Mud volcanoes in the South Caspian basin: Nature and estimated depth of its products

Akper A. Feyzullayev

Geology Institute of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Baku, Azerbaijan;.

DOI: 10.4236/ns.2012.47060                

Abstract

In paper based on the results of previous studies and latest investigations of mud volcanoes in the South Caspian basin the depth occurrence of fluid, mud and rocks are calculated and modeled. Major factors causing formation of diapirism/mud volcanism in the South Caspian basin are Pliocene-Quaternary high sedimentation rates (up to 3 km/my), super thick sedimentary cover (up to 25-30 km), predominance of clayey rocks (reaching 80%) in the section, low temperatures (with 15℃-18℃/km gradient), overpressures reaching lithostatic, the onset of petroleum generation lowered to considerable depths. The majority of the mud volcanoes are associated with the petroleum bearing structures. Depths where the liquid, gaseous and solid products of mud volcanoes are sourced appear to be different. The gases have the deepest roots (7-15 km) which are the main force in formation and activity of MVs. Source of the fluidized clayey mass does not lie below 3-4 km. Oils emitted by mud volcanoes are the product of destruction of petroleum accumulations occurring beneath them.

Keywords

Mud Volcano; Fluid; Geochemistry; Temperature; Depth; South Caspian Basin

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Yakubov, A., Ali-Zade, A. and Zeinalov, M. (1971) Mud volcanoes of the Azerbaijan Republic. Nafta Press, Baku, (in Russian).
[2]	Aliyev, A.A. and Kabulova, A.Y. (1980) Isotope of helium in gases of mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan. Reports of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, 36, 52-56 (in Russian).
[3]	Valyaev, B.M., Grinchenko, Y.I., Erokhin, V.E., Prokhorov, V.S. and Titkov, G.A. (1985) Isotopic composition of gases from mud volcanoes. Lithology and Minerals, 20, 62-75 (in Russian).
[4]	Rakhmanov, R.R. (1987) Mud volcanoes and their implications for oil and gas prediction. Nedra, Moscow (in Russian).
[5]	Ginsburg, G.D., Guseynov, R.A., Dadashev, A.A., Ivanova, G.A., Kazantsev, S.A., Solovyev, V.A., Telepnev, E.V., Askeri-Nasirov, R.Ye., Esikov, A.D., Maltseva, V.I., Mashirov, Yu.G. and Shabayeva, I.Yu. (1992) Gas hydrates of the Southern Caspian. International Geology Review, 34, 765-782. doi:10.1080/00206819209465635
[6]	Guliyev, I.S. and Feyzullayev, A.A. (1996) Geochemistry of hydrocarbon seepages in Azerbaijan. In: Shumacher, D. and Abrams M., Eds., Hydrocarbon Migration and Its Near-Surface Expression, AAPG Memoir, 66, 63-70.
[7]	Mukhtarov, A., Kadirov, F., Guliyev, I., Lerche, I. and Feyzullayev, A. (2003) Temperature variations in the Lokbatan mud volcano crater (Azerbaijan) after the eruption in 25 October 2001. Energy Exploration and Exploitation, 21, 187-207. doi:10.1260/014459803769520043
[8]	Kadirov, F.A. and Mukhtarov, A.Sh. (2004) Geophysical fields, deep structure and dynamics of the Lokbatan mud volcano. Fizika Zemli, 40, 327-333 (in Russian).
[9]	Guliyev, I.S., Feyzullayev, A.A. and Husseynov, D.A. (2004) Geochemical features and source of fluids of mud volcanoes in South Caspian basin in lights of new data at isotopes С, Н, and О. Geochimiya, 7, 792-800 (in Russian).
[10]	Feyzullayev, A.A., Kadirov, F.A. and Aliyev, Ch.S. (2005) Mud volcano model resulting from geophysical and geo- chemical research. In: Martinelli G. and Panahi B., Eds., Mud Volcanoes, Geodynamics and Seismicity, Springer, Berlin, 251-261. doi:10.1007/1-4020-3204-8_23
[11]	Guliyev, I.S., Feyzullayev, A.A., Aliyev, A.A. and Movsumova, U.A. (2005) Composition of gases and organic matter of rocks ejecta of mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan. Geologiya nefti i Gaza, 3, 27-30 (in Russian).
[12]	Isaksen, G., Aliyev, A., Guliyev, I., Barboza, S. and Puls, D. (2007) Regional evaluation of source rock quality in Azerbaijan from the geochemistry of organic-rich rocks in mud-volcano ejecta. AAPG Special Volumes, 51-64.
[13]	Mellors, R., Kilb, D., Aliyev, A., Gasanov, A. and Yetirmishli, G. (2007) Correlations between earthquakes and large mud volcano eruptions. Journal of Geophysical Research, 112, B04304. doi:10.1029/2006JB004489
[14]	Etiope, G., Feyzullayev, A.A., Milkov, A.V., Waseda, A., Mizobe, K. and Sun, C.H. (2009) Evidence of subsurface anaerobic biodegradation of hydrocarbons and potential secondary methanogenesis in terrestrial mud volcanoes. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 26, 1692-1703. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2008.12.002
[15]	Kopf, A., Stegmanna, S., Delisle, G., Panahic, B., Aliyev, C. and Guliyev, I. (2009) In situ cone penetration tests at the active Dashgil mud volcano, Azerbaijan: Evidence for excess fluid pressure, updoming, and possible future violent eruption. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 26, 1716- 1723. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2008.11.005
[16]	Feyzullayev, A.A. and Movsumova, U.A. (2010) The Nature of the isotopically heavy carbon composition of carbon dioxide and bicarbonates in the waters of mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan. Geochemistry International, 48, 517- 522. doi:10.1134/S0016702910050083
[17]	Philip, H., Cisternas, A., Gvishiani, A. and Gorshkov, A. (1989) The Caucasus: an actual example of the initial stages of continental collision. Tectonophysics, 161, 1-21. doi:10.1016/0040-1951(89)90297-7
[18]	Axen, G.J., Lam, P.S., Grove, M. and Stockli, D.F. (2001) Exhumation of the west-central Alborz mountains, Iran, Caspian subsidence, and collision-related tectonics. Geology, 29, 559-562. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0559:EOTWCA>2.0.CO;2
[19]	Jackson, J.K., Priestley, K., Allen, M.B. and Berberian, M. (2002) Active tectonics of the South Caspian Basin. Geo- physical Journal International, 148, 214-245.
[20]	Guliyev, I.S., Kadirov, F.A., Reilinger, R.E., Gasanov, R.I. and Mamedov, A.R. (2002) Active tectonics in Azerbaijan based on geodetic, gravimetric, and seismic data. Earth Science Section, 383, 174-177.
[21]	Feyzullayev, А.А. (2010) Physik-chemical interaction in the rock-fluid system in connection with ontogenesis of oil and gas (an example of the South Caspian basin). News of ANAS, Earth Sciences Series, 4, 28-45 (in Russian).
[22]	Faber, E.Z. (1987) Isotopengeochemie gasformiger Kohlenwasserstoffe. Erdole, Erdgas and Kohle, 103, 210-218 (in German).
[23]	Peters, K. and Moldovan, J. (1993) The biomarker guide: Interpreting molecular fossils in petroleum and ancient sediments. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
[24]	Capozzi, R. and Picotti, V. (2002) Fluid migration and origin of a mud volcano in the Northern Apennines (Italy): The role of deeply rooted normal faults. Terra Nova, 14, 363-370. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3121.2002.00430.x
[25]	Mattavelli, L., Ricchiuto, T., Grignani, D. and Schoell, M. (1983) Geochemistry and habitat of natural gases in Po basin, Northern Italy. AAPG Bulletin, 67, 2239-2254.
[26]	Nakadaa, R., Takahashia, Y., Tsunogaib, U., Zhengc, G., Shimizua, H. and Hattorid, K. (2011) A geochemical study on mud volcanoes in the Junggar Basin, China. Applied Geochemistry, 26, 1065-1076. doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.03.011
[27]	Feyzullayev, A.A. and Aliyeva, Es.A. (2003) Estimation of the various source rocks contribution in oil pools formation. Proceedings of EAGE 65 Conference and Exhibition, Stavanger, 2-5 June 2003.
[28]	Planke, S., Svensen, H., Hovland, M., Banks, D.A. and Jamtveit, B. (2003) Mud and fluid migration in active mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan. Geo-Marine Letters, 23, 258-268. doi:10.1007/s00367-003-0152-z
[29]	Hovland, M., Rueslеtten, H., Lifhseth, H., Fichler, C. and Johnsen, H. (2006) Mud volcanoes—A result of supercritical water formation at depth? Proceedings of AAPG/ GSTT Hedberg Conference Mobile Shale Basins—Genesis, Evolution and Hydrocarbon Systems, Trinidad and Tobago, 4-7 June 2006.
[30]	Mazzini, A. (2009) Mud volcanism: Processes and implications. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 26, 1677-1680. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2009.05.003
[31]	Cooper, C. (2001) Mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan visualized using 3D seismic depth cubes: The importance of overpressured fluid and gas instead of non extant diapirs. Proceedings of Subsurface Sediment Mobilization Conference, Ghent, 10-13 September, 2001.
[32]	Kopf, A., Robertson, A.H. and Volkmann, N. (2000) Origin of mud breccia from the Mediterranean ridge accretionary complex based on evidence of maturity of organic matter and related petrographic and regional tectonic evidence. Marine Geology, 166, 65-82. doi:10.1016/S0025-3227(00)00009-8
[33]	Arafin, S. (2005) Three-dimensional gravity modeling of a Trinidad mud volcano. West Indies Exploration Geo- physics, 36, 329-333. doi:10.1071/EG05329