Research Trends in the Geological Accumulation of Natural Gas Hydrates: A Bibliometric Analysis

Natural gas hydrate is a clean energy resource critical for global energy security and low-carbon transition. Understanding its geological accumulation mechanisms is essential for exploration and development. However, the current research on NGH geological accumulation lacks a systematic and quantitative analysis of its global research evolution, hotspots, and frontiers. To fill this gap, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 5891 articles (1999–2025) from the Web of Science Core Collection using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to map research trends, contributions, and frontiers. The results show that annual publications followed a three-stage trajectory: slow initiation, rapid growth, and stable development, with key boosts from production tests in Japan (2013) and China (2017). Marine and Petroleum Geology emerged as the most cited journal. China, the United States, and Germany lead research output, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences serving as the central hub (centrality: 0.46). Core researchers such as Jinqiang Liang have established foundational knowledge through highly cited studies on accumulation theory and resource–environment interactions. Research focus has shifted from early resource assessment to controlling factors, and recently toward production technologies and parameter optimization, highlighting a transition from basic to applied research with strong interdisciplinary integration. While bibliometrics reveals structural evolution and hotspots, limitations in data sources and analytical scope remain. Future efforts should integrate multi-source data and deepen content analysis to address unresolved challenges in NGH geological accumulation.