The Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) is responsible for ensuring safe, environmentally sound activities associated with offshore oil and gas production. Current MMS research on gas hydrates is focused on seafloor mapping of 3-D seismic data and the use of seismic analysis to differentiate anomalies associated with hydrates, chemosynthetic communities, or carbonate hardgrounds. Core data and submersible observations are then used to verify the success of the mapping program.