Evidence of episodic fluid, gas, and sediment venting on the northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope

Economic Geology

Volumn 92, Issue 7-8, 1997, Pages 863-879

  Roberts, Harry H ^a   Carney, Robert S ^a  

^a LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CONTINENTAL SLOPE; CRUDE OIL; EPISODIC VENTING; GAS; MARINE SEDIMENT;

GULF OF MEXICO;

EID: 0031396449     PISSN: 03610128     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2113/gsecongeo.92.7-8.863     Document Type: Article

References (85)

1. Anderson, R.N., 1993, Recovering dynamic Gulf of Mexico reserves and the U.S. energy future: Oil and Gas Journal, v. 11, p. 85-91.
2. Anderson, R.N., He, W., Hobart, M.A., Wilkinson, C.R., and Nelson, H.R., 1991, Active fluid flow in the Eugene Island area, offshore Louisiana: Geophysics: The Leading Edge of Exploration, p. 12-17.
3. Barker, C., 1972, Aquathermal pressuring-role of temperature in development of abnormal-pressure zones: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 56, p. 2068-2071.
4. Barton, D.C., 1933, Mechanics of formation of salt domes, with special reference to Gulf Coast salt domes of Texas and Louisiana: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 17, p. 1025-1083.
5. Behrens, E.W., 1988, Geology of a continental slope oil seep, northern Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 72, p. 105-114.
6. Bennett, S.S., and Hanor, H.S., 1987, Dynamics of subsurface salt dissolution at the Welsh dome, Louisiana Gulf Coast, in Lerche, I., and O'Brien, J.J., eds., Dynamical geology of salt and related structures: Orlando, FL, Academic Press, p. 653-677.
7. Berryhill, H.L., Jr., Suter, J.R., and Hardin, N.S., 1986, Late Quaternary facies and structure, northern Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 23, 289 p.
8. Bouma, A.H., and Bryant, W.R., 1995, Physiographic features on the northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 14, p. 252-263.
9. Breen, N.A., Silver, E. A., and Hussong, D.M., 1986, Structural styles of an accretionary wedge south of the island of Sumba, Indonesia, revealed by Sea MARCII side-scan sonar: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 97, p. 1250-1261.
10. Brooks, J.M., Kennicutt II, M.C., Bidigare, R.R., and Fay, R.A., 1985, Hydrates, oil seepage, and chemosynthetic ecosystems on the Gulf of Mexico slope [abs.]: EOS, v. 66, p. 106.
11. Brown, K., 1990, The nature and hydrogeologic significance of mud diapirs and diatremes for accretionary systems: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 95, p. 8969-8982.
12. Bryant, W.R., Bryant, J.R., Feeley, M.H., and Simmons, G.S., 1990, Physiography and bathymetric characteristics of the continental slope, Gulf of Mexico: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 10, p. 182-199.
13. Bryant, W.R., Liu, J.Y., and Ponthier J., 1995, Engineering and geologic constraints of intra slope basins and submarine canyons of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 45, p. 95-102.
14. Carney, R.S., 1994, Consideration of the oasis analogy for chemosynthetic communities at Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon vents: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 14, p. 149-159.
15. Carson, B., Suess, E., and Strasser, J.C., 1990, Fluid flow and mass flux determinations at vent sites on the Cascadia margin accretionary prism: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 95, p. 8891-8898.
16. Cathles, L.M, 1990, Sclaes and effects of fluid flow in the upper crust: Science, v. 248, p. 323-329.
17. Cathles, L.M., and Smith, A.T., 1983, Thermal constraints on the formation of Mississippi Valley-type lead-zinc deposits and their implications for episodic basin dewatering and deposit genesis: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 78, p. 983-1002.
18. Chapell, J., and Shackleton, N.J., 1986, Oxygen isotopes and sea level: Nature, v. 324, p. 137-140.
19. Cook, D., and D'Onfro, P.D., 1991, Jolliet field thrust fault structure and stratigraphy - Green Canyon block 184, offshore Louisiana: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 41, p. 100-121.
20. Corliss, J.B., Dymond J., Gordon, L.I., Edmond, R.P., van Herzen, R.P., Ballard, R.D., Green, W.D., Bainbridge, A., Crane, K., and van Handel, T.H., 1979, Submarine thermal springs on the Galapagos rift: Science, v. 203, p. 1073-1083.
21. Diegel, F.A., Karlo, J.F., Schuster, D.C., Shoup, R.C., and Tauvers, P.R., 1995, Cenozoic structural evolution and tectono-stratigraphic framework of the northern Gulf Coast continental margin: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 65, p. 109-151.
22. Doyle, E.H., Kaluza, J.J., and Roberts, H.H., 1992, Use of manned submersibles to investigate slumps in deep water Gulf of Mexico: Civil Engineering in the Oceans, 5th, Ocean Engineering and Wave and Wave Forces-American Society of Civil Engineering, Proceedings, p. 770-782.
23. Fisher, C.H., 1990, Chemoautotrophic and methanotrophic symbionts in marine invertebrates: Aquatic Sciences, v. 2, p. 399-436.
24. Fisher, C.F., Urcuyu, I., Simpkins, A., and Nix, E., 1997, Life in the slow lane: Growth and longevity of cold-seep vestimentiferans: Marine Ecology, v. 18, p. 83-94.
25. Fu, B., Aharon, P., Byerly, G.R., and Roberts, H.H., 1994, Barite chimneys on the Gulf of Mexico slope: Initial report of their petrography and geochemistry: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 14, p. 81-87.
26. Hallager, W.S., Ulrich, M.R., Kyle, J.R., Price, P.E., and Gose, W.A, 1990, Evidence for episodic basin dewatering in salt-dome cap rocks: Geology, v. 18, p. 716-719.
27. Hamilton, P., 1990, Deep currents of the Gulf of Mexico: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 20, p. 1087-1104.
28. Harrison, W.J., and Summa, L.L., 1991, Paleohydrology of the Gulf of Mexico basin: American Journal of Science, v. 291, p. 109-176.
29. Hedberg, H.H., 1974, Relation of methane generation to under-compacted shales, shale diapirs and mud volcanoes: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 58, p. 661-673.
30. Henry, P., LePichon, X., Lallemant, S., Foucher, J.P., Westbrook, G., and Hobart, M., 1990, Mud volcano field seaward of the Barbados accretionary complex: A deep-towed side-scan sonar: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 95, p. 8917-8929.
31. Hovland, M., and Judd, A.G., 1988, Seabed pockmarks and seepages: Impact on geology, biology and the marine environment: London, Graham and Trotman, 293 p.
32. Humphris, C.C., Jr., 1978, Salt movement on the continental slope, northern Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 7, p. 69-86.
33. Hunt, I.M., 1990, Generation and migration of petroleum from abnormally pressured fluid compartments: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 74, p.1-12.
34. Hyndman, R.D., and Davis, E.E., 1992, A mechanism for the formation of methane hydrate and sea floor bottom-simulating reflectors by vertical fluid expulsion: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 97, p. 7025-7041.
35. Kennicutt, M.C., II, Brooks, J.M., Bidigare, R.R., Fay, R.A., Wade, T.L., and McDonald, T.J., 1985, Vent-type taxa in a hydrocarbon seep region on the Louisiana slope: Nature, v. 317, p. 351.
36. Kennicutt, M.C., Brooks, J.M., and Denoux, G.J., 1988, Leakage of deep, reservoired petroleum to the near surface of the Gulf of Mexico continental slope: Marine Chemistry, v. 24, p. 39-59.
37. Kohl, B., and Roberts, H.H., 1994, Fossil foraminifera from four active mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 14, p. 126-134.
38. -1995, Mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico: A mechanism for mixing sediments of different ages in slope environments: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 45, p. 351-359.
39. Kvenvolden, K.A., 1993, Gas hydrates - geological perspective and global change: Reviews in Geophysics, v. 31, p. 173-187.
40. Kyle, J.R., Ulrich, M.R., and Gose, W.A., 1987, Textural and paleomagnetic evidence for the mechanism and timing of anhydrite cap-rock formation, Winnfield salt dome, Louisiana, in Lerche, I., and O'Brien, J.J., eds., Dynamical geology of salt and related structures: Orlando, Florida, Academic Press, p. 497-542.
41. Lutz, R.A., Shanks, T.M., Fornari, D.J., Haymon, R.M., Lilley, M.D., Van Damm, K.L., and Debruyeres, D., 1994, Rapid growth at deep-sea vents: Nature, v. 371, p. 663-664.
42. MacDonald, G.T., 1990, Role of methane clathrates in past and future climates: Climate Change, v. 16, p. 247-281.
43. MacDonald, I.R., Guinasso, N.L., Jr., Ackleson, S.G., Amos, J. F., Duckworth, R., Sassen, R., and Brooks, J.M., 1993, Natural oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico visible from space: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 98, p. 16351-16364.
44. MacDonald, I.R., Guinasso, N.L. Jr., Sassen, R., Brooks, J.M., Lee, L., and Scott, K.T., 1994, Gas hydrate that breaches the sea floor on the continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico: Geology, v. 22, p. 699-702.
45. Nelson, C.S., and Healy, T.R., 1984, Pockmark-like structures on the Poverty Bay sea bed - possible evidence of submarine mud volcanism: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, v. 27, p. 225-230.
46. Neurauter, T.W., and Bryant, W.R., 1990, Seismic expression of sedimentary volcanism on the continental slope, northern Gulf of Mexico: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 10, p. 225-231.
47. Neurauter, T.W., and Roberts, H.H., 1992, Seismic and visual observation of seepage-related structures on the continental slope, northern Gulf of Mexico: Offshore Technology Conference, 24th, Houston, Texas, Proceedings, p. 355-362.
48. -1994, Three generations of mud volcanoes on the Louisiana continental slope: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 14, p. 120-125.
49. Orange, D.L., and Breen, N.A., 1992, The effects of fluid escape on accretionary wedges, II: Seepage force, slope failure, headless submarine canyons, and vents: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 97, p. 9277-9295.
50. Pacht, J.A., Bowen, B.E., Shaffer, B.L., and Pottorf, B.R., 1990, Sequence stratigraphy of Plio-Pleistocene strata in the offshore Louisiana Gulf Coast: Applications to hydrocarbon exploration: Gulf Coast Section Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Foundation Annual Research Conference, 11th, Houston, Texas, December 2-5, 1990, Program and Abstracts, p. 269-285.
51. Paull, C.K., Spiess, F.N., Curry, J.R., and Twichell, D.C., 1990, Origin of Florida Canyon and the role of spring sapping on the formation of submarine box canyons: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 102, p. 502-515.
52. Paull, C.K., Usseler, W., III, and Dillon, W.P., 1991, Is the extent of glaciation limited by marine gas hydrates?: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 18, p. 432-434. :
53. Paull, C.K., Chanton. J.P., Newmann, A.C., Coston, J.A., Martens, C.S., and Showers, W., 1992, Indicators of methane-derived carbonates and chemosynthetic organic carbon deposits: Examples from the Florida escarpment: Palzios, v. 7, p. 361-375.
54. Pelletier, B.R., 1980, Review of surficial geology and engineering hazards in the Canadian offshore: Marine Sediments, v. 15, p. 55-91.
55. Powell, E.N., 1995, Evidence for temporal change at seeps, in MacDonald, I.R., Schroeder, W.W., and Brooks, J.M., Chemosynthetic ecosystems final report: Geochemical and Environmental Research Group. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico Region, New Orleans, LA, OCS Study MMS 95-0023.
56. Powers, M.C., 1967, Fluid release mechanisms in compacting marine mudrocks and their importance on oil exploration: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 51, p. 1240-1254.
57. Pulham, A., 1993, Variations in slope deposition, Plio-Pleistocene, offshore Louisiana, northeast Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 58, p. 199-234. .
58. Ranganathan, V., and Hanor, J.S., 1989, Perched brine plumes above salt domes and dewatering of geopressured sediments: Journal of Hydrology, v. 110, p. 63-86.
59. Ritger, S., Carson, B., and Suess, E., 1987, Methane-derived authigenic carbonates formed by subduction-induced pore-water expulsion along the Oregon/Washington margin: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 98, p. 147-156.
60. Roberts, H.H., 1992, Reefs, bioherms, and lithoherms of the northern Gulf of Mexico: The important role of hydrocarbon seeps: International Coral Reef Symposium, 7th, Guan, June 22-26, 1992, Proceedings, p. 1121-1128.
61. -1995, High resolution surficial geology of the Louisiana middle-to-upper continental slope: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 45, p. 501-508.
62. Roberts, H.H., and Aharon, P., 1994, Hydrocarbon-derived carbonate buildups of the northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope: A review of submersible investigations: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 14, p. 135-148.
63. Roberts, H.H., Aharon, P., Carney, R., Larkin, J., and Sassen, R., 1990, Responses to hydrocarbon seeps, Louisiana continental slope: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 10, p. 232-243.
64. Roberts, H.H., Cook, D.J., and Sheedlo, M.K., 1992, Hydrocarbon seeps of the Louisiana continental slope: Seismic amplitude signature and response: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 42, p. 349-362.
65. Roberts, S.J., and Nunn, J.A., 1995, Episodic fluid expulsion from geopressured sediments: Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 12, p. 195-204.
66. Roberts, S.J., Nunn, J.A., Cathles, L., and Cipriani, F.D., 1996, Expulsion of abnormally pressured fluids along faults: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 101, p. 28,231-28,252.
67. Rowan, M.G., 1995, Structural styles and evolution of allochthonous salt, central Louisiana outer shelf and upper slope: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 65, p. 199-228.
68. Rowan, M.G., Weiner, P., McBride, B., Varnai, P., Acosta, Z., Budhijanto, F., Martinez, R., Navarro, A., Villamil, T., and Fidnk, J.C., 1995, Interactions between salt tectonics and sedimentation in the Louisiana offshore: Preliminary results: Gulf Coast Section Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Foundation Annual Research Conference, 16th, Houston, Texas, December 3-6, 1995, Proceedings, p. 235-244.
69. Sassen, R., Roberts, H.H., Aharon, P., Larkin, J. Chinn, E.W., and Carney, R., 1993, Chemosynthetic bacterial mats at cold hydrocarbon seeps, gulf of Mexico continental slope: Organic Geochemistry, v. 20, p. 77-89.
70. Sassen, R., MacDonald, I.R., Reguejo, A.C., Guinasso, N.L., Jr., Kennicutt II, M.C., Sweet, S.T., and Brooks, J.M., 1994, Organic geochemistry of sediments from chemosynthetic communities, Gulf of Mexico slope: GeoMarine Letters, v. 14, p. 110-119.
71. Screaton, E.J., Wuthrich, D.R., and Dreiss, S.J., 1990, Permeabilities, fluid pressures, and flow rates in the Barbados ridge complex: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 95, p. 8997-9007.
72. Sieck, H.C., 1973, Gas charged sediment cones pose a possible hazard to offshore drilling: Oil and Gas Journal, v. 71, p. 148-168.
73. Sloan, E.D., 1990, Clathrate hydrates of natural gases: New York, Marcel Drekker, 641 p.
74. Suter, J.R., and Berryhill, H.L., Jr., 1985, Late Quaternary shelf margin deltas, northwest Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 69, p. 77-91.
75. Sydow, J., and Roberts, H.H., 1994, Stratigraphie framework of a late Pleisto-cene shelf edge delta, northeast Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 78, p. 1276-1312.
76. Talbot, C.J., 1993, Spreading of salt structures in the Gulf of Mexico: Tectonophysics, v. 228, p. 151-166.
77. Trainor, D.M., Williams, D.F., and Lerche, I., 1988, Refinement and spectral analysis of Plio-Pleistocene oxygen and carbon isotope records: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 38, p. 435-442.
78. Ulrich, M.R., Kyle, J.R., and Price, P.E., 1984, Metalic sulfide deposits in the Winnfield salt dome, Louisiana; evidence for episodic introduction of metalliferous brines during caprock formation: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 34, p. 435-442.
79. Vendeville, B.C., and Jackson, M.P.A., 1993, Rates of extension and deposition determinewhether growth faults or salt diapirs form: Gulf Coast Section Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Foundation Annual Research Conference, 14th, Houston, Texas, December 5-8, 1993, Proceedings, p. 263-268.
80. Walker, N.H., Huh, O.K., and Rouse, L.J., Jr., 1993, Warm-core eddy discovered in the Gulf of Mexico: EOS, v. 74, p. 337-338.
81. Weimer, P., Varnai, P., Acosta, Z.M., Budhijanto, P.M., Martinez, R.E., Navarro, A.F., Rowan, M.G., McBride, B.C., and Villamil, T., 1994, Sequence stratigraphy of Neogene turbidite systems, northern Green Canyon and Ewing Bank, northern Gulf of Mexico: Gulf Coast Section Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralologists Annual Research Conference, 15th, Houston, Texas, 1994, Proceedings, p. 383-396.
82. Winker, C.D., 1982, Cenozoic shelf-margins, northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 32, p. 427-448.
83. Wornardt, W.W., and Vail, P.R., 1991, Revision of the Plio-Pleistocene cycles and their application to sequence stratigraphy and shelf and slope sediments in the Gulf of Mexico: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 41, p. 719-744.
84. Worrall, D.M., and Snelson, S., 1989, Evolution of the northern Gulf of Mexico, with emphasis on Cenozoic growth faulting and the role of salt: Geological Society of America, Geology of North America, v. A, p. 97-138.
85. Zhao, W.L., Davis, D.M., Dahlen, F.A., and Suppe, J., 1986, Origin of convex accretionary wedges: Evidence for Barbados: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 10,246-10,258.