Evolution of Permafrost and of Gas Hydrate Stability Zone

2016 ◽  
pp. 217-236
Author(s):  
Yurii Galushkin
Keyword(s):  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
Hydrate Stability

Time Constraints on Seepage Through Fractured Regions on the Vestnesa Ridge off the W-Svalbard Coast

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hariharan Ramachandran ◽  
Andreia Plaza-Faverola ◽  
Hugh Daigle ◽  
Stefan Buenz
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Effective Stress ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Fluid Pressure ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
Methane Seepage ◽  
Carbonate Formation ◽  
Hydrate Stability

<p>Evidences of subsurface fluid flow-driven fractures (from seismic interpretation) are quite common at Vestnesa Ridge (around 79ºN in the Arctic Ocean), W-Svalbard margin. Ultimately, the fractured systems have led to the formation of pockmarks on the seafloor. At present day, the eastern segment of the ridge has active pockmarks with continuous methane seep observations in sonar data. The pockmarks in the western segment are considered inactive or to seep at a rate that is harder to identify. The ridge is at ~1200m water depth with the base of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) at ~200m below the seafloor. Considerable free gas zone is present below the hydrates. Besides the obvious concern of amount and rates of historic methane seeping into the ocean biosphere and its associated effects, significant gaps exist in the ability to model the processes of flow of methane through this faulted and fractured region. Our aim is to highlight the interactions between physical flow, geomechanics and geological control processes that govern the rates and timing of methane seepage.</p><p>For this purpose, we performed numerical fluid flow simulations. We integrate fundamental mass and component conservation equations with a phase equilibrium approach accounting for hydrate phase boundary effects to simulate the transport of gas from the base of the GHSZ through rock matrix and interconnected fractures until the seafloor. The relation between effective stress and fluid pressure is considered and fractures are activated once the effective stress exceeds the tensile limit. We use field data (seismic, oedometer tests on calypso cores, pore fluid pressure and temperature) to constrain the range of validity of various flow and geomechanical parameters in the simulation (such as vertical stress, porosity, permeability, saturations).</p><p>Preliminary results indicate fluid overpressure greater than 1.5 MPa is required to initiate fractures at the base of the gas hydrate stability zone for the investigated system. Focused fluid flow occurs through the narrow fracture networks and the gas reaches the seafloor within 1 day. The surrounding regions near the fracture network exhibit slower seepage towards the seafloor, but over a wider area. Advective flux through the less fractured surrounding regions, reaches the seafloor within 15 years and a diffusive flux reaches within 1200 years. These times are controlled by the permeability of the sediments and are retarded further due to considerable hydrate/carbonate formation during vertical migration. Next course of action includes constraining the methane availability at the base of the GHSZ and estimating its impact on seepage behavior.</p>

scholarly journals Role of Salt Migration in Destabilization of Intra Permafrost Hydrates in the Arctic Shelf: Experimental Modeling

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeny Chuvilin ◽  
Valentina Ekimova ◽  
Boris Bukhanov ◽  
Sergey Grebenkin ◽  
Natalia Shakhova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Hydrates ◽  
Methane Emission ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Negative Temperature ◽  
Arctic Shelf ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Permafrost Degradation ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
Local Pressure ◽  
Hydrate Stability

Destabilization of intrapermafrost gas hydrate is one possible reason for methane emission on the Arctic shelf. The formation of these intrapermafrost gas hydrates could occur almost simultaneously with the permafrost sediments due to the occurrence of a hydrate stability zone after sea regression and the subsequent deep cooling and freezing of sediments. The top of the gas hydrate stability zone could exist not only at depths of 200–250 m, but also higher due to local pressure increase in gas-saturated horizons during freezing. Formed at a shallow depth, intrapermafrost gas hydrates could later be preserved and transform into a metastable (relict) state. Under the conditions of submarine permafrost degradation, exactly relict hydrates located above the modern gas hydrate stability zone will, first of all, be involved in the decomposition process caused by negative temperature rising, permafrost thawing, and sediment salinity increasing. That’s why special experiments were conducted on the interaction of frozen sandy sediments containing relict methane hydrates with salt solutions of different concentrations at negative temperatures to assess the conditions of intrapermafrost gas hydrates dissociation. Experiments showed that the migration of salts into frozen hydrate-containing sediments activates the decomposition of pore gas hydrates and increase the methane emission. These results allowed for an understanding of the mechanism of massive methane release from bottom sediments of the East Siberian Arctic shelf.

scholarly journals Permafrost and Gas Hydrate Stability Zone of the Glacial Part of the East-Siberian Shelf

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 484
Author(s):  
Anatoly Gavrilov ◽  
Valentina Malakhova ◽  
Elena Pizhankova ◽  
Alexandra Popova
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Historical Development ◽  
Lower Boundary ◽  
Time Range ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
East Siberian Shelf ◽  
Geothermal Flux ◽  
Hydrate Stability ◽  
Siberian Shelf

By using thermal mathematical modeling for the time range of 200,000 years ago, the authors have been studying the role the glaciation, covered the De Long Islands and partly the Anjou Islands at the end of Middle Neopleistocene, played in the formation of permafrost and gas hydrates stability zone. For the modeling purpose, we used actual geological borehole cross-sections from the New Siberia Island. The modeling was conducted at geothermal flux densities of 50, 60, and 75 mW/m2 for glacial and extraglacial conditions. Based on the modeling results, the glaciated area is characterized by permafrost thickness of 150–200 m lower than under extraglacial conditions. The lower boundary of the gas hydrate stability zone in the glacial area at 50–60 mW/m2 is located 300 m higher than the same under extraglacial conditions. At 75 mW/m2 in the area of 20–40 m isobaths, open taliks are formed, and the gas hydrate stability zone was destroyed in the middle of the Holocene. The specified conditions and events were being formed in the course of the historical development of the glacial area with a predominance of the marine conditions peculiar to it from the middle of the Middle Neopleistocene.

scholarly journals Thermal State of the Blake Ridge Gas Hydrate Stability Zone (GHSZ)—Insights on Gas Hydrate Dynamics from a New Multi-Phase Numerical Model

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burwicz ◽  
Rüpke
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Methane Flux ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
Free Gas ◽  
Blake Ridge ◽  
Geochemical Profiles ◽  
Multi Phase ◽  
Hydrate Stability

Marine sediments of the Blake Ridge province exhibit clearly defined geophysical indications for the presence of gas hydrates and a free gas phase. Despite being one of the world’s best-studied gas hydrate provinces and having been drilled during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 164, discrepancies between previous model predictions and reported chemical profiles as well as hydrate concentrations result in uncertainty regarding methane sources and a possible co-existence between hydrates and free gas near the base of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). Here, by using a new multi-phase finite element (FE) numerical model, we investigate different scenarios of gas hydrate formation from both single and mixed methane sources (in-situ biogenic formation and a deep methane flux). Moreover, we explore the evolution of the GHSZ base for the past 10 Myr using reconstructed sedimentation rates and non-steady-state P-T solutions. We conclude that (1) the present-day base of the GHSZ predicted by our model is located at the depth of ~450 mbsf, thereby resolving a previously reported inconsistency between the location of the BSR at ODP Site 997 and the theoretical base of the GHSZ in the Blake Ridge region, (2) a single in-situ methane source results in a good fit between the simulated and measured geochemical profiles including the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) zone, and (3) previously suggested 4 vol.%–7 vol.% gas hydrate concentrations would require a deep methane flux of ~170 mM (corresponds to the mass of methane flux of 1.6 × 10−11 kg s−1 m−2) in addition to methane generated in-situ by organic carbon (POC) degradation at the cost of deteriorating the fit between observed and modelled geochemical profiles.

Downward shift of gas hydrate stability zone due to seafloor erosion in the eastern Dongsha Island, South China Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1188-1200
Author(s):  
Jiapeng Jin ◽  
Xiujuan Wang ◽  
Min He ◽  
Jie Li ◽  
Chengzhi Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
South China ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Downward Shift ◽  
Hydrate Stability

scholarly journals Gas Seeps at the Edge of the Gas Hydrate Stability Zone on Brazil’s Continental Margin

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Ketzer ◽  
Daniel Praeg ◽  
Maria A.G. Pivel ◽  
Adolpho H. Augustin ◽  
Luiz F. Rodrigues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gravitational Collapse ◽  
Continental Margin ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Cold Seep ◽  
Stability Zone ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Sea Fan ◽  
Hydrate Stability

Gas hydrate provinces occur in two sedimentary basins along Brazil’s continental margin: (1) The Rio Grande Cone in the southeast, and (2) the Amazon deep-sea fan in the equatorial region. The occurrence of gas hydrates in these depocenters was first detected geophysically and has recently been proven by seafloor sampling of gas vents, detected as water column acoustic anomalies rising from seafloor depressions (pockmarks) and/or mounds, many associated with seafloor faults formed by the gravitational collapse of both depocenters. The gas vents include typical features of cold seep systems, including shallow sulphate reduction depths (<4 m), authigenic carbonate pavements, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. In both areas, gas sampled in hydrate and in sediments is dominantly formed by biogenic methane. Calculation of the methane hydrate stability zone for water temperatures in the two areas shows that gas vents occur along its feather edge (water depths between 510 and 760 m in the Rio Grande Cone and between 500 and 670 m in the Amazon deep-sea fan), but also in deeper waters within the stability zone. Gas venting along the feather edge of the stability zone could reflect gas hydrate dissociation and release to the oceans, as inferred on other continental margins, or upward fluid flow through the stability zone facilitated by tectonic structures recording the gravitational collapse of both depocenters. The potential quantity of venting gas on the Brazilian margin under different scenarios of natural or anthropogenic change requires further investigation. The studied areas provide natural laboratories where these critical processes can be analyzed and quantified.

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