean floor off the coast of Aichi Prefecture. This is the first time in the world that gas has been extracted from the seafloor, and expectations are high for this as a "purely domestic energy source. The challenge for the future will be how to extract the gas efficiently and stably. From the head office aircraft, off the coast of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Taken at 1:36 p.m. on March 12, 2013 (Yomiuri) KODOMO Newspaper No. 150 The Yomiuri KODOMO Shimbun No. 150, January 16, 2014 (page 6, resource development advancing in the EEZ). Please contact the Photo Department if you wish to reuse the photo.