Geochemical and Geophysical Assessment of Deep Sediment Methane Hydrate Deposits

This study provides an overview of geochemical assessment of deep sediment methane hydrates in several locations around the world. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has been involved in methane hydrate exploration of the coasts of New Zealand, Chile, Canada, Beaufort Sea on the Alaskan Shelf and in the Gulf of Mexico. These studies have shown a wide variation in the distribution and concentration of deep sediment methane hydrate deposits within and between geographic locations. General findings of these studies are not always consistent with a simple model of methane flux, suggesting the need for more thorough geochemical evaluation.