Advances in Exploration and Development of Marine Gas Hydrates and Associated Shallow Gas Resources

Marine gas hydrates and associated shallow gas resources are widely distributed in continental margins and represent important components of marine energy and carbon systems. Gas hydrates are considered a potential unconventional energy resource, while shallow gas, including dissolved and free gas, is closely associated with fluid migration, sedimentary processes, hydrate formation, and seafloor geohazards. In recent years, advances in marine geophysical exploration, drilling and coring, laboratory experiments, numerical modeling, and offshore production tests have substantially improved our understanding of their occurrence and evolution. Nevertheless, strong spatial heterogeneity, complex fluid–sediment interactions, multiscale accumulation processes, and coupled responses during resource development remain poorly constrained. Understanding these processes is essential for improving resource assessment and supporting safe and environmentally responsible exploration and development.This Research Topic aims to bring together recent advances in the exploration, geological understanding, development, and environmental assessment of marine gas hydrates and associated shallow gas resources. Particular attention will be given to the coupled relationships among sedimentary processes, fluid migration, resource accumulation, reservoir properties, production behavior, and seafloor environmental responses. A major goal is to promote an integrated understanding of how gas and fluids migrate through heterogeneous marine sediments, how hydrate and shallow gas systems evolve across different spatial and temporal scales, and how these geological characteristics influence exploration and development strategies. Contributions combining field observations, laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, theoretical analysis, and emerging technologies are particularly encouraged. By bringing together researchers from marine geology, geophysics, geochemistry, engineering, environmental science, and data science, this Research Topic seeks to identify new scientific challenges and methodological advances that can support more efficient resource evaluation, safer development, and improved assessment of geological and environmental risks.The Research Topic welcomes original research and review articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Sedimentary processes, fluid migration, and resource occurrence, including fluid pathways, reservoir heterogeneity, hydrate and shallow gas distribution, and geophysical identification and characterization;- Accumulation mechanisms and spatiotemporal evolution, including basin- to pore-scale processes, coupled fluid–heat–mass–reaction–mechanical interactions, and experimental and numerical approaches;- Exploration and resource assessment, including geophysical, geochemical, logging, drilling, in situ observation, and data-driven methods;- Resource development and production, including depressurization, thermal stimulation, CO₂ replacement, combined production strategies, and field-scale testing;- Geohazards and environmental responses, including seafloor instability, methane leakage, sediment deformation, and implications for marine carbon cycling;- Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, data assimilation, advanced monitoring, in situ instrumentation, and experimental facilities. Topic editors: Jinan Guan, Wei Zhang, Zhifeng Wan, Pibo Su Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86752/advances-in-exploration-and-development-of-marine-gas-hydrates-and-associated-shallow-gas-resources