Geological features, controlling factors and potential prospects of the gas hydrate occurrence in the east part of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

Zhang, Guangxue; Liang, Jin; Lu, Jing; Yang, Shengxiong; Zhang, Ming; Holland, Melanie; Schultheiss, Peter; Su, Xinming; Sha, Zhongli; Xu, Hui; Gong, Yiming; Fu, Shaoying; Wang, Lifeng; Kuang, Zenggui

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2015.05.021

Cited by 178 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Sedimentary strata were cored during the second Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey gas hydrate expedition (GMGS2) in 2013 ( Figure 1; Zhang et al, 2015). Five cores were obtained from site GMGS2-08 (water depth:~800 m), referred to as core B (0-6 meters below the seafloor; mbsf), core C (0-22 mbsf), core G (20-28 mbsf), core E (58-70 mbsf), and core F (58-94 mbsf; Figure 2; Chen et al, 2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carbonate nodules and bivalve shells were abundant in cores B, C, E, and F. Two continuous seep carbonate layers were identified in core F at 58.95-59.46 mbsf (08F-1M) and 61.52-62.55 mbsf (08F-2M). Detailed information on the GMGS2 cruise and sampling can be found elsewhere (Chen et al, 2016;Zhang et al, 2015). Samples were washed with deionized water and air dried prior to onshore investigation.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Samples were washed with deionized water and air dried prior to onshore investigation. Detailed information on the GMGS2 cruise and sampling can be found elsewhere (Chen et al, 2016;Zhang et al, 2015).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gas Hydrate Dissociation During Sea‐Level Highstand Inferred From U/Th Dating of Seep Carbonate From the South China Sea

Fang

Wang

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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Gas hydrates represent a huge reservoir of methane in marine sediments, prone to dissociation in response to environmental changes. There is consensus that past events of gas hydrate dissociation in the marine environment mainly occurred during periods of low sea level. Here, we report geochemical data for 2-m-thick layers of seep carbonate collected from a hydrate-bearing drill core from~800-m water depth in the northern South China Sea. The aragonite-rich carbonates reveal positive δ 18 O values, confirming a genetic link with gas hydrate dissociation. Uranium-thorium dating of seep carbonates indicates that gas hydrates at the study site dissociated between 133,300 and 112,700 years BP, hence coinciding with the Last Interglacial (MIS 5e) sea-level highstand. We put forward the concept that a climate-driven increase in temperature was responsible for a period of pronounced gas hydrate dissociation.Plain Language Summary The gas hydrate reservoir is a dynamically changing system extremely susceptible to variations of seafloor temperature and pressure. Therefore, gas hydrate dissociation and subsequent methane seepage frequently occur during times of global climate change, especially during sea-level lowstands with reduced seabed pressure. However, this conclusion was mainly based on dating of seep carbonates sampled from the seabed. As a consequence, one cannot exclude that previous results have been compromised by a sampling bias since seafloor samples are easier to collect. Authigenic seep carbonates from drill cores represent a continuous record of gas hydrate dynamics. Our uranium-thorium dating of seep carbonate from drill cores provides a unique example of the effects of temperature and pressure on the stability of the hydrate system in the Dongsha area, northern South China Sea (SCS), during the last interglacial stage (MIS 5e, about 130,000 years BP). Representing the most similar and most contemporary analog to the current interglacial, the study of a methane release event in the SCS during MIS 5e will shed light on the expected trend of methane release events in the future, while providing insight into the response of low-latitude oceans to climate change.Supporting Information:• Data Set S1

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gas Hydrate Dissociation During Sea‐Level Highstand Inferred From U/Th Dating of Seep Carbonate From the South China Sea

Fang

Wang

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…Furthermore, Li et al (2013) presented seismic evidence for the existences of hydrate and free gas beneath JMS and demonstrated that the seafloor seepages in this region are a result of upward migrating free gas from dissolved hydrate and/or deep-seated gas source through mud diapirs and fault systems. Gas hydrate samples were recovered in the Dongsha region in a recent expedition (GMGS-2 expedition) conducted by Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS) in the JuneeSeptember 2013 (Zhang et al, 2014a(Zhang et al, , 2014bSha et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2015). Totally 13 exploration sites were drilled at water depths of 664e1420 m. Gas hydrate samples were obtained at 5 sites and well log data at 8 sites inferred the existence of gas hydrate (Zhang et al, 2014a;Sha et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

BSRs, estimated heat flow, hydrate-related gas volume and their implications for methane seepage and gas hydrate in the Dongsha region, northern South China Sea

Liu

Zhang

et al. 2015

Marine and Petroleum Geology

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“…distribution and petrogenesis of the Cenozoic igneous rocks in the SCS and its adjacent area are still controversial , which hinders our understanding of the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the SCS (Zhou and Mukasa, 1999;Mamoru et al, 1999;Johnston and Acton, 2003;Li et al, 2003;Allain et al, 2008;Fyhn et al, 2009;G.X. Zhang et al, 2015a).…”

Section: Features Of Cenozoic Igneous Rocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and spatial distribution of Cenozoic igneous rocks in the South China Sea and its adjacent regions: implications for tectono‐magmatic evolution

Hui

et al. 2016

Geological Journal

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The ocean–continent transition/conjunction zone is a mysterious and significant region in global tectonics and geodynamic evolution. The South China Sea (SCS) is one of the largest marginal basins in the Western Pacific with significant Cenozoic magmatic activities. The relationship between the tectono‐magmatic evolution and the tectonic setting of these Cenozoic igneous rocks is still controversial. In this study, the interpretation of gravity data, magnetic observation and seismic profiles is combined to identify the Cenozoic igneous rocks in the SCS and adjacent regions, and more than 70 magmatic activities have been discerned. We also show how the tectonic movements control the lithology and distribution of these magmatic activities. These Cenozoic magmatic rocks are related to the pre‐spreading, syn‐spreading and post‐spreading of the SCS. We suggest a geodynamic evolution of the SCS according to the temporal and spatial distribution of the igneous rocks. (1) An early period of bimodal volcanism (>32 Ma ago) mainly happened in the Paleogene basins at the northern margin of the SCS. This earlier volcanism happened under a trans‐extensional regime, which resulted from the collision between the Indian and the Eurasian plates since the early Cenozoic. The magmatic rocks may be related to the NNE‐trending right‐stepping dextral strike‐slip faults and the syn‐kinematic pull‐apart basins. These igneous rocks are mostly NNE trending. It is consistent with the Cenozoic dextral trans‐extensional tectonic setting in the East Asian Continental Margin. (2) Syn‐spreading igneous rocks first formed in the Northwest Sub‐basin of the SCS, and then later in the Central and Southwest sub‐basins. The mechanism of the magmatic emplacement results from the NNE‐trending right‐stepping dextral strike‐slip pull‐apart tectonic activity. (3) The spatial alignment of the Quaternary post‐spreading basalts is nearly E–W‐trending, and the different magmatic zones are segmented by NNE‐trending strike‐slip faulting. These volcanics are under an extrusion regime, which resulted from the arc–continent collision between the Luzon–Taiwan Arc and the Eurasian Plate due to the continuously WNW‐directed indentation of the Philippine Sea Plate during the period 9–6 Ma ago. In addition, the nascent NNE trending and dextral Changle–Nanao Fault may have played a significant role in the southward extrusion of the Taiwan Island Arc and the southeast SCS, resulting in an E–W‐trending distribution or strike of the volcanics and normal faults. In Indochina and the Malay Peninsula, widespread Cenozoic extensional post‐spreading granitic plutons are possibly derived from the mantle plume. Magnetic anomaly interpretation and tectonic analysis on these mafic rocks suggest that they were controlled by the Ailaoshan Red River left‐lateral ductile strike‐slip fault zone. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Geological features, controlling factors and potential prospects of the gas hydrate occurrence in the east part of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

Cited by 178 publications

References 27 publications

Gas Hydrate Dissociation During Sea‐Level Highstand Inferred From U/Th Dating of Seep Carbonate From the South China Sea

Gas Hydrate Dissociation During Sea‐Level Highstand Inferred From U/Th Dating of Seep Carbonate From the South China Sea

BSRs, estimated heat flow, hydrate-related gas volume and their implications for methane seepage and gas hydrate in the Dongsha region, northern South China Sea

Temporal and spatial distribution of Cenozoic igneous rocks in the South China Sea and its adjacent regions: implications for tectono‐magmatic evolution

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