One liter of methane clathrate
solid would therefore contain,
on average, 168 liters of methane gas (at STP)» so the
formation of clathrates near the wellhead would buoyantly transport the gas to near
surface layers above the clathrate stability zone, where it would break down into bubbles and dissolve; I think that turbulence in the rising column would disperse the clathrate and bubbles widely enough that little if any would make it directly to the
surface.