Editorial Comment: A brighter future for methane hydrates?

Methane hydrates are three-dimensional ice-lattice structures in which natural gas is trapped. These hydrates are found both onshore and offshore, in ocean sediments along continental shelves and underneath the Arctic permafrost. When the hydrates are melted into water, methane molecules are released. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that worldwide gas hydrates reserves are between 10 times and 100 times more plentiful than U.S. shale gas reserves, which are estimated at more than 342 Tft3 as of 2018. However, the recovery of methane hydrates has been difficult, as the gas is locked in permafrost and often located in deepwater coastal areas. The high pressure that helps form methane hyd