Analysis of technological and technical advances in the study of subaqueous gas hydrates and the possibility of their application in the Arctic seas of Russia

The current stage of strategic development of Russia’s economic and scientific interests is characterized by the study and subsequent development of hydrocarbon resources of the continental shelf and the bottom of the World Ocean. At the same time, special attention is paid to the waters of the Arctic seas, the ecological and climatic changes of which are interconnected with the degradation of underwater permafrost and associated gas hydrates. To study the latter, specialized equipment is needed to take unmodified samples of natural gas hydrates. The paper analyzes the technical characteristics and analytical capabilities of modern samplers and analyzers and evaluates the possibilities of their use for studying hydrate-containing sediments in the Arctic seas.