Faulting of Gas-Hydrate-Bearing Marine Sediments - Contribution to Permeability

Extensive faulting is observed in sediments containing high concentrations of methane hydrate off the southeastern coast of the United States. Faults that break the sea floor show evidence of both extension and shortening; mud diapirs are also present. The zone of recent faulting apparently extends...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dillon, William, Holbrook, W. S., Drury, Rebecca, Gettrust, Joseph, Hutchinson, Deborah
Other Authors: NAVAL RESEARCH LAB STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS MARINE GEOSCIENCES DIV
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1997
Subjects:
Geology
Geochemistry and Mineralogy
Mining Engineering
*PERMEABILITY
*FAULTS(GEOLOGY)
*METHANE
*SEDIMENTS
SYMPOSIA
HYDRATES
MARINE GEOLOGY
OCEAN BOTTOM TOPOGRAPHY
PORE PRESSURE
GEOCHEMISTRY
SUBSURFACE
TRAPS
MUD
OFFSHORE DRILLING
*MARINE SEDIMENTS
*GAS HYDRATE STABILITY ZONE
*METHANE HYDRATES
BLAKE RIDGE
ODP(OCEAN DRILLING PROGRAM)
TOPOGRAPHIC DEPRESSIONS
SEISMIC REFLECTION PROFILES
SHALLOW FAULTS
DEEPER FAULTS
GROWTH FAULTS
DIAPIRS
BURIED ZONES
OTC(OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE)
SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
PE62435N
Methane hydrate
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA360151
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA360151
Description
Summary:Extensive faulting is observed in sediments containing high concentrations of methane hydrate off the southeastern coast of the United States. Faults that break the sea floor show evidence of both extension and shortening; mud diapirs are also present. The zone of recent faulting apparently extends from the ocean floor down to the base of gas-hydrate stability. We infer that the faulting resulted from excess pore pressure in gas trapped beneath the gas hydrate-bearing layer and/or weakening and mobilization of sediments in the region just below the gas-hydrate stability zone. In addition to the zone of surface faults, we identified two buried zones of faulting, that may have similar origins. Subsurface faulted zones appear to act as gas traps. Published in the Offshore Technology Conference Proceedings, p201-209, held 5-8 May 1997 in Houston, Texas. Volume 1.

Similar Items