Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases that occur in petroleum deposits. It is principally composed of methane and varying quantities of ethane, propane, and heavier hydrocarbons, and is used as a fuel and in the manufacture of organic compounds. These hydrocarbon components exist in multiple phases according to changes in temperature, pressure and composition. Under certain conditions solids may also precipitate, resulting in changes to the fluid properties. Macroscopically, hydrate structures appear similar to ice or snow, but unlike ice hydrates can be stable at temperatures above 0...