Enormous amounts of methane lie trapped under the oceans and the polar permafrost in icy cages of water. The methane exists as a sherbet like substance known as methane hydrate that looks like ice but burns if lit with a match.While there has been some interest in tapping this vast reserve as an energy resource, nothing much has been done about it. Now, however, Tokyo Gas Co. researchers are exploring efficient ways of synthesizing methane hydrate.