Gas Hydrate Stability Zone of the Barents Sea and Kara Sea Region

• Published in: Energy Procedia
• Main Authors: Klitzke, P., Luzi-Helbing, M., Schicks, J., Cacace, M., Jacquey, A., Sippel, J., Scheck-Wenderoth, M., Faleide, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Barents Sea; Kara Sea
• Online Access: https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_1873898; https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_1873898_3/component/file_1900888/1873898.pdf

In this study we assess the present-day gas hydrate stability zone for the Barents Sea and Kara Sea region. Thereby, we make use of a data-based 3D lithosphere-scale pressure and thermal model. The resulting gas hydrate stability zone varies within >1km across the study area and strongly correlates with the local geological settings and the corresponding geothermal gradient. Gas hydrates containing hydrocarbons from a thermogenic source (CH4+C2H3+C3H8) are potentially more widespread than previously assumed. The corresponding thermogenic feed gas may have derived from leaking petroleum systems during late Cenozoic basin inversion. Keywords