Rifting under steam—How rift magmatism triggers methane venting from sedimentary basins

Berndt, Christian; Hensen, Christian; Mortera-Gutiérrez, C. A.; Sarkar, Sudipta; Geilert, Sonja; Schmidt, Mark; Liebetrau, Volker; Kipfer, Rolf; Scholz, Florian; Doll, Mechthild; Muff, Sina; Karstens, Jens; Planke, Sverre; Petersen, Sven; Böttner, Christoph; Chi, Wu‐Cheng; Moser, Manuel; Behrendt, Ruth; Fiskal, Annika; Lever, Mark A.; Su, Chih-Chiang; Deng, Longhui; Brennwald, Matthias S.; Lizarralde, D.

doi:10.1130/g38049.1

Cited by 68 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…This process is now broadly accepted as one of the main driving mechanisms for rapid climate change and mass extinction (e.g., Aarnes et al, 2010;Ganino & Arndt, 2009) such as the End-Permian (Siberian Traps, Heydari et al, 2008;Retallack & Jahren, 2008;Svensen et al, 2009), the End-Triassic (Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, e.g., Blackburn et al, 2013;Jones et al, 2016), the Toarcian (Karoo-Ferrar LIP, Svensen et al, 2007Svensen et al, , 2012Burgess et al, 2015), the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (Northeast Atlantic Igneous Province, e.g., Svensen et al, 2004), and the mid-Miocene climatic optimum associated with the Columbia River Basalt (McKay et al, 2014). These sill complexes have been extensively documented through seismic imaging (e.g., Berndt et al, 2016;Hansen et al, 2004;Planke & Symonds, 2000;Svensen et al, 2004;Thomson, 2005Thomson, , 2007; Thomson & Hutton, 2004). These sill complexes have been extensively documented through seismic imaging (e.g., Berndt et al, 2016;Hansen et al, 2004;Planke & Symonds, 2000;Svensen et al, 2004;Thomson, 2005Thomson, , 2007; Thomson & Hutton, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct Degassing Pulses During Magma Invasion in the Stratified Karoo Basin—New Insights From Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Modeling

Galerne

Hasenclever

2019

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Magma emplacement in organic‐rich sedimentary basins is a main driver of past environmental crises. Using a 2‐D numerical model, we investigate the process of thermal cracking in contact aureoles of cooling sills and subsequent transport and emission of thermogenic methane by hydrothermal fluids. Our model includes a Mohr‐Coulomb failure criterion to initiate hydrofracturing and a dynamic porosity/permeability. We investigate the Karoo Basin, taking into account host‐rock material properties from borehole data, realistic total organic carbon content, and different sill geometries. Consistent with geological observations, we find that thermal plumes quickly rise at the edges of saucer‐shaped sills, guided along vertically fractured high‐permeability pathways. Contrastingly, less focused and slower plumes rise from the edges and the central part of flat‐lying sills. Using a novel upscaling method based on sill‐to‐sediment ratio, we find that degassing of the Karoo Basin occurred in two distinct phases during magma invasion. Rapid degassing triggered by sills emplaced within the top 1.5 km emitted ~1.6·103 Gt of thermogenic methane, while thermal plumes originating from deeper sills, carrying a 13‐times‐greater mass of methane, may not reach the surface. We suggest that these large quantities of methane could be remobilized by the heat provided by neighboring sills. We conclude that the Karoo large igneous province may have emitted as much as ~22.3·103 Gt of thermogenic methane in the half million years of magmatic activity, with emissions up to 3 Gt/year. This quantity of methane and the emission rates can explain the negative δ13C excursion of the Toarcian environmental crisis.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct Degassing Pulses During Magma Invasion in the Stratified Karoo Basin—New Insights From Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Modeling

Galerne

Hasenclever

2019

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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“…The attribute map of the uppermost interpreted horizon, HV1, shows 19 dark, subcircular features (white circles; Figure 7a), i.e., structures associated with hydrothermal vent complexes that overlie the lateral termination of the underlying Tulipan sill (e.g., Planke et al, 2005;Berndt et al, 2016). These features correspond to the hydrothermal vent structures mapped by Kjoberg et al (2017).…”

Section: Spectral Decomposition Attribute Maps On Sedimentary Horizonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of overburden deformation associated with the emplacement of the Tulipan sill, mid-Norwegian margin

et al. 2017

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The emplacement of igneous intrusions into sedimentary basins mechanically deforms the host rocks and causes hydrocarbon maturation. Existing models of host-rock deformation are investigated using high-quality 3D seismic and industry well data in the western Møre Basin offshore mid-Norway. The models include synemplacement (e.g., elastic bending-related active uplift and volume reduction of metamorphic aureoles) and postemplacement (e.g., differential compaction) mechanisms. We use the seismic interpretations of five horizons in the Cretaceous-Paleogene sequence (Springar, Tang, and Tare Formations) to analyze the host rock deformation induced by the emplacement of the underlying saucer-shaped Tulipan sill. The results show that the sill, emplaced between 55.8 and 54.9 Ma, is responsible for the overlying dome structure observed in the seismic data. Isochron maps of the deformed sediments, as well as deformation of the younger postemplacement sediments, document a good match between the spatial distribution of the dome and the periphery of the sill. The thickness t of the Tulipan is less than 100 m, whereas the amplitude f of the overlying dome ranges between 30 and 70 m. Spectral decomposition maps highlight the distribution of fractures in the upper part of the dome. These fractures are observed in between hydrothermal vent complexes in the outer parts of the dome structure. The 3D seismic horizon interpretation and volume rendering visualization of the Tulipan sill reveal fingers and an overall saucer-shaped geometry. We conclude that a combination of different mechanisms of overburden deformation, including (1) elastic bending, (2) shear failure, and (3) differential compaction, is responsible for the synemplacement formation and the postemplacement modification of the observed dome structure in the Tulipan area.

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“…The climatic records during this period are well documented from several sections worldwide (Zachos et al, 2001;Zachos et al, 2008), and recent results show that the only drilled HTVC in the Vøring Basin (borehole 6607/12-1) formed during the PETM plateau, thereby demonstrating a relationship between the long duration of the PETM and the gas venting (Frieling et al, 2016). Similar kilometer-scale hydrothermal vent structures have been described elsewhere in seismic data (Hansen et al, 2005;Planke et al, 2005;Grove, 2013;Berndt et al, 2016) and in outcrops (Svensen et al, 2006) in several basins. These vent structures all share structural similarities, including complete brecciation, fluidization, and inward-dipping reflections.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 49%

“…In addition, the venting process has been related to greenhouse gas expulsion to the atmosphere, thereby providing a link to the transient climatic shift during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) Berndt et al, 2016). The climatic records during this period are well documented from several sections worldwide (Zachos et al, 2001;Zachos et al, 2008), and recent results show that the only drilled HTVC in the Vøring Basin (borehole 6607/12-1) formed during the PETM plateau, thereby demonstrating a relationship between the long duration of the PETM and the gas venting (Frieling et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3D structure and formation of hydrothermal vent complexes at the Paleocene-Eocene transition, the Møre Basin, mid-Norwegian margin

et al. 2017

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The mid-Norwegian margin is regarded as an example of a volcanic-rifted margin formed prior to and during the Paleogene breakup of the northeast Atlantic. The area is characterized by the presence of voluminous basaltic complexes such as extrusive lava and lava delta sequences, intrusive sills and dikes, and hydrothermal vent complexes. We have developed a detailed 3D seismic analysis of fluid-and gas-induced hydrothermal vent complexes in a 310 km 2 area in the Møre Basin, offshore Norway. We find that formation of hydrothermal vent complexes is accommodated by deformation of the host rock when sills are emplaced. Fluids are generated by metamorphic reactions and pore-fluid expansion around sills and are focused around sill tips due to buoyancy. Hydrothermal vent complexes are associated with doming of the overlying strata, leading to the formation of draping mounds above the vent contemporary surface. The morphological characteristics of the upper part and the underlying feeder structure (conduit zone) are imaged and studied in 3D seismic data. Well data indicate that the complexes formed during the early Eocene, linking their formation to the time of the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum at c. 56 Ma. The well data further suggest that the hydrothermal vent complexes were active for a considerable time period, corresponding to a c. 100 m thick transition zone unit with primary Apectodinium augustum and redeposited very mature Cretaceous and Jurassic palynomorphs. The newly derived understanding of age, structure, and formation of hydrothermal vent complexes in the Møre Basin contributes to the general understanding of the igneous plumbing system in volcanic basins and their implications for the paleoclimate and petroleum systems.

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Rifting under steam—How rift magmatism triggers methane venting from sedimentary basins

Cited by 68 publications

References 32 publications

Distinct Degassing Pulses During Magma Invasion in the Stratified Karoo Basin—New Insights From Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Modeling

Distinct Degassing Pulses During Magma Invasion in the Stratified Karoo Basin—New Insights From Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Modeling

Mechanisms of overburden deformation associated with the emplacement of the Tulipan sill, mid-Norwegian margin

3D structure and formation of hydrothermal vent complexes at the Paleocene-Eocene transition, the Møre Basin, mid-Norwegian margin

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