Geophysical conditions favorable for the occurrence of frozen methane, known as gas hydrates or clathrates, have been identified from seismic data. The enormous potential of gas hydrates as a fuel source and their role as a "greenhouse" agent if freed into the atmosphere have generated huge interests among the scientific community and industry.  Globally, the carbon stored in gas hydrates is estimated to be about 10⁴ gigatons, which is of the same order as the current estimate for other fossil fuel deposits.

Several UTIG scientists are pursuing geophysical projects aimed at characterizing the marine environments where gas hydrates occur.

• Oregon Continental Margin Hydrate System

• Peruvian Margin Gas Hydrates

• Methane Hydrate Deposit and Methane Gas Reservoir, Blake Ridge

• ODP Leg 204: Hydrate Ridge VSPs

• Estimate of the Elastic Properties of Gas Hydrates