Oil seepage and carbonate formation: A case study from the southern Gulf of Mexico

Sedimentology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 2318-2353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Smrzka ◽  
Jennifer Zwicker ◽  
David Misch ◽  
Christoph Walkner ◽  
Susanne Gier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Carbonate Formation ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Oil Seepage

scholarly journals Seafloor observations at Campeche Knolls, southern Gulf of Mexico: coexistence of asphalt deposits, oil seepage, and gas venting

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Sahling ◽  
Maxim Rubin Blum ◽  
Christian Borowski ◽  
Elva Escobar-Briones ◽  
Adriana Gaytán-Caballero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Gas Bubble ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Common Component ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Oil Seepage ◽  
Water Depths

Abstract. We studied asphalt deposits, oil seepage and gas venting during a multidisciplinary cruise in the Bay of Campeche, southern Gulf of Mexico. We conducted multibeam bathymetric mapping with an autonomous underwater vehicle and performed seafloor observations as well as sampling with a remotely operated vehicle. While previous studies concentrated on the asphalt volcano Chapopote Knoll, we confirmed that asphalt deposits at the seafloor occurred across numerous other knolls and ridges in water depths between 1230 and 3150 m; this is evidence that the outflow of heavy oil is a common component of hydrocarbon seepage of Campeche Knolls. The outflow of heavy oil either created whips or sheets floating in the water that subsequently descend and pile-up as meter high stacks at the seafloor over time or spread at the seafloor forming flows ranging from meters to tens of meters in diameter. Unlike seafloor-covering asphalts known from other continental margins, those in our study include relatively fresh material. Seafloor observations documented how chemosynthetic communities develop on the asphalts, with bacterial mats and juvenile vestimentiferan tubeworms colonizing the most recent flows. Gas bubble emissions were an additional widespread component of hydrocarbon seepage at Campeche Knolls. The hydrocarbon gas had thermogenic origins, as indicated by the composition (C1/C2-ratio: 14 to 185) and stable carbon isotopic signature of methane (δ13C-CH4: −45.1 to −49.8 ‰). Gas emissions were detected by multibeam echosounder at water depths as great as 3420 m over Tsanyao Yang Knoll. Gas emissions occurred at sites without large asphalt deposits (Tsanyao Yang Knoll) as well as through old, fragmented asphalts (Mictlan Knoll, Chapopote Knoll). The gas emissions feed gas hydrate deposits at shallow seafloor depth. Gas hydrate formed mounds that were ~ 10 m wide by several meters high in soft sediments and filled the space within fragmented asphalts. The largest gas hydrate mounds supported dense colonies of 1–2 m long tubeworms that covered areas > 100 m2. These tubesworms grow with their posterior tubes implanted in a 5 to 10 cm thick reaction zone composed of authigenic carbonates, detritus, and microbial mats that overlie gas hydrate layers that were at least 2 m thick in places. This association between gas hydrates and vestimentifera has been noted in gas seeps at lesser depths, but was developed to an unequaled extent in the Campeche Knolls. Previous studies have documented oil slicks on the ocean surface across many sites in the region. This study found liquid oil emissions in diverse settings. Sites with oil seepage are characterized by oil-soaked sediments, chemosynthetic fauna with associated heterotrophs, and bacterial coatings. Gas bubble emissions and oil seepage occurred independent of asphalt deposits or through old, fragmented asphalts, indicating that presently active hydrocarbon seepage overprints older asphalt deposits. Campeche Knolls are unique in several aspects including the occurrence of recent flows of heavy oil, deep-water hydrocarbon seepage, with many species that are new to science.

scholarly journals Natural vs. anthropogenic sources of hydrocarbons as revealed through biomarker analysis: A case study in the southern Gulf of Mexico

2009 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara M. Scholz-Böttcher ◽  
Stefanie Ahlf ◽  
Felipe Vázquez Gutiérrez ◽  
Jürgen Rullkötter
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Biomarker Analysis ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico

Assessing benthic ecological status under impoverished faunal situations: A case study from the southern Gulf of Mexico

2018 ◽  
Vol 91 ◽  
pp. 679-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norma A. Santibañez-Aguascalientes ◽  
Ángel Borja ◽  
J. Gabriel Kuk-Dzul ◽  
Jorge L. Montero-Muñoz ◽  
Pedro-Luis Ardisson
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico

scholarly journals Supplementary material to "Seafloor observations at Campeche Knolls, southern Gulf of Mexico: coexistence of asphalt deposits, oil seepage, and gas venting"

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Sahling ◽  
Maxim Rubin Blum ◽  
Christian Borowski ◽  
Elva Escobar-Briones ◽  
Adriana Gaytán-Caballero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Oil Seepage ◽  
Supplementary Material

A PREVIEW TO THE DIGITAL COMPONENT IN THE NEW WIRELINE FORMATION TESTING ERA: GULF OF MEXICO CASE STUDY

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
German Garcia ◽  
◽  
Hadrien Dumont ◽  
Simon Edmundson ◽  
Chris Babin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico

scholarly journals Critical In-Water Habitats for Post-Nesting Sea Turtles from the Southern Gulf of Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 793
Author(s):  
Abigail Uribe-Martínez ◽  
María de los Angeles Liceaga-Correa ◽  
Eduardo Cuevas
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Large Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Physical Features

Marine turtles are globally endangered species that spend more than 95% of their life cycle in in-water habitats. Nevertheless, most of the conservation, recovery and research efforts have targeted the on-land habitats, due to their easier access, where adult females lay their eggs. Targeting the large knowledge gaps on the in-water critical habitats of turtles, particularly in the Large Marine Ecosystem Gulf of Mexico, is crucial for their conservation and recovery in the long term. We used satellite telemetry to track 85 nesting females from their beaches after they nested to identify their feeding and residency habitats, their migratory corridors and to describe the context for those areas. We delimited major migratory corridors in the southern Gulf of Mexico and West Caribbean and described physical features of internesting and feeding home ranges located mainly around the Yucatan Peninsula and Veracruz, Mexico. We also contributed by describing general aggregation and movement patterns for the four marine turtle species in the Atlantic, expanding the knowledge of the studied species. Several tracked individuals emigrated from the Gulf of Mexico to as far as Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Bahamas. This information is critical for identifying gaps in marine protection and for deciphering the spatial connectivity in large ocean basins, and it provides an opportunity to assess potential impacts on marine turtle populations and their habitats.

Morphological variations of Phrosina semilunata Risso, 1822 juveniles (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea), new evidence from the Gulf of Mexico

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4995 (3) ◽  
pp. 594-600
Author(s):  
MARCO VIOLANTE-HUERTA ◽  
LAURA SANVICENTE-AÑORVE ◽  
MARGARITA HERMOSO-SALAZAR ◽  
AURORA MARRÓN-BECERRA
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Monotypic Genus ◽  
Stages Of Development ◽  
Morphological Variations ◽  
Stages Of Growth ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

Lack of knowledge of morphological variations during growth of amphipod crustaceans can result in misidentification of species. In this study, we advance the knowledge of morphological variations of juveniles of the monotypic genus Phrosina Risso, 1822 collected in the oceanic province of the southern Gulf of Mexico. The juveniles differed from the adults mainly in the morphology of pereopods 3 & 4 in that the carpal process is parallel to the propodus, also the rami of the pleopoda consist of only four segments, uropoda 3 are more lanceolate, and the uropoda bear a large prominent spine terminally. These morphological variations have not been described for the species previously. Therefore, the current observations enrich the description of P. semilunata in the early stages of growth and support the need for further taxonomical studiest that could help identify species at different stages of development.  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document