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Gas hydrates are crystalline solid structures formed by water molecules surrounding and trapping gas molecules such as methane, ethane, or carbon dioxide. In these structures, water molecules form a cage-like lattice through hydrogen bonding, encasing the guest gas molecules. This results in a stable, compact, and low-density form of the trapped gas. Gas hydrates are sometimes referred to as clathrate hydrates due to the clathrate-like structure.

Gas hydrates are typically found in two types of environments: marine and permafrost. a) Marine environment: Gas hydrates are found in the sediments of deep-sea continental margins, usually at depths between 300 to 3000 meters (984 to 9843 feet). In these locations, high pressure and low temperature conditions favor the formation and stability of gas hydrates. Methane, which is the most common gas trapped in hydrates, can be biogenic (produced by microbes from organic matter degradation) or thermogenic (formed from the thermal breakdown of organic matter deep within the Earth's crust). b) Permafrost environment: Gas hydrates can also be found in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, within and beneath permafrost layers. In these zones, the low temperature conditions favor hydrate formation and stabilization. Biogenic methane is the primary gas trapped in permafrost-associated hydrates. Gas hydrates are considered a potential future energy resource, as they hold vast amounts of trapped methane, which can be extracted and used as an energy source. However, they also represent a potential environmental risk, as methane release during hydrate dissociation could contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.