Deep-sea landscape with methane hydrate structures transitioning into a futuristic cityscape.

Unlocking the Deep: How Gas Hydrate Research Could Fuel the Future

Theo Raines in Climate & Environment August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Dive into the groundbreaking India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 and discover how analyzing pressure cores is revolutionizing our understanding of this potential energy source."

Natural gas hydrates, abundant in deep-water continental shelves, hold immense global potential. These icy compounds of gas trapped within a crystal structure have implications ranging from climate change to energy resources. The possibility of tapping into this gas holds immense promise. This would provide a geographically diverse and abundant source of clean-burning energy. This has driven research and development programs by nations including China, India, Japan, Korea, and the United States.

Historically, marine gas hydrates were thought to exist only in low-saturation accumulations within mud-rich sediments. The discovery of highly-saturated gas hydrate deposits in sand-rich turbidites off the coast of Japan in 1999 changed this. This discovery suggested that gas hydrates could be accessed using existing hydrocarbon exploration techniques, sparking global interest.

Critical to realizing gas hydrate's energy potential is understanding the physical properties of gas-hydrate-bearing sediments. Gathering this knowledge requires both experimental and numerical simulation. This also involves designing complex field experiments. Geophysical and well log data already help characterize reservoir lithology and estimate gas hydrate saturation on a large scale, but physical samples are essential for measuring petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical properties. As gas-hydrate-bearing sediment samples degrade rapidly when depressurized, pressure coring is essential for obtaining accurate data.

What Were the Objectives of NGHP Expedition-02?

Deep-sea landscape with methane hydrate structures transitioning into a futuristic cityscape.

India's National Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP) Expedition-02, conducted in 2015, aimed to investigate locations with high gas hydrate saturation in sand-rich reservoirs. Initial logging revealed extensive sand-rich gas hydrate occurrences at multiple drill sites. Subsequent pressure coring operations sought to:

The NGHP-02 expedition targeted sites in Area B and Area C, each with distinct geological characteristics:

Document gas hydrate occurrence within the reservoirs.
Analyze the petrophysical nature of the reservoir and associated seals. This would be in their native state and during/after gas hydrate dissociation.
Assess the geomechanical properties of the reservoir and seals.
Determine the geochemical nature of reservoir fluids.

Select core subsamples underwent extensive analysis in specialized laboratories in Japan and the United States. These samples encompassed a wide range of gas hydrate saturations (0-100%) within sediments varying from sandy silts to gravels. This provided valuable opportunities to refine insights into the nature of gas hydrate reservoirs.

Key Takeaways: What Does This Mean for the Future of Gas Hydrate Research?

The NGHP-02 pressure core studies, in conjunction with previous research, significantly advance our understanding of gas hydrate systems. These findings highlight key areas for future research and development, particularly regarding core condition, gas hydrate saturation, occurrence mode, reservoir permeability, and reservoir consolidation. Ultimately, this research could pave the way for the responsible and efficient utilization of gas hydrates as a future energy resource, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.10.020, Alternate LINK

Title: India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 Summary Of Scientific Results: Evaluation Of Natural Gas-Hydrate-Bearing Pressure Cores

Subject: Stratigraphy

Journal: Marine and Petroleum Geology

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Ray Boswell, Jun Yoneda, William F. Waite

Published: 2019-10-01

Everything You Need To Know

What were the primary goals of the India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02?

India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 was undertaken to document gas hydrate occurrences, analyze the petrophysical nature of reservoirs and seals, assess geomechanical properties, and determine the geochemical nature of reservoir fluids. These objectives align with understanding gas hydrates in their native state and during/after gas hydrate dissociation, which is crucial for evaluating their potential as an energy resource.

Why is pressure coring considered essential for studying gas hydrates?

Pressure coring is essential because gas-hydrate-bearing sediment samples degrade rapidly when depressurized. Obtaining accurate data regarding petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical properties requires preserving the samples under pressure. Without pressure coring, the samples' properties would change significantly, leading to inaccurate assessments of gas hydrate reservoirs.

What made the 1999 discovery of gas hydrates off the coast of Japan so significant?

The discovery of highly-saturated gas hydrate deposits in sand-rich turbidites off the coast of Japan in 1999 was significant. This discovery challenged the previous understanding that marine gas hydrates only exist in low-saturation accumulations within mud-rich sediments. It suggested that gas hydrates could be accessed using existing hydrocarbon exploration techniques, thereby sparking global interest and research efforts.

Where did India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 focus its efforts, and why were those locations selected?

The India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 targeted sites in Area B and Area C, each with distinct geological characteristics. The focus on sand-rich reservoirs, as revealed by initial logging, was a deliberate strategy. This allowed scientists to study gas hydrate occurrence, reservoir properties, and fluid characteristics in environments considered more accessible and potentially viable for future energy extraction. The samples collected ranged from sandy silts to gravels with gas hydrate saturations between 0-100%.

How do the India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition-02 pressure core studies contribute to the future of gas hydrate research and energy utilization?

India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition-02 pressure core studies advance the understanding of gas hydrate systems by providing insights into core condition, gas hydrate saturation, occurrence mode, reservoir permeability, and reservoir consolidation. These findings are crucial for developing responsible and efficient utilization strategies. Further research and development in these areas could pave the way for integrating gas hydrates into the global energy mix, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. However, challenges remain in scaling up extraction and ensuring environmental safety.