The mud volcanoes of Pakistan

Marine-geologic investigations on the Arabian Sea by Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) in 1995 and 1998, and land expeditions in 1998 and 1999 to the coastal regions of the Makran Desert/Pakistan have extended the knowledge of the aerial distribution of mud volcanoes. These structures rise from under-compacted formations within the regional accretionary prism, which is built by the subduction of the oceanic crust of the Arabian Sea and its km-thick sedimentary load. The occurrence of mud volcanoes is limited to the abyssal plain near the accretionary front, to the coastal region of the Makran Desert and to a region in the interior of the Desert to the south to southeast of the so-called Hinglay Synform. The location of mud volcanoes in Pakistan is clearly tied to fault systems. Mud volcanoes are conspicuously absent on the lower slope of the accretionary prism, where thick gas hydrate layers have developed. The presence of large gas plumes emerging from the seafloor landward of the gas hydrate stability zone at water depths of less than 800 m points to a redirection of fluids from depth, which might explain the absence of mud volcanoes along the lower slope.     

Isotopic-geochemical peculiarities of gases in mud volcanoes of eastern Georgia

Isotopic-geochemical study revealed the presence of mantle He (³He/⁴He up to 223 × 10^?8) in gases from mud volcanoes of eastern Georgia. This fact confirms that the Middle Kura basin fill encloses an intrusive body previously distinguished from geophysical data. Wide variations in the carbon isotopic composition δ¹³C of CH₄ and CO₂ and the chemical composition of gas and water at a temporally constant ³He/⁴He ratio indicate their relation with crustal processes. Unusual direct correlations of the ³He/⁴He ratio with the contents of He and CH₄ and the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio can be explained by the generation of gas in the Cenozoic sequence of the Middle Kura basin.     

Diapir structure and its constraint on gas hydrate accumulation in the Makran accretionary prism,offshore Pakistan

The Makran accretionary prism is located at the junction of the Eurasian Plate, Arabian Plate and Indian Plate and is rich in natural gas hydrate (NGH) resources. It consists of a narrow continental shelf, a broad continental slope, and a deformation front. The continental slope can be further divided into the upper slope, middle slope, and lower slope. There are three types of diapir structure in the accretionary prism, namely mud diapir, mud volcano, and gas chimney. (1) The mud diapirs can be grouped into two types, namely the ones with low arching amplitude and weak-medium activity energy and the ones with high arching amplitude and medium-strong activity energy. The mud diapirs increase from offshore areas towards onshore areas in general, while the ones favorable for the formation of NGH are mainly distributed on the middle slope in the central and western parts of the accretionary prism. (2) The mud volcanoes are mainly concentrated along the anticline ridges in the southern part of the lower slope and the deformation front. (3) The gas chimneys can be grouped into three types, which are located in piggyback basins, active anticline ridges, and inactive anticline ridges, respectively. They are mainly distributed on the middle slope in the central and western parts of the accretionary prism and most of them are accompanied with thrust faults. The gas chimneys located at different tectonic locations started to be active at different time and pierced different horizons. The mud diapirs, mud volcanoes, and gas chimneys and thrust faults serve as the main pathways of gas migration, and thus are the important factors that control the formation, accumulation, and distribution of NGH in the Makran accretionary prism. Mud diapir/gas chimney type hydrate develop in the middle slope, mud volcano type hydrate develop in the southern lower slope and the deformation front, and stepped accretionary prism type hydrate develop on the central and northern lower slope. The middle slope, lower slope and deformation front in the central and western parts of the Makran accretionary prism jointly constitute the NGH prospect area.     

Gas flux to the atmosphere from mud volcanoes in eastern Romania

Gas flux measurements have for the first time been taken from vents and soil of eastern Romania mud volcanoes, the largest geological structures in Europe releasing methane into the atmosphere. In the quiescent phase, the methane emission from single vents is up to 28 t yr^?1. Diffuse soil microseepage is of the order of 10²?10⁵ mg m^?2 day^?1. A total output of at least 1200 tonnes of CH₄ per year can be conservatively estimated over the area investigated alone (～ 2.3 km²). Helium fluxes are up to five orders of magnitude higher than the average flux in a stable continental area, pointing to a close link between mud volcanoes and crustal degassing through faults crossing the deep hydrocarbon reservoirs. These data represent a key contribution towards refining global CH₄‐emission estimates, which indicate mud volcanoes as a significant and unavoidable source of greenhouse gases for the atmosphere.     

Distribution and characters of the mud diapirs and mud volcanoes off southwest Taiwan

In order to identify the mud diapirs and mud volcanoes off SW Taiwan, we have examined ∼1500 km long MCS profiles and related marine geophysical data. Our results show ten quasi-linear mud diapirs, oriented NNE–SSW to N–S directions. Thirteen mud volcanoes are identified from the multibeam bathymetric data. These mud volcanoes generally occur on tops of the diapiric structures. Moreover, the active mud flow tracks out of mud volcanoes MV1, MV3 and MV6 are observed through the high backscatter intensity stripes on the sidescan sonar images. The heights of the cone-shaped mud volcanoes range from 65 m to 345 m, and the diameters at base from 680 m to 4100 m. These mud volcanoes have abrupt slopes between 5.3° and 13.6°, implying the mudflow is active and highly viscous. In contrast, the flat crests of mud volcanoes are due to relative lower-viscosity flows. The larger cone-shaped mud volcanoes located at deeper water depths could be related to a longer eruption history. The formation of mud diapirs and volcanoes in the study area are ascribed to the overpressure in sedimentary layers, compressional tectonic forces and gas-bearing fluids. Especially, the gas-bearing fluid plays an important role in enhancing the intrusion after the diapirism as a large amount of gas expulsions is observed. The morphology of the upper Kaoping Slope is mainly controlled by mud diapiric intrusions.     

火山、泥火山/泥底辟及含气陷阱与油气运聚关系

火山、泥火山/泥底辟及含气陷阱这些特殊的地质体,不仅是揭示地球深部构造运动的窗口和地球深部流体活动特点的表征,而且其与油气运聚关系密切,具有非常重要的油气地质意义。火山与泥火山/泥底辟的主要差异及区别是所形成的物质基础及源动力不同,前者主要反映地壳深部地球动力学过程,其物资基础来源于火山幔源活动上侵和喷发的岩浆物资;后者则是在结晶基底以上的沉积盆地中,由快速沉积充填的欠压实泥页岩发生塑性流动而产生底辟上拱所形成的产物,其物质基础为巨厚欠压实泥页岩。含气陷阱则为气侵或富含气地层所形成的地震反射畸变之痕迹。火山、泥火山/泥底辟发育演化及展布与油气运聚成藏存在明显的成因联系和耦合关系,且控制和制约了沉积盆地中油气分布与聚集。     

Gases of mud volcanoes in the Copper River Basin,Alaska

The gases emitted from mud volcanoes in the Copper River Basin of Alaska fall into two distinct types which are not mixed during vertical migration. The gases in the eastern volcanoes are nearly pure carbon dioxide, whereas the western ones contain methane and nitrogen and almost no carbon dioxide. Chemical and carbon isotopic compositions suggest the carbon dioxide rich gases originated by solution of limestones and that methane rich gases probably formed by thermal decomposition of coals.Permafrost may be a strong factor in separating the Copper River Basin gases. Extending downward for several hundred feet, the permafrost would prevent shallow lateral migration and focus the energy of the gas into occasional mud volcano vents. Soil gas analyses show rapidly decreasing amounts of the methane to about 150 m and of carbon dioxide to about 20–40 m away from the mud volcano pools. Isotopic variations of these natural methane and carbon dioxide gases, which are not intermixed, indicate that calculations of formation temperatures based on δ¹³C ratios cannot be used generally.     

藏北羌塘中部首次发现泥火山

青藏高原羌塘中部戈木错新生代盆地首次发现大量泥火山,少数泥火山喷发物中有含沥青脉的岩石。区内泥火山群出露在第四纪沉积物之上,明显受新构造断裂活动的控制。喷发物中含沥青脉岩石泥火山的发现说明羌塘中部曾经发生过大规模的油气运聚活动,沥青脉赋存在古近纪唢呐湖组湖相灰岩的层间裂隙中,为层间缝型沥青脉。泥火山喷出物中含沥青脉岩石的发现说明羌塘新生代沉积盆地具有良好的油气前景。     

藏北羌塘中部首次发现泥火山

青藏高原羌塘中部戈木错新生代盆地首次发现大量泥火山,少数泥火山喷发物中有含沥青脉的岩石。区内泥火山群出露在第四纪沉积物之上,明显受新构造断裂活动的控制。喷发物中含沥青脉岩石泥火山的发现说明羌塘中部曾经发生过大规模的油气运聚活动,沥青脉赋存在古近纪唢呐湖组湖相灰岩的层间裂隙中,为层间缝型沥青脉。泥火山喷出物中含沥青脉岩石的发现说明羌塘新生代沉积盆地具有良好的油气前景。     

Distribution and formation conditions of salt diapirs and mud volcanoes

Analysis of the distribution of salt diapirs and mud volcanoes in the Earth’s continental block reveals their frequent spatial coincidence. These structures are also characterized by similar morphological and geological structures indicating their elisional origin. The appearance of zones with anomalously high formation pressures (AHFP) is the main factor responsible for the development of mud volcanoes and salt diapirs. The anomalously high formation pressure reflects transformation of the phase composition of salts, clay minerals, and dispersed organic matter under the influence of thermolysis and thermocatalysis in closed physicochemical systems.     

A geochemical study on mud volcanoes in the Junggar Basin, China

A comprehensive study was performed to characterize, for the first time, the mud, water, and gases released from onshore mud volcanoes located in the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, northwestern China. Chemical compositions of mud, along with the geology of the basin, suggest that a source of the mud is Mesozoic or Cenozoic shale. Oxygen and H isotope compositions of the released water suggest a local meteoric origin. Combined with the positive Eu anomalies of the water, a large ¹⁸O shift of the water suggests extensive interaction with rocks. Gases discharged from the mud volcanoes are predominantly thermogenic hydrocarbons, and the high δ¹³C values (>+20‰ VPDB) for CO₂ gases and dissolved carbonate in muddy water suggest secondary methanogenesis with CO₂ reduction after oil biodegradation.The enrichments of Eu and ¹⁸O in water and the low thermal gradient of the area suggest that the water-rock interactions possibly occur deeper than 3670 ± 200 m. On the other hand, considering the relationship to the petroleum reservoir around the mud volcanoes, the depth of the gases can be derived from about 3600 m, a depth that is greater than that generally estimated for reservoirs whose gas is characterized by ¹³C-enriched CO₂. Oil biodegradation with CO₂ reduction likely occurs at a shallower depth along the seepage system of the mud volcano. The results contribute to the worldwide data set of gas genesis in mud volcanoes. Moreover, they further support the concept that most terrestrial mud volcanoes release thermogenic gas produced in very deep sediments and may be early indicators of oil biodegradation, an important problem in the petroleum industry.     

Gases in Taiwan mud volcanoes: Chemical composition,methane carbon isotopes,and gas fluxes

Mud volcanoes are important pathways for CH₄ emission from deep buried sediments; however, the importance of gas fluxes have hitherto been neglected in atmospheric source budget considerations. In this study, gas fluxes have been monitored to examine the stability of their chemical compositions and fluxes spatially, and stable C isotopic ratios of CH₄ were determined, for several mud volcanoes on land in Taiwan. The major gas components are CH₄ (>90%), “air” (i.e. N₂ + O₂ + Ar, 1–5%) and CO₂ (1–5%) and these associated gas fluxes varied slightly at different mud volcanoes in southwestern Taiwan. The Hsiao-kun-shui (HKS) mud volcano emits the highest CH₄ concentration (CH₄ > 97%). On the other hand, the Chung-lun mud volcano (CL) shows CO₂ up to 85%, and much lower CH₄ content (<37%). High CH₄ content (>90%) with low CO₂ (<0.2%) are detected in the mud volcano gases collected in eastern Taiwan. It is suggestive that these gases are mostly of thermogenic origin based on C₁ (methane)/C₂ (ethane) + C₃ (propane) and δ¹³C_CH4 results, with the exception of mud volcanoes situated along the Gu-ting-keng (GTK) anticline axis showing unique biogenic characteristics. Only small CH₄ concentration variations, <2%, were detected in four on-site short term field-monitoring experiments, at Yue-shi-jie A, B, Kun-shui-ping and Lo-shan A. Preliminary estimation of CH₄ emission fluxes for mud volcanoes on land in Taiwan fall in a range between 980 and 2010 tons annually. If soil diffusion were taken into account, the total amount of mud volcano CH₄ could contribute up to 10% of total natural CH₄ emissions in Taiwan.     

Composition and exhalation flux of gases from mud volcanoes in Taiwan

Many mud volcanoes are distributed along the tectonic sutures in southern Taiwan and can be divided into five zones based on their relative positions in different tectonic domains. Most active mud volcanoes are exhaling methane-dominated gases. Nevertheless, some gases show unusual carbon dioxide-dominated and/or nitrogen-excess compositions. This implies that there are multiple sources for the gas compositions of mud volcanoes in Taiwan.For better understanding the total amount of exhalation gases and its flux, the gas flow and compositions were continuously measured in the interval of two minutes at Chung-lun (CL) bubbling mud pool for a few months. The major compositions of gases exhaling from this site were 75~90% of CO₂ and 5~12% of CH₄. The amount of gases exhaling from the mud pool can be estimated to be about 1.4 ton/year for CH₄ and 28 ton/year for CO₂, respectively. The preliminary results of exhaling gas flux from the major vents of representative active mud volcanoes, yielded an estimated total CH₄ output of the mud volcanoes in Taiwan of ca. 29 ton/year during quiescent period.     

Estimation of the methane flux from mud volcanoes along Chishan Fault,southwestern Taiwan

Because of the increasing public awareness of the greenhouse effect, geological emissions of methane (GEM) have gained more attention. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change included GEM in the natural sources of methane category in the Fourth Assessment Report in 2007. The methane flux from mud volcanoes (MVs) is the second leading source within GEM. However, given that gas flux from MVs has been measured directly only in Sicily and Azerbaijan, the global methane estimation is still a conservative assumption based on limited data. The behavior of MV activities is seldom reported. This study attempts to estimate annual methane emissions through MVs by using a video recorder to record MV activities along the Chishan Fault and determining the bubble size and flux rate of each MV. Observation results, after a 1 year observation period, indicate that the annual emissions of the 19 MVs along the Chishan Fault are 0.1–0.2% of the global methane flux from MVs, highlighting that the methane emission from these MVs should not be neglected. In addition, the continuous monitoring of a particular MV disclosed periodic characteristics of MV activities. These results manifest the spatial and temporal variations of MV activities along the Chishan Fault. The spatial variations are related to the extensional kinematics of the Chishan fault, while the temporal variation relates to the earth-tide-related MV activities. The estimated annual methane emissions from the study are far more than those of previous studies and are still considered conservative. Results of this study may provide valuable information for researchers attempting to estimate the quantity of GEM.     

Active wrench faults of Iran,Afghanistan and Pakistan

The fault pattern of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan has been mapped from air-photo-mosaics. The Herat, Chaman, Shahrud, Doruneh, and Zagros are the five major active faults and are wrench in character. With the exception of the Chaman fault, which lies to the east, the faults or their extensions spiral out from a centre in the Dasht Lut Depression of eastern Iran, the dextral faults spiralling out clockwise and the sinistral faults anticlockwise. The spiral fault pattern is consistent with that expected from a central force, and from the relation between the sense of horizontal displacement and the direction of outspiralling it is inferred that the crustal blocks west of the Chaman fault are moving in towards the Lut Centre. Similar spiral fault patterns can be recognized at many places in the world, and their centres are probably critical for explaining present day tectonics.-- , , , . — , , , — . , , , .

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Zusammenfassung Auf einer beigegebenen Karte wird der Verlauf von aktiven und von vermutlichen Hauptverwerfungen in Afghanistan, Pakistan und im Iran gezeigt, wie er anhand von Luftbild-Mosaikkarten und Luftaufnahmen bestimmt wurde. Die fünf wichtigsten aktiven Dislokationen sind die Herat-, Chaman-, Sharud-, Doruneh- und die Zagros-Verwerfung.Die deutlich sichtbare Herat-Verwerfung erstreckt sich in ENE-Richtung über 800 km durch den Nordteil Afghanistans zur chinesischen Grenze. Ihre Verschiebung erfolgte rechtsläufig, so daß die nördliche Scholle relativ zur südlichen nach E versetzt wurde.Die etwa 700 km lange nach SSW weisende Chaman-Verwerfung zieht sich in zwei schwach gegensinnig geschwungenen Bögen von der Herat-Verwerfung wenig N Kabul die afghanisch-pakistanische Grenze entlang, um in zahlreiche Zweigverwerfungen aufzuspalten, die in Westpakistan nach W umbiegen. Die Verschiebung erfolgte linksläufig und ist gut sichtbar.Die Sharud-Verwerfung im Iran erstreckt sich nach ENE durch die Achse des Elburs-Gebirges und biegt dann nach SE parallel zur russischen Grenze ab. Die Verwerfung ändert häufig ihre Richtung und ist nur schwer zu verfolgen. Sie hat eine sichere Länge von 800 km und ist linksläufig.Die gut sichtbare Doruneh-Verwerfung verläuft in Kurven 250 km südlich der Sharud-Verwerfung derselben parallel. Nach E spaltet sie sich auf, nach W vereinigt sie sich vermutlich mit der Sharud-Verwerfung. Sie ist 600 km lang und linksläufig.Die Zagros-Verwerfung tritt auf Luftaufnahmen am wenigsten hervor, auf geologischen Karten ist sie jedoch eine Hauptverwerfung. Sie erstreckt sich vom Schnittpunkt der drei Grenzen des Iran, Irak und der Türkei 950 km nach SE bis fast zur pakistanischen Grenze, wo sie wahrscheinlich anfangs nach NW, später nach N umbiegt. Die Verwerfung ist wahrscheinlich rechtsläufig.Die fünf Hauptverwerfungen, zusammen mit vier kleineren Verwerfungen, deren horizontaler Verschiebungssinn bekannt ist, bilden ein relativ einfaches Strukturmuster.Mit Ausnahme der Chaman-Verwerfung, die im E liegt, verlaufen die Verwerfungen oder ihre Ausläufer ausgehend von einem in der Dasht Lut-Senke gelegenen Zentrum in Gestalt einzelner Spiralen sternförmig nach allen Seiten; die in ihrem Verschiebungssinn rechtsläufigen im Uhrzeigersinn gebogen, die linksläufigen in Gegenrichtung gekrümmt. Die übrigen geologischen und morphologischen Hauptlinien zeigen ebenfalls eine derartige Anordnung mit demselbenZentrum. Das damit gegebene Strukturmuster läßt die Einwirkung einer zentralen Kraft vermuten. Aus dem Zusammenhang zwischen horizontalem Verschiebungssinn und der Richtung der einzelnen Spiralen ist zu schließen, daß sich die westlich der Chaman-Verwerfung liegenden Krustenblöcke in Richtung auf das Lut-Zentrum bewegten.Derartige Verwerfungssysteme sternförmig-spiraler Anordnung scheinen kritische Punkte im heutigen tektonischen Bild der Erde zu sein, wobei das Westende der Poebene und die Banda-See zwei der auffallendsten Zentren sind. Ebenso verlaufen die pazifischen Inselbögen in Spiralen, die sich gleichfalls in solchen Zentren treffen könnten.

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Résumé Une carte des failles actives de la Perse, de l'Afghanistan, et de la Pakistan a été dressée d'après des photos-aériennes et des photos-mosaïques. Les ruptures des filets et des rivières montrent que le rejet net est presque horizontal. Cinq failles sont dextrales, et quatre sont sinistrales. Des lignes qui montrent la direction de la maximum contraction horizontale, déterminée par les failles, encerclent la Dasht Lut dépression dans la Perse orientale.

     

Isotopic evidence (He,B, C) for deep fluid and mud mobilization from mud volcanoes in the Caucasus continental collision zone

The Caucasian orogenic wedge formed as a consequence of the closure of the Tethyan Ocean, and numerous fields of active mud volcanoes pepper the area adjacent to the Black and Caspian Seas. Stable isotope ratios of boron, helium, and carbon have been measured for gas, fluid and sediment samples from active mud volcanoes of Taman Peninsula and Georgia to estimate the sources and mobilization depths of the fluid phase and mud. Boron concentrations in mud volcano fluids were found to be 5–35× higher than seawater. Fluid isotope ratios vary between ¹¹B=22 and 39, while isotope ratios of the smectite- and illite-rich extruded mud are considerably depleted in heavy ¹¹B (¹¹B=–8 to +7). B contents of these muds are ~8× higher than modern marine sediments. This suggests that liquefaction prior to mud volcanism was accompanied by both B enrichment and isotope fractionation, most likely at an intermediate depth mud reservoir at 2–4 km.The hydrocarbon-generating source beds to the mud volcanoes are located at 7 to >10 km depth in the folded Maikop Formation and are of proposed Oligocene–Miocene age. The most likely mechanism is re-hydration of these shales by both hydrocarbons and a geochemically mature fluid from greater depth within the orogenic wedge. Such a deep fluid source is supported by our results from gas analyses, which imply an admixture of minor amounts (less than 1%vol) of ³He (Georgia), thermogenic ¹³C in methane as well as "ultraheavy" ¹³C in CO₂ (both Taman and Georgia). The overall results attest active local flow of geochemically different fluids along deep-seated faults penetrating the two study areas in the Caucasian orogenic wedge, with the waters as well as the gases coming from below the Maikop Formation.     

巴基斯坦印度扇近海盆地油气地质条件分析

南秦岭柞水银洞子—山阳桐木沟铅银锌矿带地处陕西柞山地区中部,位于中秦岭晚古生代弧前盆地的柞水—山阳矿集区内。该带东西长约71 km,南北宽1～7 km。对带内银洞子（铜）铅银菱铁矿床、黑沟铅锌菱铁矿床、桐木沟锌矿床、南沟（银）铅矿床和松林沟铅矿点的地质、矿体、蚀变、矿化规律进行总结,发现矿体均严格产于中-上泥盆统青石垭组,具有明显的时控、层控、岩控及后期热液改造成矿特征,属典型的海底热水喷流沉积-热液改造层控矿床,构成与晚古生代海底热水喷流沉积-热液改造作用有关的铅锌银成矿系列。建立以层控+热液改造为主控矿条件,以青石垭组热水沉积岩+断裂+化探异常+硫化物、重晶石、菱铁矿蚀变分带为组合的找矿模型,对柞山地区金属矿的找矿突破具有重要的指导意义。     

Evidence for the recurrence of large-magnitude earthquakes along the Makran coast of Iran and Pakistan

The presence of raised beaches and marine terraces along the Makran coast indicates episodic uplift of the continental margin resulting from large-magnitude earthquakes. The uplift occurs as incremental steps similar in height to the 1–3 m of measured uplift resulting from the November 28, 1945 (M 8.3) earthquake at Pasni and Ormara, Pakistan. The data support an E—W-trending, active subduction zone off the Makran coast.The raised beaches and wave-cut terraces along the Makran coast are extensive with some terraces 1–2 km wide, 10–15 m long and up to 500 m in elevation. The terraces are generally capped with shelly sandstones 0.5–5 m thick. Wave-cut cliffs, notches, and associated boulder breccia and swash troughs are locally preserved. Raised Holocene accretion beaches, lagoonal deposits, and tombolos are found up to 10 m in elevation. The number and elevation of raised wave-cut terraces along the Makran coast increase eastward from one at Jask, the entrance to the Persian Gulf, at a few meters elevation, to nine at Konarak, 250 km to the east. Multiple terraces are found on the prominent headlands as far east as Karachi. The wave-cut terraces are locally tilted and cut by faults with a few meters of displacement.Long-term, average rates of uplift were calculated from present elevation, estimated elevation at time of deposition, and ¹⁴C and U–Th dates obtained on shells. Uplift rates in centimeters per year at various locations from west to east are as follows: Jask, 0 (post-Sangamon); Konarak, 0.031–0.2 (Holocene), 0.01 (post-Sangamon); Ormara 0.2 (Holocene).