Gas Flow by Invasion Percolation Through the Hydrate Stability Zone

Meyer, D.; Flemings, Peter B.; You, Kehua; DiCarlo, David A.

doi:10.1029/2019gl084380

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The coexistence of free gas and GHs in the GHSZ has been reported in several steady‐state GH systems around the world (Crutchley et al, 2015; Gorman et al, 2002; Gullapalli et al, 2019; Haacke et al, 2009; Netzeband et al, 2005; Riedel et al, 2006; Sultan et al, 2011, 2014; Tréhu et al, 2004; Vanneste et al, 2001). Two groups of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the coexistence of GHs and free gas within the GHSZ: free gas transport (Meyer et al, 2020; Riedel et al, 2006; Sultan et al, 2014) or hydrate formation limitation (Haeckel et al, 2004; J. Liu et al, 2019; X. Liu & Flemings, 2007; You & Flemings, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Irregular BSR: Evidence of an Ongoing Reequilibrium of a Gas Hydrate System

Colin

Ker

Riboulot

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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Gas hydrate (GH) systems constitute methane sinks sensitive to environmental changes such as pressure, temperature, and salinity. It remains a matter of debate as to whether the large GH system of the Black Sea has reached a steady state since the last glacial maximum (LGM). We report on an irregular free gas distribution in specific sediment layers marking an irregular bottom-simulating reflector (BSR). This anomalous free gas distribution revealed by very high resolution seismic images, acquired by a deep-towed multichannel seismic system, might be evidence of an ongoing migration of the base of the GH stability zone (GHSZ). We show that the reequilibrium is not occurring homogeneously as overpressure from hydrate dissociation slows their decomposition in specific sedimentary layers. The Black Sea example highlights that dissociation and the associated methane release in the water column or even in the atmosphere could be largely delayed by overpressure accumulation. Plain Language Summary Methane hydrate is an ice-like compound composed of a cage of water molecules enclosing a methane molecule. Hydrates can form where water and methane are present under high pressure and low temperatures, for example, in deep-sea sediments. As a result of climate change (e.g., seawater temperature increase), hydrates can melt and release free gas and water. Yet we observe that hydrates are present where they should have melted according to modeling. We explain this irregular melting by differing properties of the host sediments and different quantities of hydrate in the sediments. Methane in the Earth's atmosphere is a strong greenhouse gas. The release of methane from hydrate melting has been proposed as a runaway process where the methane released increases global warming, which further increases hydrate melting and methane release, repeating the cycle. Our results show that the destabilization of a hydrate system is actually a slow process, spanning several millennia. As such, a catastrophic destabilization of a gas hydrate system is unlikely.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1029/2020GL089906 et al, 2001. Two groups of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the coexistence of GHs and free gas within the GHSZ: free gas transport (Meyer et al, 2020;Riedel et al, 2006;Sultan et al, 2014) or hydrate formation limitation (Haeckel et al, 2004;J. Liu et al, 2019;X.…”

Section: In a Steady-state Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Irregular BSR: Evidence of an Ongoing Reequilibrium of a Gas Hydrate System

Colin

Ker

Riboulot

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…Other mechanisms to explain the methane migration through GHSZ are short-range methane diffusion, focused fluid flow (methane in dissolved phase) and advection of free methane gas (Meyer et al, 2018(Meyer et al, , 2020You and Flemings, 2018;You et al, 2019). The short-range methane diffusion (Malinverno and Goldberg, 2015) can explain the migration locally, but it fails to explain the methane migration throughout the GHSZ.…”

Section: Mechanism Of Methane Migration Through the Ghszmentioning

confidence: 99%

Widespread occurrence of methane seeps in deep-water regions of Krishna-Godavari basin, Bay of Bengal

Dewangan

Sriram

Kumar

et al. 2021

Marine and Petroleum Geology

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“…Recently published models for the migration of methane gas across the hydrate stability zone have introduced the concept of crustal fingering (Fu et al, 2020;Meyer et al, 2020), which has several points ROCHA ET AL.…”

Section: 1029/2021gc009724mentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation and Structures of Horizontal Submarine Fluid Conduit and Venting Systems Associated With Marine Seeps

Rocha

Gutiérrez-Ariza

Pimentel

et al. 2021

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Methane-rich water moves through conduits beneath the seafloor whose surfaces are formed through precipitation reactions. To understand how such submarine fluid conduit and venting systems form and grow, we develop a detailed mathematical model for this reaction-advection system and we quantify the evolution of an ensemble of similar filaments. We show that this growth can be described by a superposition of advection and dispersion. We analyze analog laboratory experiments of chemical-garden type to study the growth of a single filament undergoing a precipitation reaction with the surrounding environment. We apply these findings to geological fluid conduit and venting systems, showing that their irregular trajectories can lead to very effective spreading within the surrounding seabed, thus enhancing contact and exchanges of chemicals between the conduit and external fluids. We discuss how this methane venting leads to the formation of marine authigenic carbonate rocks, and for confirmation, we analyze two field samples from the Gulf of Cadiz for composition and mineralogy of the precipitates. We note the implications of this work for hydrate melting and methane escape from the seabed.

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Gas Flow by Invasion Percolation Through the Hydrate Stability Zone

Cited by 10 publications

References 31 publications

Irregular BSR: Evidence of an Ongoing Reequilibrium of a Gas Hydrate System

Irregular BSR: Evidence of an Ongoing Reequilibrium of a Gas Hydrate System

Widespread occurrence of methane seeps in deep-water regions of Krishna-Godavari basin, Bay of Bengal

Formation and Structures of Horizontal Submarine Fluid Conduit and Venting Systems Associated With Marine Seeps

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