Oil and Gas Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Kennicutt, Mahlon C.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-3447-8_5

Cited by 31 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 117 publications

(141 reference statements)

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“…The oil and gas seeps show that petroleum generation and migration have taken place, but hydrocarbons may be degraded when eventually exposed at the surface (Kennicutt, ). In the types of seep considered here, passage of hydrocarbons usually occurs through fracture conduits that carry fluids from the source rock to the surface (Ward, ).…”

Section: Distribution Patterns Of Oil and Gas Seeps And Implications mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Oil and gas seeps are defined as the surface expression of an underground petroleum system and are of great importance in oil and gas exploration (Kennicutt, 2017;Körber et al, 2014;Milkov, 2000;Sahling et al, 2016). Many highly productive oil fields owe their existence to the discovery of oil and gas seeps; examples include the Syncrude oil field in Alberta (Canada), several oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Karamay, Yanchang, and Shuanghe oil fields in China (Etiope, 2015;Liu, 1990;Pouderoux, Coderre, Pedersen, & Cronkwright, 2016;Ward, 2017;Zou et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diverse oil and gas seeps in the southern Junggar Basin, NW China (piedmont Northern Tian Shan): Origins and links to tectono‐sedimentary evolution

et al. 2019

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The southern Junggar Basin in NW China is a world‐class location for the study of oil and gas seeps, with widely distributed, highly variable oil and gas seeps including gaseous mud volcanoes, liquid oil seeps, and solid bitumen deposits. However, the sources and origins of these seeps are poorly understood, as there are many potential source sequences of Permian to Paleogene age. The uncertainty surrounding the seeps means that it has not been possible to address their significance for oil and gas exploration in the area, and they are not understood in the context of the tectono‐sedimentary evolution of the basin within the piedmont region of the northern Tian Shan Mountains (in the eastern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, CAOB). In the present study, these issues were addressed using combined geological and geochemical methods. Results show that there are five main types of seeps in the region from west to east. Type A seeps originate from Jurassic source rocks and are best represented by the A'erqingou mud volcano. Type B seeps originate mainly from Paleogene source rocks but also contain a Jurassic‐sourced component; they are best represented by the Dushanzi mud volcano. Type C seeps originate from a Cretaceous source and are best represented by the South Anjihai and Horgos oil sands. Type D seeps originate mainly from Jurassic source rocks but also contain a Triassic‐sourced component; they are best represented by the Qigu oil seep. Type E seeps originate from Permian source rocks and are best represented by the Dalongkou bituminous deposit. The primary controls on seep distribution are both sedimentological (deposition of source rock) and tectonic (faulting). The position and burial history of sedimentary centres controlled the distribution and maturation of source rocks. Tectonic faults provided migration pathways and traps for the oil and gas. The results of this study will help to reduce uncertainty during exploration for oil and gas in the area. The findings also have general implications for petroleum systems and exploration in the piedmont areas of foreland basins worldwide.

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Section: Distribution Patterns Of Oil and Gas Seeps And Implications mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diverse oil and gas seeps in the southern Junggar Basin, NW China (piedmont Northern Tian Shan): Origins and links to tectono‐sedimentary evolution

et al. 2019

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“…In addition, both organic and inorganic matters serve as the starting materials for methanogenesis. Therefore, methanogenesis pathways are roughly sorted into four categories: biotic of organic origin (fermentation), biotic of inorganic origin (CO 2 respiration), abiotic of organic origin (thermogenesis), and abiotic of inorganic origin (geothermal version of the Fischer-Tropsch process or Sabatier reaction) due to geothermalism and magmatism in crystalline rocks, as schematically outlined in Figure 3 that employs the stable isotope signatures known as δ 13 C and δ 2 H (δD) of CH 4 as described later (adapted from [16] with δ values for atmospheric CH 4 from [17]). Generally, δ values are indicative of origins or sources, while the differences in the δ values, also known as "Δ" values, may reflect pathways/processes of methane generation/ consumption or oxidation [18,19].…”

Section: Origin and Generation Of Methanementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The "Bush Hill" (27°47.5' N, 91°15' W, mound crest about 540-m deep) in the Green Canyon of industrial interest is the methane seep version of the hydrothermal pilgrim sites of "Garden of Eden" and "Rose Garden" of the Galápagos Rift [67]. After the "Deepwater Horizon" drilling rig explosion near Bush Hill, ecology of the shore, water column, and benthic ecosystems have been studied extensively [16].…”

Section: Passive Marginsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geo-Biological Coupling of Authigenic Carbonate Formation and Autotrophic Faunal Colonization at Deep-Sea Methane Seeps I: Geo-Biological Settings

Naganuma¹

2018

Marine Ecology - Biotic and Abiotic Interactions

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Methane (CH 4) in sub-seafloor sediment is generated both biologically and non-biologically from organic and inorganic sources. A major part of the sub-seafloor methane is oxidized before leakage via "anaerobic oxidation of methane" (AOM) in the subsurface. The AOM-survivor methane, which is relatively minor part of the subsurface methane, leaches to the overlying water column and is eventually subject to thorough anaerobic and aerobic oxidation in the water column. The AOM with sulfate results in the generation of carbon dioxide and sulfide; the former (CO 2) is incorporated into authigenic carbonate and autotrophic biomass, and the autotrophy is energetically driven by oxidation of the latter (H 2 S). These processes are typically observed at focused sites that are generally known as "methane seeps" or hydrocarbon seeps, or occasionally called as cold seeps in comparison with hydrothermal vents. Methane seeps are typically formed in passive and active continental margins, occasionally with unique features such as exposed methane hydrates, mud volcanoes, asphalt volcanoes, salt diapirs, and brine pools. Accordingly, authigenic carbonates and unique biological communities are shaped at respective methane seeps. This chapter overviews geological and biological setting for the formation of methane seeps associated with unique landscapes of carbonates and biomes.

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“…Historically, most GOM beaches are often contaminated by different types of petroleum residues (residues that are not of DWH origin) that could have originated from natural oil seeps, accidental releases from oil rigs and ship oil, or anthropogenic waste oil dumping activities [ 9 , 10 ]. Therefore, in order to assess the impacts of the DWH oil spill, one needs to identify and differentiate DWH residues from other petroleum residues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a field testing protocol for identifying Deepwater Horizon oil spill residues trapped near Gulf of Mexico beaches

Han

Clement

2018

PLoS ONE

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The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) accident, one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history, contaminated several beaches located along the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) shoreline. The residues from the spill still continue to be deposited on some of these beaches. Methods to track and monitor the fate of these residues require approaches that can differentiate the DWH residues from other types of petroleum residues. This is because, historically, the crude oil released from sources such as natural seeps and anthropogenic discharges have also deposited other types of petroleum residues on GOM beaches. Therefore, identifying the origin of these residues is critical for developing effective management strategies for monitoring the long-term environmental impacts of the DWH oil spill. Advanced fingerprinting methods that are currently used for identifying the source of oil spill residues require detailed laboratory studies, which can be cost-prohibitive. Also, most agencies typically use untrained workers or volunteers to conduct shoreline monitoring surveys and these worker will not have access to advanced laboratory facilities. Furthermore, it is impractical to routinely fingerprint large volumes of samples that are collected after a major oil spill event, such as the DWH spill. In this study, we propose a simple field testing protocol that can identify DWH oil spill residues based on their unique physical characteristics. The robustness of the method is demonstrated by testing a variety of oil spill samples, and the results are verified by characterizing the samples using advanced chemical fingerprinting methods. The verification data show that the method yields results that are consistent with the results derived from advanced fingerprinting methods. The proposed protocol is a reliable, cost-effective, practical field approach for differentiating DWH residues from other types of petroleum residues.

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Oil and Gas Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Cited by 31 publications

References 117 publications

Diverse oil and gas seeps in the southern Junggar Basin, NW China (piedmont Northern Tian Shan): Origins and links to tectono‐sedimentary evolution

Diverse oil and gas seeps in the southern Junggar Basin, NW China (piedmont Northern Tian Shan): Origins and links to tectono‐sedimentary evolution

Geo-Biological Coupling of Authigenic Carbonate Formation and Autotrophic Faunal Colonization at Deep-Sea Methane Seeps I: Geo-Biological Settings

Development of a field testing protocol for identifying Deepwater Horizon oil spill residues trapped near Gulf of Mexico beaches

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