Answer: a. bacteria break down organic matter in seafloor sediments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oceanic gas hydrates are formed from the methane gas. It develops when the organic matter generated after the decomposition of the plants and animals by bacteria or other microbes over the seafloor gets trapped in an ice lattice. The ice lattice is an reservoir of methane gas. These gas hydrates when break they leak out gases into the oceanic water.
Therefore on the basis of the above explanation, most oceanic gas hydrates form when the bacteria break down organic matter in seafloor sediments.