The Mallik Methane Hydrate Site (or Mallik Gas Hydrate Production Research Well, Mallik test well) is located in the Beaufort Sea, Canada. Site highlights First dedicated scientific and technical research site investigating permafrost gas hydrates; First location where full-scale thermal and pressure draw down production testing has been completed; Site of extensive gas hydrate research and development studies conducted in 1998, 2002 and 2007/2008; Quantitative well log determinations and core studies reveal three main intervals of gas hydrates from 890 to 1,160 m, exceeding 110 m in total thickness; Gas hydrate occurs within the pore space of medium grained sands with gas hydrate concentrations ranging between 50 and 90%; Application of a vertical seismic profile (VSP); used to both study the in-situ gas hydrate reservoir characteristics and the changes induced by production testing; The 2002 Research & Development (R&D) program involved 7 participants from 5 countries and focused on fundamental geologic, geophysical and geochemical studies to quantify and characterize in-situ gas hydrate occurrences. In addition, full-scale gas hydrate production by thermal heating was undertaken, achieving only modest gas flows. In the winters of 2007 and 2008, Canada and Japan returned to the site to test the efficiency of producing gas hydrates by drawing down the formation pressure. The program in 2007 installed the well infrastructure and conducted a short production test. The program continued in 2008 with the completion of a six-day production testing program, which succeeded in achieving sustained gas flow to the surface. The R&D program established proof of concept that production from a gas hydrate reservoir can be achieved for conventional oil and gas completion and production methods, modified for the unique properties of gas hydrates. Introduction to the area The Mackenzie Delta region on the coast of the Beaufort Sea is not only known for its remarkable Arctic scenery and iconic flora and fauna, but also for its large natural gas and oil deposits. Due to this combination of factors, natural gas occurrences in the Canadian Arctic Ocean region are increasingly the focus of energy resource and climate studies, which aim to develop knowledge of the formation, occurrence, and amount of natural gas hydrates in the area, its impacts on the environment, and what kind of natural and human induced changes may lead to the dissociation of these hydrates. The Delta lies at the mouth of the Mackenzie River where it enters the Beaufort Sea, approximately