The Origin of Gas Seeps in the Northern Adriatic Sea

Source at https://doi.org/10.3301/IJG.2018.34 . A multidisciplinary approach has been used for the first time to study the widespread occurrence of hydrocarbon seeps in the northern Adriatic Sea. Geological, geophysical and geochemical analyses were performed to identify and characterize the gas-cha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Italian Journal of Geosciences
Main Authors: Donda, Federica, Tinivella, Umberta, Gordini, Emiliano, Panieri, Giuliana, Volpi, Valentina, Civile, Dario, Forlin, Edy, Facchin, Lorenzo, Burca, Mihai, Cova, Andrea, Ferrante, Giulia M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Italian Geological Society 2019
Subjects:
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450::Hydrogeology: 467
VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450::Hydrogeologi: 467
Gas seeps
Methane
Fluid flow in porous media
Isotope geochemistry
Northern Adriatic Sea
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450::Mineralogy
petrology
geochemistry: 462
VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450::Mineralogi
petrologi
geokjemi: 462
Arctic
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10037/15866
https://doi.org/10.3301/IJG.2018.34
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Summary:Source at https://doi.org/10.3301/IJG.2018.34 . A multidisciplinary approach has been used for the first time to study the widespread occurrence of hydrocarbon seeps in the northern Adriatic Sea. Geological, geophysical and geochemical analyses were performed to identify and characterize the gas-charged fluids occurring throughout the Plio-Quaternary succession, and to date the shallow gas seeping at three leakage sites. The analysis of CHIRP, morpho-bathymetric, and multichannel seismic data allowed us to identify different types of gas-related features, which occur within the whole Plio-Quaternary succession up to the seafloor and to the water column. Quantitative analyses of CHIRP data were conducted to better define, characterize and quantify the gas occurrence within the uppermost stratigraphic succession. CHIRP data also allowed identifying the gas leakage sites. Three gas seepages areas were sampled with the aim to determine the gas composition and origin. The isotopic analyses revealed that seep gases are microbial in origin, and are primarily composed by methane, mostly formed within relatively laterally persistent Late Pleistocene peat layers, which are widely distributed throughout the northern Adriatic Sea and represent the main source of organic matter feeding the seeping gases.

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