The ice like solids found in deep water on the ocean floor could generate methane gas, a potential energy source, Harsh Gupta told a forum of Sri Lankan scientists.
The former Secretary of India's ocean development department said Sri Lanka's exclusive economic zone should have gas hydrates as India has found by drilling in her own waters.
"I strongly believe Sri Lanka has huge gas hydrate resources in the EEZ," said Gupta, who is also former director of India's National Geophysical Research Institute.
"Gas hydrates could become a potential source of energy.
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The potential zones where the condensed methane hydrates are found in India continue into Sri Lankan waters, Gupta told the annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science.
This year's sessions are devoted to understanding, harnessing, and conserving the ocean around Sri Lanka and Gupta said he hopes the island would focus more on the science of the oceans around her.
India has found "plenty