Evolution of a hydrocarbon migration pathway along basin-bounding faults: Evidence from fault cement

Boles, James R.; Eichhubl, Peter; Garven, Grant; Chen, Jim

doi:10.1306/02090403040

Cited by 138 publications

(109 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…As stated previously, methane gas emission is closely associated with petroleum seepage in SBC (8,9). In turn, variability of active hydrocarbon fluid flow has been inferred previously from fault calcites in the Santa Barbara region over the past 500 ka (10). These observations are consistent with our interpretations of variability in hydrocarbon seepage in this region.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In addition, ␦ 13 C values and radiocarbon dating of foraminifera from a pockmark near modern seeps in SBC suggest gas emissions during the last 25,000 years (25 ky) (12). U-Th dating and ␦ 13 C composition of fault vein calcites indicate intermittent hydrocarbon seepage in this area for the past Ϸ500 ky (10). Sediments from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1016, offshore Point Conception (northwest of SBC), record changing concentrations of petroleum compounds over the past 150 ky (13).…”

mentioning

confidence: 91%

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Climatically driven emissions of hydrocarbons from marine sediments during deglaciation

Hill

Kennett²,

Valentine³

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Marine hydrocarbon seepage emits oil and gas, including methane (Ϸ30 Tg of CH4 per year), to the ocean and atmosphere. Sediments from the California margin contain preserved tar, primarily formed through hydrocarbon weathering at the sea surface. We present a record of variation in the abundance of tar in sediments for the past 32,000 years, providing evidence for increases in hydrocarbon emissions before and during Termination IA [16,000 years ago (16 ka) to 14 ka] and again over Termination IB (11-10 ka). Our study provides direct evidence for increased hydrocarbon seepage associated with deglacial warming through tar abundance in marine sediments, independent of previous geochemical proxies. Climate-sensitive gas hydrates may modulate thermogenic hydrocarbon seepage during deglaciation.methane ͉ paleoclimate ͉ Quaternary climate ͉ hydrate ͉ tar

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

mentioning

confidence: 91%

Climatically driven emissions of hydrocarbons from marine sediments during deglaciation

Hill

Kennett²,

Valentine³

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…However, the clumped isotope temperatures extend to relatively cold values, as low as~30°C, similar to those inferred by Scholle et al (1992) based on additional evidence from vitrinite reflectance (from Crysdale, 1987) and isotopic data. Given average geothermal gradients (~25°C/km) and a surface temperature of~20°C, this would suggest either 1) spar generation at depths ranging from~600m to 2 km or 2) rapid migration of spar-yielding fluids from these depths (similar to fault zone spars of Boles et al, 2004). These temperatures overlap in places but broadly disagree with the purported burial progression of the Capitan shown in Fig.…”

Section: Spar Formation Temperaturesmentioning

confidence: 87%

Extensive, uplift-related and non-fault-controlled spar precipitation in the Permian Capitan Formation

Loyd

Dickson

Scholle

et al. 2013

Sedimentary Geology

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a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oWith time, unlithified grains in sediments become cemented and eventually lithified to form sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks of all ages, lithologies and depositional settings exhibit cements. The timing of cementation within a given sedimentary unit, however, is generally poorly constrained. The formation conditions of the youngest of cement generations are particularly difficult to characterize. Typically, traditional carbonate carbon (δ 13 C carb ) and oxygen (δ 18 O carb ) isotope analyses are used to characterize precipitation timing and environment. However, ambiguities associated with the interpretation of δ 18 O carb data lead to conflicting hypotheses. The Permian Capitan Formation is one of the most widely studied carbonate sequences and contains extensive calcite cements that have been interpreted to form across a range of diagenetic environments through δ 18 O carb analyses. Here, we present new and previously reported clumped isotope data from calcite spars of Capitan fore-reef slope and equivalent shelf facies (Tansill Formation) in order to constrain mineralization temperatures, provide previously unattainable information concerning precipitation environment, and explore the spatial extent of precipitation events. Spar precipitation temperatures range from~30 to 75°C and show positive correlation with reconstructed pore water δ 18 O values, indicating rock-buffered behavior. Evaluation of the data using a simple water-rock model indicates that the fluid(s) involved in diagenesis must have had a significant meteoric component, exhibiting fluid δ 18 O values approaching −12‰ (VSMOW). These new data along with previously reported outcrop and core relationships indicate that spar precipitation occurred well after deposition of the Capitan Formation and likely during Tertiary uplift when fluids with such light isotopic signatures would have infiltrated the basin, and not during burial as generally assumed. The meteoric fluids responsible for spar precipitation may have been delivered locally through fracture networks, but also penetrated less fractured facies and produced extensive spar cements.

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“…1) is among the largest and beststudied areas of active marine seepage in the world. These perennial and continuous oil and gas seeps have been active on the northern edge of the Santa Barbara Channel for at least 500,000 years (Boles et al 2004). Surveys with sonar ) and direct gas capture (Washburn et al 2005) suggest that ∼1.0-1.5×10 5 m 3 day −1 gas escapes from ∼3 km 2 of seafloor to the atmosphere, with a roughly equal amount dissolving into the coastal ocean (Clark et al 2000).…”

Section: The Coal Oil Point Seep Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geologic control of natural marine hydrocarbon seep emissions, Coal Oil Point seep field, California

et al. 2010

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Evolution of a hydrocarbon migration pathway along basin-bounding faults: Evidence from fault cement

Cited by 138 publications

References 54 publications

Climatically driven emissions of hydrocarbons from marine sediments during deglaciation

Climatically driven emissions of hydrocarbons from marine sediments during deglaciation

Extensive, uplift-related and non-fault-controlled spar precipitation in the Permian Capitan Formation

Geologic control of natural marine hydrocarbon seep emissions, Coal Oil Point seep field, California

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