Tectono-sedimentary controls on the likelihood of gas hydrate occurrence near Taiwan

McDonnell, S.L; Max, M. D.; Cherkis, Norman Z.; Czarnecki, M.

doi:10.1016/s0264-8172(00)00023-4

Cited by 92 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Further investigation by Liu et al (1999) and Schnürle et al (1999) revealed that clear and bright BSRs are widely observed in the area offshore of SW Taiwan where gas hydrates may have economic value due to their dense distribution and proximity to the island of Taiwan. Chow et al (2000) presented BSR characteristics near mud diapirs, while McDonnell et al (2000) suggested that gas hydrate is probably extensively developed in the region offshore of SW Taiwan because of the suitable tectono-sedimentary environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and Characters of Gas Hydrate Offshore of Southwestern Taiwan

Liu¹,

Schnürle²,

Wang³

et al. 2006

Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci.

149

108

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ABSTRACT1 Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 2 Central Geologic Survey, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 3 Exploration Department, Chinese Petroleum Company, Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC * Corresponding author address: Prof. Char-Shine Liu, Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; E-mail: csliu@ntu.edu.tw Bottom simulating reflector (BSR) is a key indicator for the presence of gas hydrate beneath the sea floor. Widely distributed BSRs have been observed in the area offshore of southwestern Taiwan where the active accretionary complex meets with the passive China continental margin. In order to better understand the distribution and characters of the gas hydrate in the region, closely spaced (1.86-km line spacing) multichannel seismic reflection surveys have been conducted in recent years under the support of the Central Geological Survey, ROC. Over 10000 km of multichannel seismic reflection profiles have been collected that cover an area of about 10000 km 2 offshore of southwestern Taiwan. BSRs can be identified along 50% of the seismic profiles that we collected. A newly compiled BSR distribution map suggests that gas hydrates are distributed both in the passive margin of the China continental slope as well as in the submarine Taiwan accretionary wedge, from water depths of 500 to over 3000 m. Gas hydrates are most concentrated underneath anticlinal ridges in the accretionary wedge, and underneath the slope ridges of the passive continental margin that were formed due to sedimentary processes. Active fluid activities are evident from various features observed on seismic reflection and chirp sonar profiles, such as mud volcanoes, gas plumes and gas charged shallow sedimentary layers. Fluid migration model has been established from a set of pseudo 3D seismic reflection data. The predicted locations of high fluid Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci., Vol. 17, No. 4, December 2006 616 flux correlate well with those interpreted from geochemical analyses that show very high methane concentrations and very shallow sulfate-methane interfaces (SMI). This demonstrates the importance of structural control over gas hydrate emplacement. From the observed gas hydrate distribution and characters, the area offshore of southwestern Taiwan provides an ideal place to study and compare the formation and migration of gas hydrates under different tectonic settings.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and Characters of Gas Hydrate Offshore of Southwestern Taiwan

Liu¹,

Schnürle²,

Wang³

et al. 2006

Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci.

149

108

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The eastern margin is an active collisional margin, composed of active margin sediment in a forearc trench on the depressed eastern margin of the SCS plate and in imbricated sediments of the Heng-Ch'un Ridge. The middle region is composed of passive margin sediment that has been encroached upon by the active margin, with a resulting thick sediment build-up (>8 km) [9]. The tectonic framework of southern Taiwan is predominantly controlled by the collision of an accretionary wedge on the ocean-side of the volcano arc.…”

Section: Geological Setting Of the Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The tectonic framework of southern Taiwan is predominantly controlled by the collision of an accretionary wedge on the ocean-side of the volcano arc. The thick sedimentation of the fore-arc trench located in the west of the thrust deformation zone [9] was caused by sedimentation and subduction of the ocean crust. The sediments of the accretionary wedge exhibit secondary deformation.…”

Section: Geological Setting Of the Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies showed that there are three potential regions for gas hydrate reserves southwest of Taiwan, all possessing similar structure and stratum. Gas hydrate formation is most favorable in water depths of 1-3.5 km within these three prospective areas [9]. Sampling evidence for gas hydrate deposits have now been found in the SCS, with several prospects having been initiated [7,[11][12][13].…”

Section: Geological Setting Of the Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nano-sized graphitic carbon in authigenic tube pyrites from offshore southwest Taiwan, South China Sea, and its implication for tracing gas hydrate

Zhang

Sun

et al. 2011

Chin. Sci. Bull.

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Gas hydrates are a significant energy resource and are usually detected by bottom simulating reflection and submarine geochemical anomalies. Authigenic minerals are related to gas hydrates, with carbonates, sulfates and sulfides being important tracing minerals. Authigenic tubular pyrites were collected from offshore southwest Taiwan in the South China Sea, and were investigated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Authigenic tubular pyrite was composed of framboidal pyrite, within which nanosized graphitic carbon of low crystallinity was discovered. The graphitic carbon coexisted with pyrite and had a texture similar to carbon nanotubes and nanocones, indicating that they likely precipitated from carbon supersaturated C-H-O fluid. Pyrite may act as a catalyst for the conversion of CH 4 to C. The discovery of nanosized graphitic carbon in pyrite indicated it was deposited in sediments that were supersaturated with methane fluid. Thus, nanosized graphitic carbon may be another tracing species for submarine gas hydrates. The discovery of nanosized graphitic carbon deposited in a low temperature environment will enlighten our understanding of the laboratory synthesis and industrial production of graphitic carbon.nano-sized graphitic carbon, authigenic tube pyrite, gas hydrate, South China Sea Citation:Zhang M, Sun X M, Xu L, et al. Nano-sized graphitic carbon in authigenic tube pyrites from offshore southwest Taiwan, South China Sea, and its implication for tracing gas hydrate. Chinese Sci Bull, 2011Bull, , 56: 2037Bull, −2043Bull, , doi: 10.1007 Gas hydrates are an ice-like crystalline material consisting predominantly of methane and water molecules, and are formed under high pressure and low temperature on continental slopes/rises [1]. As a newly discovered clean energy source during the last two decades, gas hydrates are gaining worldwide attention on account of their importance in energy exploration, and through increasing awareness of seafloor structure geo-hazards (stability) and global climate change. Gas hydrates predominantly occur at depths of 300-3000 m around the edges of continents and in marginal marine basins. Most information on the distribution, concentration, composition and origin of gas hydrates in deep marine sediments comes from geophysical evidence such as bottom simulating reflection and strong seafloor acoustic reflectivity. These techniques are commonly used to infer the distribution of gas hydrates on continental margins, in addition to gas hydrate samples collected during the deep sea drilling project and ocean drilling program. Pyrite is a common authigenic mineral within the marine sediments of the continental margin. It is the product of

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“…Therefore, exposed massive hydrate can be observed on the seafloor. BSRs and blanking zones indicating the existence of gas hydrate in the South China Sea (SCS) have been reported by some researchers [6][7][8]. McDonell et al [7] demonstrated that the Pratas Islands are the most promising area in the northern SCS for the occurrence of gas hydrates, from the tectonic and sedimentary perspectives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Long Gravity-Piston Corer Developed for Seafloor Gas Hydrate Coring Utilizing an In Situ Pressure-Retained Method

et al. 2013

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Abstract:A corer, which can obtain long in situ pressure-retained sediments of up to 30 m core containing gas hydrates, has been applied in the South China Sea (SCS) dozens of times. The corer presented in this paper is a convenient, efficient and economical long in situ pressure-retained coring and research tool for submarine sediments, that can applied to completely cope with all sediments close to the seafloor ranging from shallow waters to the deep sea depths of 6000 m. This article mainly presents the overall structure, working principles, key pressure-retained components, coring mechanism, sea trials and outlook of the corer. The analyses found that the coring ability was affected by formation characteristics, the outer diameter of the core barrels and inner diameter of the core liners, the shapes of the cutter and the dead weight of the corer. This study can provide the practical basis for the structural optimization of this type of corer and designs for corers with greater penetrability. Sea trials showed that the developed corer presented in this paper can support the in situ pressure of the seafloor sediment core, which is an improvement over the conventional piston corer.

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Tectono-sedimentary controls on the likelihood of gas hydrate occurrence near Taiwan

Cited by 92 publications

References 12 publications

Distribution and Characters of Gas Hydrate Offshore of Southwestern Taiwan

Distribution and Characters of Gas Hydrate Offshore of Southwestern Taiwan

Nano-sized graphitic carbon in authigenic tube pyrites from offshore southwest Taiwan, South China Sea, and its implication for tracing gas hydrate

A Long Gravity-Piston Corer Developed for Seafloor Gas Hydrate Coring Utilizing an In Situ Pressure-Retained Method

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