What are they?  

 

A gas hydrate is a crystalline solid; its building blocks consist of a gas molecule surrounded by a cage of water molecules. 

It is similar to ice, except that the structure is stabilized by the gas molecule which is within the cage of water molecules. 
There are many gases which are suitable to form hydrates, including carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, many low-carbon-number hydrocarbons, but most marine gas hydrates contain methane. (USGS)

 

 

An example of the crystalline form of a hydrate. (USGS)

       

A clump of hydrate releasing methane (bubbles).

 

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