Distinct BSRs and their implications for natural gas hydrate formation and distribution at the submarine Makran accretionary zone -- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2021,39(5):1871-1886

	Cite this paper:
	Bin LIU, Waseem Haider SYED, Jiangxin CHEN, Xiguang DENG, Li YANG, Leonardo AZEVEDO, Minliang DUAN, Tingting WU, Jinfeng MA, Keliang LI. Distinct BSRs and their implications for natural gas hydrate formation and distribution at the submarine Makran accretionary zone[J]. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2021, 39(5): 1871-1886

Distinct BSRs and their implications for natural gas hydrate formation and distribution at the submarine Makran accretionary zone

Bin LIU¹, Waseem Haider SYED², Jiangxin CHEN^3,4, Xiguang DENG¹, Li YANG¹, Leonardo AZEVEDO⁵, Minliang DUAN^3,6, Tingting WU¹, Jinfeng MA¹, Keliang LI¹

1 Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510760, China;
2 National Institute of Oceanography, Karachi 75600, Pakistan;
3 Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China;
4 Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, China;
5 CERENA/Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon University, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal;
6 Key Lab of Submarine Geosciences and Prospecting Techniques, MOE and College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China

Abstract:

To investigate the nature of gas hydrates in the Makran area, new high-resolution geophysical data were acquired between 2018-2019. The data collected comprise multibeam and two-dimensional multi-channel seismic reflection data. The multibeam bathymetry data show East-North-East (ENE) ridges, piggy-back basins, canyon and channel systems, and the morphology of the abyssal plain. Continuous and discontinuous bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) occur in the piggy-back basins on most of the seismic profiles available. The BSRs cut the dipping layers with strong amplitude and reversed polarity. Discontinuous BSRs indicate a transition along a dipping high-permeable sand layers from gas-rich segment to the gas hydrate-bearing segment and suggest alternating sediments of fine and relatively coarse grain size. Double BSRs are highly dynamic and attributed to slumps occurring in the study area. The BSRs induced by slumps are located both at deep and shallow depths, responding to the temperature or pressure variation. For the first time, BSRs are observed in the abyssal plain of the Makran area, being associated with anticline structures, which do not show large spatial continuity and are strongly conditioned by structural conditions such as anticlines and fluid migration pathways, including deep fault, gas chimney, and high-permeable sedimentary layer. Our results may help to assess the gas hydrate potential within the piggy-back basins and to determine the most promising target areas. Moreover, results about the abyssal plain BSR may help to locate hydrocarbon reservoirs in the deep ocean.

Key words: gas hydrate-bearing sand-prone sediments|double bottom simulating reflector (BSR)|multiple BSR|canyon channel system|abyssal plain

Received: 2020-08-10 Revised: 2020-11-13

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Articles by Bin LIU

Articles by Waseem Haider SYED

Articles by Jiangxin CHEN

Articles by Xiguang DENG

Articles by Li YANG

Articles by Leonardo AZEVEDO

Articles by Minliang DUAN

Articles by Tingting WU

Articles by Jinfeng MA

Articles by Keliang LI

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