In recent years the subject of naturally forming hydrate/clathrates in the deep
oceans of the world has gained increased attention in both the industrial and
academic fields.  The Stanford Geophysics Department has become increasingly
interested in these, currently working with the USGS in an effort to
understand their structure and formation in laboratory experiments.  It has come
to our attention recently however, that Shell E&P may have data that could be
studied in the framework of an almost natural, almost well timed, and definitely
large scale experiment in hydrate formation.

The data of which we refer to are spec. data sets acquired in the Gulf of Mexico
around the old Shell Deepwater Development Co. Warthog prospect.  The initial 3D
seismic data set was shot over virgin sediments.  Subsequently, an exploration well
was drilled and abandoned.  Some years later, another spec. data volume was shot in the
same area, and a 'gas chimney' of disturbed sediments was identified at the location
of the abandoned well.

It is our belief that these hydrate formations are subject to fairly simple phase-state
relationships of temperature, pressure, and presence of natural gas.  Therefore, it is
our proposal to delve into the precise nature of the two 3D data sets under the
assumption that no hydrate existed previously, and that subsequent access to large
volumes of natural gas may have formed a hydrate accumulation in the surface sediments
around the abandoned well.