Diapir structure and its constraint on gas hydrate accumulation in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan

Zhen Zhang; Gao-wen He; Hui-qiang Yao; Xi-guang Deng; Miao Yu; Wei Huang; Wei Deng; Syed Waseem Haider; Naimatullah Sohoo; Noor Ahmed Kalhoro

doi:10.31035/cg2020049

2020 Vol. 3, No. 4

Article Contents

Article navigation > China Geology > 2020 > 3(4): 611-622

Next Article Previous Article

Zhen Zhang, Gao-wen He, Hui-qiang Yao, Xi-guang Deng, Miao Yu, Wei Huang, Wei Deng, Syed Waseem Haider, Naimatullah Sohoo, Noor Ahmed Kalhoro, 2020. Diapir structure and its constraint on gas hydrate accumulation in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan, China Geology, 3, 611-622. doi: 10.31035/cg2020049

Citation:

Diapir structure and its constraint on gas hydrate accumulation in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan

a.
Ministry of Natural Resources Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guangzhou 510760, China
b.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
c.
National Institute of Oceanography, Karachi 75600, Pakistan

More Information

Corresponding author: zhangzhenhnpy@163.com (Zhen Zhang)

Received Date: 17 May 2020

Revised Date: 29 May 2020

Accepted Date: 19 June 2020

Available Online: 25 August 2020

Publish Date: 25 December 2020

Abstract

Abstract

The Makran accretionary prism is located at the junction of the Eurasian Plate, Arabian Plate and Indian Plate and is rich in natural gas hydrate (NGH) resources. It consists of a narrow continental shelf, a broad continental slope, and a deformation front. The continental slope can be further divided into the upper slope, middle slope, and lower slope. There are three types of diapir structure in the accretionary prism, namely mud diapir, mud volcano, and gas chimney. (1) The mud diapirs can be grouped into two types, namely the ones with low arching amplitude and weak-medium activity energy and the ones with high arching amplitude and medium-strong activity energy. The mud diapirs increase from offshore areas towards onshore areas in general, while the ones favorable for the formation of NGH are mainly distributed on the middle slope in the central and western parts of the accretionary prism. (2) The mud volcanoes are mainly concentrated along the anticline ridges in the southern part of the lower slope and the deformation front. (3) The gas chimneys can be grouped into three types, which are located in piggyback basins, active anticline ridges, and inactive anticline ridges, respectively. They are mainly distributed on the middle slope in the central and western parts of the accretionary prism and most of them are accompanied with thrust faults. The gas chimneys located at different tectonic locations started to be active at different time and pierced different horizons. The mud diapirs, mud volcanoes, and gas chimneys and thrust faults serve as the main pathways of gas migration, and thus are the important factors that control the formation, accumulation, and distribution of NGH in the Makran accretionary prism. Mud diapir/gas chimney type hydrate develop in the middle slope, mud volcano type hydrate develop in the southern lower slope and the deformation front, and stepped accretionary prism type hydrate develop on the central and northern lower slope. The middle slope, lower slope and deformation front in the central and western parts of the Makran accretionary prism jointly constitute the NGH prospect area.
- Natural gas hydrate /
- Mud diapir /
- Mud volcano /
- Gas chimney /
- Makran accretionary prism /
- Marine geological survey engineering /
- Offshore Pakistan

FullText(HTML)

References

[1]	Abid H, Moin RK, Nadeem A, Tahir J. 2015. Mud diapirism induced structuration and implications for the definition and mapping of hydrocarbon traps in Makran accretionary prism, Pakistan. Washington, AAPG/SEG International Conference & Exhibition, 13–16. Google Scholar
[2]	Babadi MF, Mehrabi B, Tassi F, Cabassi J, Vaselli O, Shakeri A, Pecchioni E, Venturi S, Zelenski M, Chaplygin I. 2019. Origin of fluids discharged from mud volcanoes in SE Iran. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 106, 190–205. doi: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.05.005 CrossRef Google Scholar
[3]	Bohrmann G, Bahr A, Brinkmann F, Brüning M, Buhmann S, Diekamp V, Enneking K, Fischer D, Gassner A, von Halem G, Huettich D, Kasten S, Klapp S. 2008. Cold seeps of the Makran subduction zone (continental margin of Pakistan): R/V Meteor cruise report M74/3: M74, Leg 3, Fujairah-Male, 30 October-28 November, 2007. Berichte, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, No. 266, 1–161. Google Scholar
[4]	Demets C, Gordon RG, Argus DF. 2010. Geologically current plate motions. Geophysical Journal International, 181(1), 1–80. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246x.2009.04491.x CrossRef Google Scholar
[5]	Dong WL, Huang BJ. 2000. Fluid fracturing, thermal fluid activity and episodic migration of natural gas in Yinggehai Basin. Petroleum Exploration and Development, 27(4), 36–40 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[6]	Ellouz N, Deville E, MÜller C, Lallemant S, Subhani AB, Tabreez AR. 2007a. Impact of sedimentation on convergent margin tectonics: Example of the Makran accretionary prism (Pakistan)//Lacombe O, Roure F, Lavé J, Vergés J (Eds.). Thrust Belts and Foreland Basins. Springer, France, Chapter 17, 327–350. Google Scholar
[7]	Ellouz N, Lallemant S, Castilla R, Mouchot N. 2007b. Offshore frontal part of the Makran accretionary prism: The Chamak survey (Pakistan). Frontiers in Earth Sciences, 18, 351–366. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-69426-7_18 CrossRef Google Scholar
[8]	Fischer D, Mogollón JM, Strasser M, Pape T, Bohrmann G, Fekete N, Spiess V, Kasten S. 2013. Subduction zone earthquake as potential trigger of submarine hydrocarbon seepage. Nature Geoscience, 6(8), 647–651. doi: 10.1038/ngeo1886 CrossRef Google Scholar
[9]	Gaedicke C, Prexl A, Schlüter HU, Meyer H, Roeser H, Clift P. 2002. Seismic stratigraphy and correlation of major regional unconformities in the northern Arabian Sea. Geological Society London Special Publications, 195(1), 25–36. doi: 10.1144/gsl.sp.2002.195.01.03 CrossRef Google Scholar
[10]	Ginsburg GD, Milkov AV, Soloviev VA, Egorov AV, Cherkashev GA, Vogt PR, Crane K, Lorenson TD, Khutorskoy MD. 1999. Gas hydrate accumulation at the Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano. Geo-Marine Letters, 19(1–2), 57–67. doi: 10.1007/s003670050093 CrossRef Google Scholar
[11]	Gong JM, Liao J, Yin WH, Zhang L, He YJ, Sun ZL, Yang CS, Wang JQ, Huang W, Meng M, Cheng HY. 2018a. Gas hydrate accumulation models of Makran accretionary wedge, northern Indian Ocean. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 38(2), 148–155 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[12]	Gong JM, Liao J, Zhang L, He YJ, Zhai B, Meng M, Cheng HY. 2018b. Discussion on the distribution and main controlling factors of mud volcanoes in Makran accretionary wedge, northern Indian Ocean. Geoscience, 32(5), 1025–1030 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[13]	Grando G, McClay K. 2007. Morphotectonics domains and structural styles in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Iran. Sedimentary Geology, 196(1), 157–179. doi: 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2006.05.030 CrossRef Google Scholar
[14]	Gutscher MA, Westbrook GK. 2009. Great earthquakes in slow-subduction, low-taper margins. In: Lallemand S, Funiciello F (Eds.). Subduction Zone Geodynamics. Berlin, Springer-Verlag Berlin, 119–133. Google Scholar
[15]	Harms JC, Cappel HN, Francis DC. 1984. The Makran Coast of Pakistan; its stratigraphy and hydrocarbon potential. In: Haq BU, Milliman JD (Eds.). Marine Geology and Oceanography of Arabian Sea and Coastal Pakistan. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 3–26. Google Scholar
[16]	He JX, Huang HY, Chen LC. 1994. The formation and evolution of mud diapir and its relationship with hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism in Yinggehai Basin. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica, 12(3), 120–129 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[17]	He JX, Wan ZF, Zhang W, Yao YJ, Su PB, Xu X. 2019. Development and evolution of mud diapir/mud volcano and their relationship with accumulation of petroleum and natural gas hydrate in northern South China Sea. Beijing, Science Press, 1–2 (in Chinese). Google Scholar
[18]	Kong L, Zhang ZF, Yuan QM, Liang QY, Shi YH, Lin JQ. 2018. Multi-factor sensitivity analysis on the stability of submarine hydrate-bearing slope. China Geology, 1, 367–373. doi: 10.31035/cg2018051 CrossRef Google Scholar
[19]	Kopp C, Fruehn J, Flueh ER, Reichert C, Kukowski N, Bialas J, Klaeschen D. 2000. Structure of the Makran subduction zone from wide-angle and reflection seismic data. Tectonophysics, 329(1), 171–191. doi: 10.1016/S0040-1951(00)00195-5 CrossRef Google Scholar
[20]	Kukowski N, Schillhorn T, Huhn K, von Rad U, Husen S, Flueh ER. 2001. Morphotectonics and mechanics of the central Makran accretionary wedge off Pakistan. Marine Geology, 173, 1–19. doi: 10.1016/S0025-3227(00)00167-5 CrossRef Google Scholar
[21]	Lee MW, Hutchinson DR, Agena WF, Dillon WP, Miller JJ, Swift BA. 1994. Seismic character of gas hydrates on the southeastern US continental margin. Marine Geophysical Researches, 16, 163–184. doi: 10.1007/BF01237512 CrossRef Google Scholar
[22]	Liao J, Gong JM, He YJ, Yue BJ, Meng M. 2019. Stratigraphic sequence and developmental process of Makran accretionary prism. Marine Geology Frontiers, 35(4), 69–72. Google Scholar
[23]	Liu B, Chen JX, Haider SW, Deng XG, Yang L, Duan ML. 2020. New high-resolution 2D seismic imaging of fluid escape structures in the Makran subduction zone, Arabian Sea. China Geology, 3, 269–282. doi: 10.31035/cg2020027 CrossRef Google Scholar
[24]	Liu J, Sun MJ, Su M, Yang R, Wu NY. 2015. Influence of submarine mud diapirs (mud volcanoes) on gas hydrate accumulation. Geological Science and Technology Information, 34(5), 98–104 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[25]	Luan XW. 2009. Sulfate-methane interface: The upper boundary of gas hydrate zone. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 38(2), 148–155 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[26]	Milkov AV. 2000. Worldwide distribution of submarine mud volcanoes and associated gas hydrates. Marine Geology, 167(1), 29–42. doi: 10.1016/S0025-3227(00)00022-0 CrossRef Google Scholar
[27]	Milkov AV, Sassen R. 2002. Economic geology of offshore gas hydrate accumulations and provinces. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 19(1), 1–11. doi: 10.1016/S0264-8172(01)00047-2 CrossRef Google Scholar
[28]	Minshull TA, White R. 1989. Sediment compaction and fluid migration in the Makran accretionary prism. Journal of Geophysics Research, 94, 7387–7402. doi: 10.1029/JB094iB06p07387 CrossRef Google Scholar
[29]	Platt JP. 1986. Dynamics of orogenic wedges and the uplift of high-pressure metamorphic rocks. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 97, 1037–1053. doi: 10.1130/0016-7606(1986)972.0.CO;2 CrossRef Google Scholar
[30]	Platt JP, Leggett JK, Alam S. 1988. Slip vectors and fault mechanics in the Makran accretionary wedge, Southwest Pakistan. Journal of Geophysical Research, 93(7), 7955–7973. doi: 10.1029/JB093iB07p07955 CrossRef Google Scholar
[31]	Platt JP, Leggett JK, Young J, Raza H, Alam S. 1985. Large-Scale sediment underplating in the Makran accretionary prism, southwest Pakistan. Geology, 13(7), 507–511. doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1985)13<507:LSUITM>2.0.CO;2 CrossRef Google Scholar
[32]	Rice DD, Claypool GE. 1981. Generation, accumulation, and resource potential of biogenic gas. AAPG Bulletin, 65(1), 5–25. doi: 10.1306/2F919765-16CE-11D7-8645000102C1865D CrossRef Google Scholar
[33]	Römer M, Sahling H, Pape T, Bohrmann G, Spieß V. 2012. Quantification of gas bubble emissions from submarine hydrocarbon seeps at the Makran continental margin (offshore Pakistan). Journal of Geophysical Research, 117(C10015), 1–19. doi: 10.1029/2011JC007424 CrossRef Google Scholar
[34]	Schlüter HU, Prexl A, Gaedicke C, Roeser H, Reichert C, Meyer H, von Daniels C. 2002. The Makran accretionary wedge; sediment thicknesses and ages and the origin of mud volcanoes. Marine Geology, 185, 219–232. doi: 10.1016/S0025-3227(02)00192-5 CrossRef Google Scholar
[35]	Sha ZB, Wang HB, Zhang GX, Yang MZ, Liang JQ. 2005. The relationship between diapir structure and gas hydrate mineralization. Earth Science Frontiers, 12(3), 283–288 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar
[36]	Shi WZ, Song ZF, Wang XL, Kong M. 2009. Diapir structure and its origin in the Baiyun depression, Pearl River Mouth Basin, China. Earth Science-Journal of China University of Geosciences, 34(5), 778–784 (in Chinese with English abstract). doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2009.086 CrossRef Google Scholar
[37]	Shi YH, Liang QY, Yang JP, Yuan QM, Wu XM, Kong L. 2019. Stability analysis of submarine slopes in the area of the test production of gas hydrate in the South China Sea. China Geology, 2, 276–286. doi: 10.31035/cg2018122 CrossRef Google Scholar
[38]	Smith G, McNeill L, Henstock TJ, Bull J. 2012. The structure and fault activity of the Makran accretionary prism. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, 1–17. doi: 10.1029/2012JB009312 CrossRef Google Scholar
[39]	von Rad U, Berner U, Delisle G, Doose-Rolinski H, Fechner N, Linke P, Lückge A, Roeser HA, Schmaljohann R, Wiedicke M, Sonne 122/130 Scientific Parties. 2000. Gas and fluid venting at the Makran accretionary wedge off Pakistan. Geo-Marine Letters, 20(1), 10–19. doi: 10.1007/s003670000033 CrossRef Google Scholar
[40]	Wiedicke M, Neben S, Spiess V. 2001. Mud volcanoes at the front of the Makran accretionary complex, Pakistan. Marine Geology, 172, 57–73. doi: 10.1016/S0025-3227(00)00127-4 CrossRef Google Scholar
[41]	Zhang GX, Zhu YH, Liang JQ, Wu SG, Yang MZ, Sha ZB. 2006. Tectonic controls on gas hydrate deposits and their characteristics. Geoscience, 20(4), 605–612 (in Chinese with English abstract). Google Scholar