[1] Microbially mediated anaebic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled with sulfate consumption within the sulfate methane transition zone (SMTZ) in marine sediments is a widely recorded biogeochemical reaction and has profound influence on the atmospheric CH 4 budget, marine carbon cycle and composition of sediment pore fluids. Recognizing the paleo-SMTZs in the marine sediments/rock records can throw light on the variation of paleo-methane fluxes and occurrences of cold seep (H 2 S + CH 4 ) events through geologic time. Here, we present results from carbonate carbon, pyrite sulfur and molybdenum analyses for two sediment cores overlying the methane hydrate deposits in the Bay of Bengal. The results show intimate association of isotopically depleted carbonate carbon and enriched pyrite sulfur, constraining the paleo SMTZ within the sediment column. In addition, anomalous enrichments of Mo concentrations indicate hydrogen sulfide seepage events. Here, we propose a geochemical tool using C-S-Mo sytematics to decipher the paleo-SMTZs in marine sediments and rocks.
We report evidence of paleo–cold seep associated activities, preserved in methane‐derived carbonates in association with chemosynthetic clams (Calyptogena sp.) from a sediment core in the Krishna‐Godavari basin, Bay of Bengal. Visual observations and calculations based on high‐resolution wet bulk density profile of a core collected on board R/V Marion Dufresne (May 2007) show zones of sharp increase in carbonate content (10–55 vol %) within 16–20 meters below seafloor (mbsf). The presence of Calyptogena clam shells, chimneys, shell breccias with high Mg calcite cement, and pyrite within this zone suggest seepage of methane and sulfide‐bearing fluid to the seafloor in the past. Highly depleted carbon isotopic values (δ13C ranges from −41 to −52‰ VPDB) from these carbonates indicate carbon derived via anaerobic oxidation of methane. Extrapolated mean calendar age (∼58.7 ka B.P.) of the clastic sediments at a depth of 16 mbsf is close to the upper limit of the U‐Th based depositional age (46.2 ± 3.7 and 53.0 ± 1.6 ka) of authigenic carbonates sampled from this level, thereby constraining the younger age limit of the carbonate deposition/methane expulsion events. The observed carbonate deposition might have resulted from the flow of methane‐enriched fluids through the fracture network formed because of shale diapirism.
In the present study, we have investigated the C–S–Fe systematics in a sediment core (MD161‐13) from the Krishna‐Godavari (K‐G) basin, Bay of Bengal. The core covers the late Holocene period with high overall sedimentation rate of ∼573 cm kyr−1. Pore fluid chemical analyses indicate that the depth of the present sulfate methane transition zone (SMTZ) is at ∼6 mbsf. The (ΔTA + ΔCa + ΔMg)/
ΔSO42− ratios suggest that both organoclastic degradation and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) drive sulfate reduction at the study site. The positive correlation between total organic carbon content (TOC) and chromium reducible sulfur (CRS) content indicates marked influence of organoclastic sulfate reduction on sulfidization. Coupled occurrence of 34S‐enriched iron sulfide (pyrite) with 12C‐enriched authigenic carbonate zones is the possible records of paleo‐sulfate methane transition zones where AOM‐driven‐focused sulfate reduction was likely fueled by sustained high methane flux from underlying gas‐rich zone. Aluminum normalized poorly reactive iron (FePR/Al) and La/Yb ratios suggest increasing contribution from Deccan basalts relative to that of Archean‐Proterozoic granitic complex in sediment flux of Krishna‐Godavari basin during the last 4 kyr.
A study was carried out to test the usefulness of surface geochemical methods as regional evaluation tools in petroliferous region of the Mehsana block, North Cambay Basin. A suite of 135 soil samples collected from the depth of 2.5 m, were analyzed for adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbons and carbon isotopes (@ 13 C methane and @ 13 C ethane ). The light gaseous hydrocarbon analysis show that the concentration ranges 402 ppb, 135 ppb, 70 ppb, 9 ppb and 18 ppb of C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , iC 4 and nC 4 , respectively. The value of carbon isotopic ranges of methane -29.5 to -43.0‰ (PDB) and ethane -19.1 to -20.9‰ (PDB). This data, when mapped, indicates patterns coinciding with major known oil and/or gas field of Sobhasan/Linch in this study area. The existence of un-altered petroliferous microseeps of catagenetic origin is observed in the study area. A regional study, such as the one described here, can provide important exploration facts concerning the regional hydrocarbon potential in a block. This method has been confirmed and can be applied successfully in frontier basins.
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