What are methane hydrates? Why are they important?
A hydrate is a material made up of water or water's constituent constituents. The chemical state of water varies greatly among the various types of hydrates, some of which were designated as such before their chemical structure was fully understood. Hydrates are inorganic salts that are either bonded to a metal center or have crystallized with the metal complex, and "contain water molecules mixed in a fixed ratio as an intrinsic part of the crystal." Water of crystallization or hydration is also reported to be present in these hydrates. Deuterate may be used instead of hydrate if the water is heavy water and the constituent hydrogen is the isotope deuterium.
Methane hydrates are solids made up of methane and water that have the appearance of ice. They have the potential to be a future energy source that has yet to be discovered. Water molecules form small cages around the methane molecules. Microorganisms that live in the deep sediment layers convert organic material to methane, which is the most common source of methane gas. Methane hydrates are only stable at pressures more than 35 bar and at temperatures between 0 and 4°C in ocean bottom waters and deep sea beds. The pressure is adequate to keep the hydrates stable below a sea depth of around 350 m. As a result, methane hydrates are mainly found around continental margins at depths of 350 to 5000 meters. Because there is little organic matter trapped in the deep-sea sediments, few hydrates may be found at the bottom of the broad ocean basins.
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