Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Francesco Turco, Yoann Ladroit, Sally J. Watson, Sarah Seabrook, Cliff S. Law, Gareth J. Crutchley, Joshu Mountjoy, Ingo A. Pecher, Jess I. T. Hillman, Susi Woelz, Andrew R. Gorman
Summary: This study investigates active gas seepage sites along the Hikurangi Margin off the North Island of New Zealand using seismic reflection, multibeam, and split-beam hydroacoustic data. The research reveals significant gas emissions in the region, which may impact seafloor biological communities and ocean biogeochemistry.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Paul A. Oluwunmi, Matthew T. Reagan, Ingo A. Pecher, Rosalind A. Archer, George J. Moridis, Ashley A. Rowden, David A. Bowden
Summary: Reservoir depressurization is currently the most effective method for extracting gas from natural gas hydrates. This paper models the potential effects of gas hydrate production on fluid flow at the seafloor, specifically for different overburden permeabilities. The models predict a significant influx of water from the ocean when a high-permeability gas hydrate reservoir is overlain by a silt-dominated overburden with moderate permeability, which could have profound implications for production efficiency and seafloor communities.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Myriam Kars, Annika Greve, Lilly Zerbst
Summary: Authigenic ferrimagnetic iron sulfides, particularly greigite, are commonly found in gas hydrate-bearing marine sediments of active accretionary prisms. This study at Site U1518 aims to document rock magnetic properties and magnetic mineral composition, revealing high remanent coercivity and single-domain greigite patterns in most samples. The widespread distribution of greigite at this site is associated with methane diffusion and methane hydrate, with enhanced microbial activity likely favoring the formation and preservation of greigite in certain intervals. The close linkage between greigite, methane hydrate, and microbial activity is highlighted at the Hikurangi Margin.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Karsten F. Kroeger, Gareth J. Crutchley, Jess It Hillman, Francesco Turco, Philip M. Barnes
Summary: Gas hydrates are found along convergent margins and their distribution is influenced by factors such as gas sources and permeable faults. 3D modeling shows that the gas is predominantly sourced from microbial generation and migrates through thrust faults and permeable strata to form gas hydrates. Over the past 2 million years, continuous gas migration due to ridge deformation has led to the enrichment of gas hydrates, a process that may be common in many convergent margins.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Stephanie Dupre, Jean-Paul Foucher, Catherine Pierre, Carole Decker, Graham Westbrook, Stephan Ker, Karine Olu, Jean-Pierre Donval, Jean-Luc Charlou, Marie-Madeleine Blanc-Valleron, Herve Nouze
Summary: Fluid seepage within the Nyegga pockmark field off mid-Norway was investigated through ROV dives at the CNE sites. The seafloor morphology corresponds to pockmarks and adjacent ridges, and chimneys underlie these structures. Present-day methane-rich fluid seepage is indicated by chemosynthetic fauna, microbial mats, and bottom-water methane anomalies. The presence of authigenic carbonates and the ages of methane venting periods provide insights into past seepage. The seafloor morphology, seepage patterns, and pore-water chemistry profiles show heterogeneity.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xianwei Guo, Kangji Shi, Dawei Guan, Xin Lv, Qingping Li, Hongsheng Dong, Jiafei Zhao, Lei Yang, Zheyuan Liu
Summary: Gas hydrates can occur on the seafloor, coexisting with bubbling gas in cold seeps. The study found that enhanced gas-water contact due to gas flow can lead to universal hydrate nucleation throughout sedimentary matrices. Higher gas flow rates and formation pressures can result in faster hydrate formation, emphasizing the importance of sufficient gas-water contact in the process.
Article
Zoology
Kaila A. M. Pearson, Greg W. Rouse
Summary: This study examined Phyllodocidae collected from hydrothermal vents and methane seeps in the Pacific Ocean and identified five species of the monophyletic Galapagomystides, including new species and a redescribed species.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Gareth J. Crutchley, Jess I. T. Hillman, Karsten F. Kroeger, Sally J. Watson, Francesco Turco, Joshu J. Mountjoy, Bryan Davy, Susi Woelz
Summary: Sub-seabed fluid flow, gas hydrate accumulation and seafloor methane seepage are closely connected processes that have significant impacts on marine biodiversity, ocean chemistry, and seafloor stability. The study explores the relationship between shallow structural deformation, focused gas migration, and hydrate accumulation using seismic data in the southern Hikurangi subduction wedge. The results reveal variations in the deformation of ridges and the orientation of gas flow structures, highlighting the importance of understanding shallow stress fields in controlling fluid flow patterns and methane seepage.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
G. J. Crutchley, J. J. Mountjoy, J. I. T. Hillman, F. Turco, S. Watson, P. B. Flemings, B. Davy, S. Woelz, A. R. Gorman, J. Bialas
Summary: Research has shown that gas migration through vertical conduits within the gas hydrate stability zone is a global phenomenon, impacting seafloor biodiversity and ocean biogeochemistry. Seismic imaging of the gas hydrate system beneath an anticlinal ridge at New Zealand's Hikurangi subduction margin revealed the accumulation of gas beneath the stability zone, leading to the formation of a vertical gas conduit to the seafloor. The presence of highly reflective zones at the bases of gas conduits suggests the importance of intervening sealing units in determining their formation.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michael T. Macnaughtan, Ingo A. Pecher, Lorna J. Strachan
Summary: This study examines the causes of widespread BSR gaps near the hinge area of synclines using seismic stratigraphic and structural interpretation. The researchers suggest a tectono-sedimentary model where sedimentation into accretionary wedge synclines leads to an upward migration of the gas hydrate stability, causing the dissociation of gas hydrates and resulting in BSR gaps.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Maheswar Ojha, Uma Shankar, Ranjana Ghosh
Summary: The Tuaheni Landslide Complex in New Zealand is a valuable location for studying deformation and seabed failure, as well as the presence of gas hydrates and fluid migration. Seismic attributes play a crucial role in identifying these geological features and bed boundaries. This study demonstrates the use of seismic attributes to illustrate fluid migration pathways, sediment slide, debris flow, and gas migration. The role of tectonic activity and gas hydrate dissociation in seafloor sliding and local tectonic activities is also evident.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Uma Shankar, Maheswar Ojha, Ranjana Ghosh
Summary: The Hikurangi margin in New Zealand is a unique location for studying slow slip creep-like deformation, seafloor failure, and the presence of gas hydrates. The International Ocean Discovery Program expedition discovered gas hydrates in the deformed sediments, providing evidence of possible fluid and gas migration pathways. The rock physics modeling and seismic profiles analysis indicated low gas hydrate concentrations in the region and highly deformed sediments due to fluid/gas migration pathways.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Anna P. M. Michel, Victoria L. Preston, Kristen E. Fauria, David P. Nicholson
Summary: The research demonstrates a combined technological approach to investigate methane transport at two shallow seep sites on the Cascadia Margin, showing that methane reaches the air-sea interface and is emitted into the atmosphere.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Youhai Zhu, Pingkang Wang, Shouji Pang, Shuai Zhang, Rui Xiao
Summary: China has been focusing on the research and development of natural gas hydrate resources, with multiple hydrate accumulations discovered in regions such as the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The estimated total reserve of natural gas hydrates in China is 131.1 trillion cubic meters. Since 2011, China has conducted five successful field tests of gas hydrates, with commercial production expected to begin in the 2030s.
Article
Ecology
Sabrina Beckmann, Ibrahim F. Farag, Rui Zhao, Glenn D. Christman, Nancy G. Prouty, Jennifer F. Biddle
Summary: Authigenic carbonates serve as a significant sink for methane and harbor a diverse microbiome, including dominant bacteria from Firmicutes, Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, as well as abundant archaeal clades like ANME-1, -2 and Candidatus Methanoperedens. Metagenomic analysis suggests that methane oxidizers linked to ANME-1 and -2 may conduct methane oxidation independently using oxidized sulfur and nitrogen compounds, while Gammaproteobacteria may participate in syntrophy with methane-oxidizing archaea by utilizing oxidized nitrogen compounds. This study highlights the potential for diverse electron acceptor utilization in anaerobic methane oxidation along the Atlantic and Pacific Margin within carbonate structures.
Review
Geology
Bramley J. Murton, Berit Lehrmann, Adeline M. Dutrieux, Sofia Martins, Alba Gil de la Iglesia, Iain J. Stobbs, Fernando J. A. S. Barriga, Joerg Bialas, Anke Dannowski, Mark E. Vardy, Laurence J. North, Isobel A. L. M. Yeo, Paul A. J. Lusty, Sven Petersen
ORE GEOLOGY REVIEWS
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florent Szitkar, Jerome Dyment, Sven Petersen, Joerg Bialas, Meike Klischies, Sebastian Graber, Dirk Klaeschen, Isobel Yeo, Bramley J. Murton
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Timothy A. Minshull, Hector Marin-Moreno, Peter Betlem, Joerg Bialas, Stefan Bunz, Ewa Burwicz, Alejandra L. Cameselle, Gunay Cifcig, Michela Giustiniani, Jess I. T. Hillman, Sebastian Holz, John R. Hopper, Gabriel Ion, Ricardo Leon, Vitor Magalhaes, Yizhaq Makovsky, Maria-Pilar Mata, Michael D. Max, Tove Nielsen, Seda Okay, Ilia Ostrovsky, Nick O'Neill, Luis M. Pinheiro, Andreia A. Plaza-Faverola, Daniel Rey, Srikumar Roy, Katrin Schwalenberg, Kim Senger, Sunil Vadakkepuliyambatta, Atanas Vasilev, Juan-Tomas Vazquez
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Timo Zander, Matthias Haeckel, Ingo Klaucke, Joerg Bialas, Dirk Klaeschen, Cord Papenberg, Thomas Pape, Christian Berndt, Gerhard Bohrmann
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Riedel, T. Freudenthal, M. Bergenthal, M. Haeckel, K. Wallmann, E. Spangenberg, J. Bialas, G. Bohrmann
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Riedel, S. Yelisetti, C. Papenberg, K. M. M. Rohr, M. M. Cote, G. D. Spence, R. D. Hyndman, T. James
Summary: The study supplemented earlier seismic refraction work on the offshore velocity structure off Haida Gwaii with data from ocean bottom seismometers. The research confirmed the presence of high-velocity material in the shallow terrace, possibly indicating fractured oceanic crustal material above where a subducted slab is thought to occur. Transpressive deformation of the Pacific plate may explain these observations.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Katrin Schwalenberg, Romina A. S. Gehrmann, Jorg Bialas, Dennis Rippe
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michael Riedel, Line Haehnel, Joerg Bialas, Anna Katharina Bachmann, Stefanie Gaide, Paul Wintersteller, Ingo Klaucke, Gerhard Bohrmann
Summary: Gas seepage along the Bulgarian and Romanian Black Sea margin is influenced by depositional, erosional, and tectonic factors. Depositional factors include sediment waves and mass-transport deposits, while erosional factors are seen in channels, canyons, and slope failures. Tectonic control on gas migration is evident in the eastern study region with widespread normal faulting.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sebastian Obando-Orrego, Eduardo Contreras-Reyes, Anne M. Trehu, Joerg Bialas
Summary: The study investigates the influence of thrust ridges on the transition between the accretionary prism and continental framework offshore central Chile. Results suggest the presence of low velocity, high porosity hydrate-bearing sedimentary rocks near thrust ridges, possibly correlating with fluid activity and tectonically induced fluid migration.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Michael Riedel, Tim Freudenthal, Jorg Bialas, Cord Papenberg, Matthias Haeckel, Markus Bergenthal, Thomas Pape, Gerhard Bohrmann
Summary: The study found that there is no significant gas hydrate saturation in the sediments of the Danube deep sea fan in the Black Sea, but there is free gas at the depth of the BSR. The current base of the gas hydrate stability zone is about 20 meters shallower than the BSR. Analysis of seismic data revealed the migration of free gas upwards forming new reflections, indicating that the gas hydrate system is still responding to climate changes.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Muhedeen A. Lawal, Ingo Pecher, Or. M. Bialik, Nicolas D. Waldmann, Joerg Bialas, Zvi Koren, Yizhaq Makovsky
Summary: Advanced seismic data and multi-attribute visualization techniques have improved the characterization of geological features, but the investigation of complex vertical linkages remains challenging. We developed the Multilevel Composition method, which combines attribute maps from different depth/time windows onto a single map to reveal multilevel linkages between features.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michael Riedel, Joerg Bialas, Heinrich Villinger, Thomas Pape, Matthias Haeckel, Gerhard Bohrmann
Summary: The study reveals uncertainties in the geothermal regime of the Danube deep-sea fan, which may be linked to fast sedimentation, slumping, variations in sediment properties, topographic effects, and climate-induced changes. These factors contribute to deviations in heat flow measurements and predictions of the base of the gas hydrate stability zone.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. Bialas, T. Bohlen, A. Dannowski, G. Eisenberg-Klein, L. Gassner, R. Gehrmann, K. Heeschen, S. Hoelz, M. Jegen, I Klaucke, M. Krieger, J. Mann, Ch Mueller, J. Pruessmann, J. Schicks, E. Schuenemann, K. Schwalenberg, M. Sommer, P. L. Smilde, E. Spangenberg, H. Trappe, T. Zander
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Anke Dannowski, Heidrun Kopp, Ingo Grevemeyer, Dietrich Lange, Martin Thorwart, Jorg Bialas, Martin Wollatz-Vogt