Gas migration pathways and slope failures in the Danube Fan, Black Sea

Type Article
Date 2018-04
Language English
Author(s) Hillman Jess I. T.1, 5, Klaucke Ingo1, Bialas Joerg1, Feldman Howard2, Drexler Tina2, Awwiller David2, Atgin Orhan3, Cifci Gunay3, Badhani ShrayORCID4
Affiliation(s) 1 : GEOMAR Helmholtz Ctr Ocean Res, Wischhofstr 1-3, D-24148 Kiel, Germany.
2 : ExxonMobil Upstream Res, 22777 Springwoods Village Pkwy, Spring, TX 77389 USA.
3 : Dokuz Eylul Univ, Inst Marine Sci & Technol, Haydar Aliyev Blvd 100, TR-35340 Izmir, Turkey.
4 : Ctr Bretagne ZI Pointe Diable, Lab Aleas Geol & Dynam Sedimentaire, CS 10070, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
5 : GNS Sci, 1 Fairway Dr, Avalon 5010, New Zealand.
Source Marine And Petroleum Geology (0264-8172) (Elsevier Sci Ltd), 2018-04 , Vol. 92 , P. 1069-1084
DOI 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.03.025
WOS© Times Cited 23
Keyword(s) Gas migration, Chimneys, Gas hydrate, Danube Fan, Slope failure, Black Sea
Abstract

A large geophysical dataset, including bathymetry, and 2D and 3D P-cable seismic data, revealed evidence of numerous gas flares near the S2 Canyon in the Danube Fan, northwestern Black Sea. This dataset allows us to investigate potential relationships between gas migration pathways, gas vents observed at the seafloor and submarine slope failures. Vertical gas migration structures as revealed in the seismics appear to be concentrated near submarine slope failure structures. Where these seismically defined features extend upwards to the seafloor, they correlate with the location of gas flares. However, not all these structures reach the seafloor, in some cases because they are capped by overlying sediments. A strong correlation is inferred between gas migration pathways, heterogeneous mass transport deposits and contacts between adjacent units of contrasting lithology. Although missing age constrains prevent a final judgement, we discuss the potential relationship between submarine slope failures and gas migration in order to determine if gas migration is a precursor to failure, or if the presence of slope failures and associated mass transport deposits facilitates the migration of gas. Our observations indicate that lithological heterogeneity, mass transport deposits and minor sediment deformation control gas migration pathways and the formation of gas chimney-like features. Gas migration is focused and gradual, resulting in gas flares where the chimney-like features extend to the seafloor, with no evidence of erosive features such as pockmarks.

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