Mud volcanoes and gas hydrates in the Black Sea: new data from Dvurechenskii and Odessa mud volcanoes

Meteor cruise M52/1 documented the presence of gas hydrates in sediments from mud volcanoes in the Sorokin Trough of the Black Sea. In a mud flow on the Odessa mud volcano, a carbonate crust currently forms in association with anaerobic methane oxidation. Dvurechenskii mud volcano (DMV), a flat-topped mud pie-type structure, appeared to be very active. Pore water in sediments of DMV is enriched in several constituents, such as ammonium and chloride, which seem to originate at depth. High sediment temperatures of up to 16.5 °C in close contact to the ambient bottom water of 9 °C also suggest strong advective transport of material from greater depth. Steep temperature gradients indicate a high fluid and/or mud flux within DMV, which is confirmed by the shape of the pore water profiles. Active fluid expulsion sites are evidenced by direct seafloor observation, and a potential flux of methane from the sediment to the bottom water is indicated by water-column methane measurements.     

东沙海区泥火山调查进展

泥火山是地球运动和深部含流体物质向表层迁移的一种重要形式, 其喷溢及喷出物对认识地质动力、地层岩性和资源环境具有重要的意义。东沙海区新生界薄(~1km), 中生界厚(>5km), 是南海最典型的中生代沉积区和油气勘探待突破区。区内有众多的海山海丘, 过去都被推测为不利于油气成藏的岩浆火山。但近年来针对这些海山进行的调查发现了大量海底地层底辟形变与断裂、流体充注空白反射带和喷溢释放结构。通过浅表层取样采获了丰富的自生碳酸盐岩结核及深水珊瑚、海绵等生物, 表明众多海山、海丘具有明显的泥火山活动特征。东沙泥火山的发现表明区内具有良好的油气生成和运移条件, 为勘探源于中生界的油气和水合物提供了重要线索; 而大量深水珊瑚和海绵的出现指示东沙泥火山区可能是深水珊瑚礁、海绵礁发育区, 为研究油气泄漏、化养生物和环境三者的关系提供了重要的研究对象。     

Discovery of the southwest Dongsha Island mud volcanoes amid the northern margin of the South China Sea

The Dongsha Basin, circling Dongsha Island that is amid the northern margin of the South China Sea, is characterized by thin (∼0.5 km) Cenozoic sediments veneering on thick (up to 5 km) Mesozoic strata. Recently, several geophysical and geological surveys, including multiple channel reflection seismic, sub-bottom profiling and benthic dredging, have been conducted on the slope southwest to the Dongsha Island, where the water depth varies from 400 m to 2000 m. A novel discovery is numerous submarine mud volcanoes of various sizes over there, typically 50–200 m high and 0.5–5 km wide. Geophysical profiles document their unusual features, e.g., roughly undulating seafloor, high-amplitude seabed reflectivity, foggy hyperbolic diffractions up to 50 m in water column above seabed, and internal reflection chaos and wipe-out down to 2–3 km level or deeper below the seabed. Benthic dredging from the mud volcanoes gives abundant faunas of high diversity, e.g., scleractinian (stony coral), gorgonian, black coral, thiophil tubeworm, glass sponge, bryozoan etc., indicating booming chemosynthetic community, among which the Lophelia pertusa-like coral and the Euretidae-like glass sponges are the first reports in the South China Sea. Concomitantly with them, there are also abundant authigenic carbonate nodules and slabs, raw, brecciated and breccias with bio-clasts congregation. Besides, there coexist massive mudflows and allogenic coarse-grained quartz, feldspar and tourmaline most likely brought out by mud volcanism. Geochemical analysis of the bottom water samples give dissolved methane concentration up to 4 times higher than the background average. These results lend comprehensive evidences for the ongoing and historical mud volcanism. The escaping methane gas is inferred to source mainly from the Mesozoic strata. Occupying a large province of the deep water slope, ca. 1000 km² or more, the mud volcanoes is prospective for gas hydrate and natural gas for the Dongsha Basin.     

Tectonics related to the North Anatolian Fault in the Sea of Marmara: evidence from seismic reflection data

The North Anatolian Fault crosses the Sea of Marmara from east to west. Tectonic features of the Sea of Marmara were studied using multi-channel deep seismic reflection data. The northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault is active as a right lateral strike-slip fault zone and indicates both negative and positive flower structures. The North Anatolian Fault splays into two faults at the Sea of Marmara as a northern branch and north segment of the southern branch. The northern branch named the Main Marmara Fault extends in a complicated manner from the north of the Kapıdağı Peninsula to westward in the Sea of Marmara. The north segment of southern branch extends between the Gemlik and Bandırma gulfs in the south of the Sea of Marmara. In addition, uplift areas arose by compression and a push-up style in between the Kapıdağı Peninsula and the Main Marmara Fault. The North Anatolian Fault is characterized by a negative flower structure in basins and push-up style in uplift areas in the Sea of Marmara. An uplift area arose between the north segment of the southern branch and the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault. The north segment of the southern branch of the North Anatolian Fault is a strike-slip fault and displays a pull-apart style in the seismic reflection data.     

Hydrocarbon gases in deposits from mud volcanoes in the Sorokin Trough, north-eastern Black Sea

Hydrocarbon gases were determined in sediments from three mud volcanoes in the Sorokin Trough. In comparison to a reference station outside the mud volcano area, the deposits are characterized by an enrichment of high-molecular hydrocarbons (C₂–C₄), an absence of unsaturated homologues, a predominance of iso-butane in comparison with n-butane, and the presence of gas hydrate. The molecular composition of the hydrocarbon gases suggests their deep sources and thermogenic origin. In the pelagic sediments at the reference station, the methane concentration is relatively low (up to 49 ml/l); maximum concentrations are reached in deposits of the Dvurechenskii mud volcano (up to 400 ml/l). It was the first time that gas hydrate was sampled at the Dvurechenskii mud volcano. The gas extracted by dissociation of hydrate samples was dominated by methane (99.5%) with low amounts of ethane and propane (less than 0.5%). The isotopic composition of the methane varies between –62 and –66 PDB in ¹³C, and between –185 and –209 SMOW in D, indicating a mainly biogenic origin with an admixture of thermogenic gas.     

Acoustic investigations of mud volcanoes in the Sorokin Trough, Black Sea

The Sorokin Trough (Black Sea) is characterized by diapiric structures formed in a compressional tectonic regime that facilitate fluid migration to the seafloor. We present acoustic data in order to image details of mud volcanoes associated with the diapirs. Three types of mud volcanoes were distinguished: cone-shaped, flat-topped, and collapsed structures. All mud volcanoes, except for the Kazakov mud volcano, are located above shallow mud diapirs and diapiric ridges. Beyond the known near-surface occurrence of gas hydrates, bottom simulating reflectors are not seen on our seismic records, but pronounced lateral amplitude variations and bright spots may indicate the presence of gas hydrates and free gas.     

Neogene igneous intrusions in the northern South China Sea: Evidence from high-resolution three dimensional seismic data

Igneous intrusions emplaced within the prospective intervals of sedimentary basins can exert a significant impact on petroleum systems and hence are of considerable interest particularly when risking exploration plays. A number of discordant high amplitude seismic anomalies (DSAs) with a range of geometries are documented in high resolution 3D seismic data in the northern South China Sea. Their distribution and seismic characteristics are analysed and compared with similar seismic anomalies documented within sedimentary basins in the Atlantic margins and other locations. The DSAs occur mainly within Early Miocene strata and are interpreted as igneous intrusions that were emplaced close to the palaeo-seabed and are dated as early Middle Miocene using seismic-stratigraphic methods. A number of vents are also identified above the intrusions within early Middle Miocene strata. Several geometrical forms are observed, referred to here as saucer-shaped, lensoid-shaped, stacked and composite intrusions. The seismic expression of these is increasing complex towards the palaeo-seabed, with a tendency for the saucer-shaped sills to be the deepest intrusive forms. The igneous intrusions observed in this study only could be identified using 3D seismic data and they are important for the future evaluations of petroleum systems, basin evolution and tectonic analysis in the Pearl River Mouth Basin.     

Characteristics of seismic reflections in central region of the South China Sea and their geological significance

I~IOXThe speCiality in gootectonic position and complicity in origin and evolution of the sleuth China Sea (SCS) has aroused particular attention of the geoscientists at home and abroad. The central region, which consists of continental slope, island slope and a deep-sea basin, is an importantarea for the study of the mechanism of origin and evolution of the SCS. In addition to the surveysof bathemetry, gravity and magnetism, seismic surveys have been carried out by domestic andforeign in…     

Images of the seabed in the Faroe-Shetland Channel from commercial 3D seismic data

A large number of 3D deep seismic surveys in the Faroe-Shetland Channel gives continuous coverage over most of the region. These surveys were designed primarily to image depths in excess of 4 km, use low frequency sources and are recorded at low temporal sample rates. However, commercial 3D data can generate highly detailed images of the seabed due to the high spatial sample rate, typically 12.5 m. This is particularly true in waters below 200 m. Despite geophysical artefacts, the images reveal that there are a number of sedimentary processes at work adjacent to and within this channel. On the West Shetland Shelf, iceberg scouring and moraines reflect the impact of glaciation. On the West Shetland slope there is clear evidence for down-slope processes, such as debris flows, linear erosion channels, basal fans and (one case) slope failure. Along-slope processes are also active as indicated by the presence of sediment waves and contourite mounds. On the floor of the basin, polygonal cracking can be observed. The most spectacular feature appears to be the Judd Deeps, a system of cliffs approximately 200 m high and 40 km across. Traditionally, seabed investigation has been performed using high-resolution surveys. This study shows that deep exploration data can also provide useful images of the seafloor.     

When mud volcanoes sleep: Insight from seep geochemistry at the Dashgil mud volcano,Azerbaijan

The worlds >1500 mud volcanoes are normally in a dormant stage due to the short duration of eruptions. Their dormant stage activity is often characterized by vigorous seepage of water, gas, and petroleum. However, the source of the fluids and the fluid–rock interactions within the mud volcano conduit remain poorly understood. In order to investigate this type of activity, we have combined satellite images with fieldwork and extensive sampling of water and gas at seeping gryphons, pools and salsa lakes at the Dashgil mud volcano in Azerbaijan. We find that caldera collapse faults and E–W oriented faults determine the location of the seeps. The seeping gas is dominated by methane (94.9–99.6%), with a δ¹³C (‰ V-PDB) in the −43.9 to −40.4‰ range, consistent throughout the 12 analysed seeps. Ethane and carbon dioxide occur in minor amounts. Seventeen samples of seeping water show a wide range in solute content and isotopic composition. Pools and salsa lakes have the highest salinities (up to 101,043 ppm Cl) and the lowest δ¹⁸O (‰ V-SMOW) values (1–4‰). The mud-rich gryphons have low salinities (<18,000 ppm Cl) and are enriched in ¹⁸O (δ¹⁸O = 4–6‰).     

应用剩余静校正衰减采集脚印:在南海某工区中的尝试

在海上地震拖缆施工中产生的采集脚印,对地下精细地质构造解释和储层特征及物性的描述和刻画均影响甚大.剩余静校正可以有效衰减采集脚印带来的影响,大大提高地震剖面成像质量,进而真实地反映地下深部地质构造特征,为油气勘探开发部署及油气地质综合研究提供高质量的地震剖面.文章阐述了剩余静校正及其衰减采集脚印的原理,并以南海A工区地震资料处理为例,论证了应用剩余静校正方法在海上地震数据处理中衰减采集脚印的有效性和可行性.     

Characterization of natural hydrocarbon seepage in the South Caspian Sea off Iran using satellite SAR and geological data

Abstract

Two groups of oil slicks have been repeatedly detected in the Southern Caspian Sea, off Cape Sefidrud and close to the Iranian coast of the sea on the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired by the Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B satellites in April–June 2018. Analysis of the SAR images together with bathymetry, geological and geophysical data in geographic information system showed that these manifestations (oil slicks) visible on the sea surface have natural origin, related to the bottom seepage phenomenon and are associated with existing hydrocarbon system. Oil slicks are concentrated over the continental slope and related to local geological formations of the sedimentary cover having oil deposits related to paleo-delta of Sefidrud River. Our evidence shows that two seeps in this area are active and repeating. It is concluded that the SAR is an excellent tool for monitoring of seepage phenomenon. Moreover, results indicate that the use of remote methods to identify offshore natural oil seeps related to existing active petroleum system can be considered as a well-accepted approach to support oil and gas exploration in frontier areas such as the South Caspian Basin.     

Fossil Foraminifera from four active mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico

Samples were collected for foraminiferal studies by the Johnson Sea-Link I and II manned submersibles on the Louisiana continental slope. This paper documents that the mud, extruded onto the sea floor from depth by four mud volcanoes, ranges in age from Miocene to Pleistocene based on studies of the planktonic foraminiferal fauna. The vents are in water depths ranging from 300 to 690 m located in Garden Banks Block 382, Green Canyon Blocks 143 and 272, and Mississippi Canyon Block 929. Two mud volcanoes in GB 382 and MC 929 also have rich fossil foraminiferal microfaunas. We suggest that the extrusion of fossil sediments onto the sea floor during the Quaternary is a reasonable explanation for frequent occurrences of displaced fossil microfaunas encountered at depth in wells drilling on the flanks of salt diapirs in the slope environment. Results of this study have important implications for age dating subsurface sediments in bathyal locations.     

Deep crustal structure of the conjugate margins of the SW South China Sea from wide-angle refraction seismic data

The South China Sea is the largest marginal basin of SE Asia, yet its mechanism of formation is still debated. A 1000-km long wide-angle refraction seismic profile was recently acquired along the conjugate margins of the SW sub-basin of the South China Sea, over the longest extended continental crust. A joint reflection and refraction seismic travel time inversion is performed to derive a 2-D velocity model of the crustal structure and upper mantle. Based on this new tomographic model, northern and southern margins are genetically linked since they share common structural characteristics. Most of the continental crust deforms in a brittle manner. Two scales of deformation are imaged and correlate well with seismic reflection observations. Small-scale normal faults (grabens, horsts and rotated faults blocks) are often associated with a tilt of the velocity isocontours affecting the upper crust. The mid-crust shows high lateral velocity variation defining low velocity bodies bounded by large-scale normal faults recognized in seismic reflection profiles. Major sedimentary basins are located above low velocity bodies interpreted as hanging-wall blocks. Along the northern margin, spacing between these velocity bodies decreases from 90 to 45 km as the total crust thins toward the Continent–Ocean Transition. The Continent–Ocean Transitions are narrow and slightly asymmetric – 60 km on the northern side and no more than 30 km on the southern side – indicating little space for significant hyper-stretched crust. Although we have no direct indication for mantle exhumation, shallow high velocities are observed at the Continent–Ocean Transition. The Moho interface remains rather flat over the extended domain, and remains undisturbed by the large-scale normal faults. The main décollement is thus within the ductile lower crust.     

Cold seep communities in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea: composition, symbiosis and spatial distribution on mud volcanoes

Two mud volcano fields were explored during the French–Dutch MEDINAUT cruise (1998) with the submersible NAUTILE, one south of Crete along the Mediteranean Ridge at about 2000 m depth (Olimpi mud field) and the other south of Turkey between 1700 and 2000 m depth (Anaximander mud field) where high methane concentrations were measured. Chemosynthetic communities were observed and sampled on six mud volcanoes and along a fault scarp. The communities were dominated by bivalves of particularly small size, belonging to families commonly found at seeps (Mytilidae, Vesicomyidae, Thyasiridae) and to Lucinidae mostly encountered in littoral sulfide-rich sediments and at the shallowest seeps. Siboglinid polychaetes including a large vestimentiferan Lamellibrachia sp. were also associated. At least four bivalve species and one siboglinid are associated with symbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria, as evidenced by Transmission Electronic Microscopy and isotopic ratio measurements. Among the bivalves, a mytilid harbors both methanotrophic and sulfide-oxidizing bacteria. Video spatial analysis of the community distribution on three volcanoes shows that dense bivalve shell accumulations (mainly lucinids) spread over large areas, from 10% to 38% of the explored areas (2500–15000 m²) on the different volcanoes. Lamellibrachia sp. had different spatial distribution and variable density in the two mud volcano fields, apparently related with higher methane fluxes in the Anaximander volcanoes and maybe with the instability due to brines in the Olimpi area. The abundance and richness of the observed chemosynthetic fauna and the size of some of the species contrast with the poverty of the deep eastern Mediterranean. The presence of a specialized fauna, with some mollusk genera and species shared with other reduced environments of the Mediterranean, but not dominated by the large bivalves usually found at seeps, is discussed.     

Seafloor distribution and last glacial to postglacial activity of mud volcanoes on the Calabrian accretionary prism,Ionian Sea

Mud volcanoes (MVs) are abundant along the eastern Mediterranean subduction zones, recording mud breccia extrusion over long timescales (10⁶ years), but to date relatively few have been recognised in the northern Ionian Sea on the Calabrian accretionary prism (CAP). In the present study, the seafloor distribution and recent activity of MVs is investigated across a 35,600 km² sector of the CAP using a regional acoustic dataset (multibeam bathymetric and backscatter imagery, integrated with subbottom profiles) locally ground-truthed by sediment cores. A total of 54 MVs are identified across water depths of 150–2,750 m using up to four geophysical criteria: distinctive morphology, high backscatter, unstratified subbottom facies and, in one case, a hydroacoustic flare. Fourteen MVs are identified from 3–4 criteria, of which five have been previously proven by cores containing mud breccia beneath up to 1.6 m of hemipelagic sediments (Madonna dello Ionio MVs 1–3, Pythagoras MV and the newly named Sartori MV), while nine others are identified for the first time (Athena, Catanzaro, Cerere, Diana, Giunone, Minerva, ‘right foot’, Venere 1 and 2). Forty other as yet unnamed MVs are inferred from 1–2 geophysical criteria (three from distinctive morphology alone). All but one possible MV lie on the inner plateau of the CAP, landwards of the Calabrian Escarpment in a zone up to 120 km wide that includes the inner pre-Messinian wedge and the fore-arc basins, where they are interpreted to record the ascent from depth of overpressured fluids that interacted with tectonic structures and with evaporitic or shale seals within the fore-arc basins. The rise of fluids may have been triggered by post-Messinian out-of-sequence tectonism that affected the entire pre-Messinian prism, but Plio-Quaternary sedimentation rates and depositional styles support the inference that significant mud volcanism has taken place only on the inner plateau. Sedimentation rates across the CAP applied to a 12 khz sonar detection depth of 225 cm imply that all MVs with backscatter signatures (50 of 54) have erupted mud breccias within the last 56 ka, and within the last 12.5 ka in the fore-arc basins. Ages of eruption estimated from the depth of cored mud breccias at five MVs, and a seismo-stratigraphic relationship at a sixth, indicate episodes at the last glacial maximum ca. 20 ka BP and during the postglacial period. Eruptive episodes within the Calabrian MV province constitute recurrent geohazards, separated by longer periods of quiescent (subdued) fluid seepage that are likely to support gas hydrate formation and chemosynthetic ecosystems.     

Cyclic activity of mud volcanoes: Evidences from Trinidad (SE Caribbean)

Fluid and solid transfer in mud volcanoes show different cyclic phases of activity, including catastrophic events and periods of relative quiescence characterized by moderate activity. This is notably well-shown by the compilation of historical data onshore Trinidad. It appears that each eruptive mud volcano has its own period of catastrophic activity, and this period is variable from one volcano to another. The frequency of the eruptions seems essentially controlled by local pressure regime within the sedimentary pile. The dynamics of expulsion of the mud volcanoes during the quiescent phases has been studied with the help of temperature measurements within the mud conduits. The mud temperature in these conduits is notably concurrently controlled by the gas flux (endothermic gas depressurizing induces a cooling effect), and by the mud flux (mud is a vector for convective heat transfer). Complex temperature distribution was observed in large conduits and pools. Especially in the bigger pools, the temperature distribution characterizes convective cells with an upward displacement of mud above the deep outlet, and ring-shaped rolls associated with the burial of the mud on the flanks of the pools. In tube-like shaped narrow conduits, the temperature is more regular, but we observed different types of profiles, with either downward increasing or decreasing temperatures. Near constant to even negative gradients compared to the general temperature gradient are typical for very dynamic fluid systems. The temperature profiles varied from one place to another, as well as over time. The temperatures measured within the conduits and their base show that the fluid flow is not constant but highly variable through short time-periods. We observed locally a significant daily change of the temperature of the expelled mud which shows also that the mud flux is changing very rapidly due to the migration dynamics of the mud in fracture systems. We also observed very short time-period cyclic variations with a frequency of several minutes. These high frequencies temperature changes could be related to the dynamics of two-phase flows (gas and mud) through the mud volcano conduits.     

Imaging the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water from multichannel seismic data

The Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water (YSBCW) is a large cold water mass lying in the deep part of the Yellow Sea during the warm season. We acquired multichannel seismic (MCS) data using an air gun source to image the structure of the YSBCW. The MCS data recorded reflections from sea water. The recognition of these reflections was confirmed by finite-difference seismic modeling in the frequency-domain. The seismic section from MCS data enabled discrimination of water masses distinctly separated by reflecting horizons. The structure of the water masses is fairly consistent with temperature-depth variations obtained using expandable bathythermograph (XBT) casts. The YSBCW is imaged as the lowermost water mass, maximally 40 m thick, that extends as a lens-like form along the sea bottom under the warm mixed layer. The correlation of XBT measurements and the seismic section indicates a rapid decrease in temperature from around 11 to 8 °C in the uppermost part of the YSBCW. A transition zone between the mixed layer and the underlying YSBCW is also defined. This transition zone has fairly uniform thickness of 14–18 m and marks an interval of rapid temperature drop, indicating vigorous thermal mixing. Our study demonstrates that MCS profiling is a useful and reliable tool for imaging fine structures in the shallow Yellow Sea.     

Geodynamics of the deep sedimentary basin of the Caspian Sea region: paragenetic correlation of seismicity and mud volcanism

In this paper we analyze seismic regime and earthquake depth distribution and correlation of seismicity and mud volcanism in the Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea region. For the present region we have calculated accurate source locations, seismic activity, earthquake repetition and released earthquake energy parameters. It is shown that the active tectonic processes in the region are concentrated within the thick sedimentary cover that we consider as a general source of contemporary stress and a main structural element responsible for the origin of regional earthquakes. The correlation of seismicity and mud volcanism is of paragenetic character.     

Oil-gas reservoir in the Mesozoic strata in the Chaoshan depression,northern South China Sea: a new insight from long offset seismic data

The Chaoshan depression, a Mesozoic basin in the Dongsha sea area, northern South China Sea, is characterized by well-preserved Mesozoic strata, being good conditions for oil-gas preservation, promising good prospects for oil-gas exploration. However, breakthrough in oil-gas exploration in the Mesozoic strata has not been achieved due to less seismic surveys. New long-offset seismic data were processed that acquired with dense grid with single source and single cable. In addition, the data were ...