Laboratory studies on natural HBS provide results that are dependent on the coring method and all the sample changes that occur prior to the measurement. In spite of these drawbacks, sampling and analysis of natural HBS provides general informa­tion on HBS reservoirs and critical site-dependant information. Laboratory studies of laboratory-synthesized HBS suffer from nonuniform samples and samples that are not fully representative of the natural environment. Specialized equipment is needed to maintain and test the samples. Hydrate laboratory researchers are striving to meet these challenges, but further development is needed.

Several types of measurements have been made on HBS over a wide range of media and saturations, particularly with THF hydrate. Studies that can convincingly validate the THF hydrate studies using methane hydrate are needed, especially at the low SH of natural HBS. Additional studies are needed to quantify fluid flow parameters over the broad range of conditions where hydrates occur. Better under­standing of the effects of fines migration and sand production as a result of hydrate dissociation is needed. These and future hydrate studies must use well-characterized specimen that possess the fundamental characteristics of natural in situ HBS includ­ing porous medium type, mineralogy, hydrate habit, uniformity, chemistry, and confinement.