Natural hydrocarbon seepage on the continental slope to the east of Mississippi Canyon in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Talukder, Asrarur Rahman; Ross, Andrew; Crooke, Emma; Stalvies, Charlotte; Trefry, Christine; Qi, Xiubin; Fuentes, David; Armand, Stéphane; Revill, Andrew T.

doi:10.1002/ggge.20130

Cited by 16 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 58 publications

(122 reference statements)

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“…New understandings of the gas hydrate accumulation mechanism and the development of the seafloor ecosystem related to cold seeps in the SCS were gained, promoting subsequent cold seep investigation and gas hydrate drilling site optimization in the Qiongdongnan Basin [77]. In 2018, the QH-ROV-2018 voyage led by the GMGS carried out continuous observations in the Haima Cold Seep area and the northeastern deep-water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin in order to determine whether there are geomorphic phenomena related to submarine leakage 4 Geofluids and microbial communities related to active cold seeps in the selected survey sites (Figure 2(e)). These observations provided more direct information for the exploration, drilling, and sampling of gas hydrates in a later GMGS5 expedition [51,101].…”

Section: Submergence Observations and Sampling In Cold Seep Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cold seeps are seafloor manifestations of a gush or seepage of gas-bearing fluid migrating from beneath the seafloor into the seabed and finally into the water column. They are accompanied by a type of local abnormal sea water with various shapes, such as plumes, columns, and whips, which differ from the physical properties of the surrounding sea water [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. A series of geological, geophysical, geochemical, and biological processes occur within a cold seep and the surrounding seawater, which are known as a cold seep system or a submarine methane seep system [8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gas Hydrate Accumulation and Occurrence Associated with Cold Seep Systems in the Northern South China Sea: An Overview

Zhang

Liang

et al. 2021

Geofluids

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Studying deep-water cold seep systems is of great significance to gas hydrate exploration due to their close relationship. Various cold seep systems and related gas hydrate accumulations have been discovered in the northern South China Sea in the past three decades. Based on high-resolution seismic data, subbottom profiles, in situ submergence observations, deep drilling and coring, and hydrate gas geochemical analyses, the geological and geophysical characteristics of these cold seep systems and their associated gas hydrate accumulations in the Qiongdongnan Basin, the Shenhu area, the Dongsha area, and the Taixinan Basin have been investigated. Cold seep systems are present in diverse stages of evolution and exhibit various seabed microgeomorphic, geological, and geochemical features. Active cold seep systems with a large amount of gas leakage, gas plumes, and microbial communities and inactive cold seep systems with authigenic carbonate pavements are related to the variable intensity of the gas-bearing fluid, which is usually derived from the deep strata through mud diapirs, mud volcanoes, gas chimneys, and faults. Gas hydrates are usually precipitated in cold seep vents and deeper vertical fluid migration pathways, indicating that deep gas-bearing fluid activities control the formation and accumulation of gas hydrates. The hydrocarbons collected from cold seep systems and their associated gas hydrate reservoirs are generally mixtures of biogenic gas and thermogenic gas, the origin of which is generally consistent with that of deep conventional gas. We also discuss the paragenetic relationship between the gas-bearing fluid and the seafloor morphology of cold seeps and the deep-shallow coupling of gas hydrates, cold seeps, and deep petroleum reservoirs. It is reasonable to conclude that the deep petroleum systems and gas-bearing fluid activity jointly control the development of cold seep systems and the accumulation of gas hydrates in the northern South China Sea. Therefore, the favorable areas for conventional oil and gas enrichment are also prospective areas for exploring active cold seeps and gas hydrates.

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Section: Submergence Observations and Sampling In Cold Seep Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gas Hydrate Accumulation and Occurrence Associated with Cold Seep Systems in the Northern South China Sea: An Overview

Zhang

Liang

et al. 2021

Geofluids

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“…Accessing clean drinking water in these regions would require targeting non-contaminated sections of the aquifers in the area hence, the need to understand the spatial distribution of bitumen in the shallow subsurface. While environmental contamination resulting from bitumen seeps has been the subject of some recent studies (Hewitt et al, 2020;Rahman et al, 2013;Rooney et al, 2012;Timoney and Lee, 2009), none has focused on the geogenic contamination as observed in Southwestern Nigeria. Most of the studies on shallow subsurface occurrence of bitumen have focused on its exploration and production potentials for oil neglecting the current environmental impacts on communities where these seeps occur.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Imaging the distribution of bitumen contaminants in shallow coastal plain sands in Southwestern Nigeria using electrical resistivity

Jekayinfa

Oladunjoye

Doro

2022

Preprint

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Naturally occurring bitumen seeps within the shallow subsurface contaminates soil and groundwater in communities within the eastern segment of the Dahomey Basin in southwestern Nigeria. Managing these contaminations require an understanding of the distribution of the bitumen seeps to isolate contaminated regions to avoid farming activities or drilling shallow drinking water wells within them. Several studies have assessed the shallow occurrence of bitumen in the region, focusing on their economic potentials and ignoring current challenges with soil and groundwater contamination in these communities. This study focuses on using electrical resistivity techniques with limited soil cores to delineate the distribution of bitumen seeps within the shallow subsurface in Imakun-Omi community in southwestern Nigeria. We used both 1D and 2D numerical and field approaches in this study. 13 vertical electrical soundings using a Schlumberger electrode array were first acquired to obtain the bulk resistivities and layer thicknesses. The 1D resistivity alongside well lithologic data served as prior data for a forward modelling study to assess the capability of resolving the bitumen seeps within electrically resistive coastal sands. Results of the forward modelling studies guided the acquisition of five 2D electrical resistivity profiles used to image the distribution of bitumen seeps using a Wenner electrode array with a unit electrode spacing of 2 m. Results of this study show that bitumen seeps with resistivities greater than 3, 000 Ohm-m are distributed within the top 4 m in the area and extends down to 10 m in some locations. Our numerical studies show that despite difficulties in imaging bitumen seeps within sediments overlain by higher electrical resistivity layers, reliable results can be derived, thus proving the versatility of electrical resistivity in delineating areas contaminated by bitumen seeps within shallow coastal sands.

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“…Submarine hydrocarbon seeps are ubiquitous on the continental margins and are important to the global methane inventory (Brothers et al, 2013;Skarke et al, 2014;Talukder et al, 2013;von Deimling et al, 2010;Westbrook et al, 2009). Gas bubbles emitted at natural seeps are commonly observed in data from shipboard sonars, appearing as flares or columns of bubbles extending high into the water column, and raise the question of how natural gas bubbles persist over sometimes more than 1,000 m of vertical ascent (Brewer et al, 2002;McGinnis et al, 2006;Rehder et al, 2002;Römer et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of Gas Bubbles From a Submarine Hydrocarbon Seep Within the Hydrate Stability Zone

Wang

Jun

Socolofsky

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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We validate a new model for mass transfer and bubble transport for natural seeps on the continental margins using an integrated observation of a seep at 883 m in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. In the model, mass transfer is assumed to transition from clean to dirty bubble mass transfer rates following a characteristic hydrate formation time that depends on the initial bubble surface area and the hydrate subcooling. We show that buoyancy-induced upwelling is negligible for the bubble stream. We initialize the model using precise data observed at the seafloor and validate the model results to optical and acoustic measurements within the bubble stream. The model accurately predicts the acoustic attenuation of the bubble flare by lateral spreading and bubble shrinkage throughout the water column. The model shows that up to 99.4% by mass of the released gases from this seep dissolves into the ocean within the hydrate stability zone. Plain Language Summary Natural bubble seepage in the deep ocean is increasingly observed by shipboard surveys using sonars. These acoustic signals of these bubble flares are observed high into the ocean water column, raising the question of what the vertical distribution of natural seep gases, including methane, originating at natural seeps may be in the oceans. Present numerical models of natural seeps cannot consistently predict the observed rise heights of seep bubbles. Here, we validate a new model for natural seep bubbles to an integrated in situ and multibeam survey of a seep site in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Our model assumes that bubbles initially dissolve following convective mass transfer until a hydrate coating slows the mass transfer to rates consistent with solid particles. The characteristic transition time for hydrate formation depends on the initial bubble surface area and a characteristic hydrate formation rate. The model shows that the bulk of the released gases (up to 99.4% by mass) dissolves in the deep ocean, within the hydrate stability zone, and that the model may justifiably neglect other aspects of gas hydrates or buoyancy effects of the rising bubbles. This work is important to understand the role of natural seeps in the oceanic biogeochemical cycling.

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Natural hydrocarbon seepage on the continental slope to the east of Mississippi Canyon in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Cited by 16 publications

References 58 publications

Gas Hydrate Accumulation and Occurrence Associated with Cold Seep Systems in the Northern South China Sea: An Overview

Gas Hydrate Accumulation and Occurrence Associated with Cold Seep Systems in the Northern South China Sea: An Overview

Imaging the distribution of bitumen contaminants in shallow coastal plain sands in Southwestern Nigeria using electrical resistivity

Dynamics of Gas Bubbles From a Submarine Hydrocarbon Seep Within the Hydrate Stability Zone

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