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

Author

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  • Ewa Burwicz

    (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, D-24148 Kiel, Germany)

  • Lars Rüpke

    (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, D-24148 Kiel, Germany)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Ewa Burwicz & Lars Rüpke, 2019. "Thermal State of the Blake Ridge Gas Hydrate Stability Zone (GHSZ)—Insights on Gas Hydrate Dynamics from a New Multi-Phase Numerical Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-24, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:17:p:3403-:d:263789
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gerald R. Dickens & Charles K. Paull & Paul Wallace, 1997. "Direct measurement of in situ methane quantities in a large gas-hydrate reservoir," Nature, Nature, vol. 385(6615), pages 426-428, January.
    2. Benjamin J. Phrampus & Matthew J. Hornbach, 2012. "Recent changes to the Gulf Stream causing widespread gas hydrate destabilization," Nature, Nature, vol. 490(7421), pages 527-530, October.
    3. Jens Karstens & Haflidi Haflidason & Lukas W. M. Becker & Christian Berndt & Lars Rüpke & Sverre Planke & Volker Liebetrau & Mark Schmidt & Jürgen Mienert, 2018. "Glacigenic sedimentation pulses triggered post-glacial gas hydrate dissociation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Klaus Wallmann & Elena Pinero & Ewa Burwicz & Matthias Haeckel & Christian Hensen & Andrew Dale & Lars Ruepke, 2012. "The Global Inventory of Methane Hydrate in Marine Sediments: A Theoretical Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-50, July.
    5. Matthew J. Hornbach & Demian M. Saffer & W. Steven Holbrook, 2004. "Critically pressured free-gas reservoirs below gas-hydrate provinces," Nature, Nature, vol. 427(6970), pages 142-144, January.
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    1. Maria De La Fuente & Sandra Arndt & Héctor Marín-Moreno & Tim A. Minshull, 2022. "Assessing the Benthic Response to Climate-Driven Methane Hydrate Destabilisation: State of the Art and Future Modelling Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-32, May.
    2. Sulav Dhakal & Ipsita Gupta, 2023. "Gas Hydrates Reserve Characterization Using Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Numerical Simulation: A Case Study of Green Canyon 955, Gulf of Mexico," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-15, April.

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