Shallow gas and focused fluid flow systems in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, northern South China Sea

Architecture, evolution history and controlling factors of the Baiyun submarine canyon system from the middle Miocene to Quaternary in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, northern South China Sea

“…Focused fluid flow and shallow gas are widespread in the Baiyun Sag evidenced by the presence of seismic chimneys, mud diapirs, mud volcanoes, pipes, normal faults, pockmarks and acoustic anomalies (Sun et al, 2012). Based on the observations from Sun et al (2012), focused fluid flow structures and the shallow gas are studied in the present study.…”

Pockmark activity inferred from pore water geochemistry in shallow sediments of the pockmark field in southwestern Xisha Uplift, northwestern South China Sea

“…Extensive pockmarks have been discovered in South China Sea (SCS), including in Zhongjiannan (ZJN) Basin, Qiongdongnan (QDN) Basin, Pearl River Mouth Basin, and offshore southwestern Taiwan (Chow et al, 2000;Sun et al, 2012aSun et al, , 2012bSun et al, , 2011Wang et al, 2010). Among these, the most typical pockmarks have been discovered in western Xisha Uplift with a density of ca.…”

Geochemical and magnetic signals for the mud volcano-induced methane seepage in the core sediments of Shenhu area, northern South China Sea

“…In addition to the mud flow activity of mud volcanoes, the vertical fracture system and authigenic carbonate crusts were reported to be related to intense hydrocarbon seepage (Chen et al , 2013aGe et al 2011;He et al 2011;Lu et al 2006;Sun et al 2012;Wang et al 2006aWang et al , b, 2010, release of free gas (Wu et al 2011a and the presence of gas hydrates Wu et al 2011b). Wang et al (2006a) proposed that the early and middle diapir or mud volcano could help in the formation of hydrate deposits in the Shenhu area, but the later one would destroy the stability of the hydrate zone and result in the dissociation of the hydrate accompanied by methane releases (Wang et al 2010).…”

“…Several geochemical studies have suggested the existence of gas hydrate in Shenhu Area including the chemical analysis of the pore water, sediments and authigenic carbonates and the methane content measurement in the water from the bottom of drill holes (Cao and Lei 2012;Ge et al 2011;Wu et al 2011a;Yang et al 2010;Yin et al 2008). The geophysical evidences for mud volcanoes/diapirs in Shenhu Area (e.g., conventional seismic reflection profiling, sub-bottom profile survey, multi-beam depth measurement, side sonar) have been reported over the past decade (Chen et al 2013a;Shi et al 2009;Sun et al 2012;Wang et al 2006a;Yan et al 2011). However, very few have been described from the sedimentary record.…”