■ The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER, President Kim Jong-nam) signed Korea's first cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL, Director Brian J. Anderson) April 22, 2020.
* CRADA (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

■ The KIER-NETL joint research conducted through the CRADA promotes the development of gas hydrates technology for industrial applications. Specifically, the research will investigate the physical properties of gas hydrates (crystals generated from the combination of gas and liquid) and how related technologies can be applied to various fields such as the production of clean-burning natural gas, low-energy desalination, and gas separation.

■ By combining the strengths of both parties, the two institutions intend to find new hydrate-producing materials and to improve and verify process technology using those materials. Detailed areas of cooperation include gas separation and desalination processes and the technology to secure flow assurance required for the production of oil and natural gas.

■ KIER expects the CRADA with NETL to help accelerate industrial application of the technologies developed by utilizing an array of NETL research equipment and infrastructure in addition to verification and evaluation of gas hydrate-based technology.