What's up With Methane Clathrate Nucleation?

Factual Questions
1

Deep-sea ice crystals stymie Gulf oil leak fix

Modern technical journalism: Stupid headline, crappy explanation.

So water at the seafloor is supersaturated with methane? How’s that work out over the long term? Does the bottom ooze lack good nucleation sites, while concrete is a phenomenal nucleator? Why isn’t the well head/BOP covered with crystals, it’s been down there for months. Is the damned thing heated?
There’s a critical piece of information missing from the AP story. What is it?
Clathrate hydrate

2

Apparently hydrates are found in geologic formations under the sea floor: The Oil Drum: Europe | Hydrates updated.

I was just reading something about the concrete, I’ll see if I can find it again.

3

Here’s a discussion including cementing of a well.

4

This one includes a photo of the BOP. Currently the latest comments are discussing hydrates.

5

New thread discussing the current problems with the dome and ice.

6

Ahh, they were lowering the dome over the plume and were getting clathrate snow from that.
That makes sense more than the story I linked to in the OP, and other bits of news saying the dome was 200 feet up and ready to move into place.

Thanks for the excellent links, NinetyWt.

7

Youre quite welcome. I discovered that site years ago, I think through a link on Fark. It’s a good source of that kind of info.