Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand
Globally, a wide range of pockmarks have been identified onshore and offshore. These features can be used as indicators of fluid expulsion through unconsolidated sediments within sedimentary basin-fills. The Great South Basin, New Zealand, is one such basin where paleo-pockmarks are observed at arou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.683617/full |
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| author | Arunee Karaket Piyaphong Chenrai Piyaphong Chenrai Mads Huuse |
| author_facet | Arunee Karaket Piyaphong Chenrai Piyaphong Chenrai Mads Huuse |
| author_sort | Arunee Karaket |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Globally, a wide range of pockmarks have been identified onshore and offshore. These features can be used as indicators of fluid expulsion through unconsolidated sediments within sedimentary basin-fills. The Great South Basin, New Zealand, is one such basin where paleo-pockmarks are observed at around 1,500 m below the seabed. This study aims to describe the characteristics of paleo-pockmarks in the Great South Basin. Numerous paleo-pockmarks are identified and imaged using three-dimensional seismic reflection data and hosted by fine-grained sediments of the Middle Eocene Laing Formation. The paleo-pockmarks are aligned in a southwest to northeast direction to form a fan-shaped distribution with a high density of around 67 paleo-pockmarks per square kilometre in the centre of the study area. The paleo-pockmarks in this area have a similar shape, varying from sub-rounded to a rounded planform shape, but vary in size, ranging from 138 to 481 m in diameter, and 15–45 ms (TWT) depth. The origin of the fluids that contributed to the paleo-pockmark formation is suggested, based on seismic observations, to be biogenic methane. The basin floor fan deposits beneath the interval hosting the paleo-pockmark might have enhanced fluid migration through permeable layers in this basin-fill. This model can help to explain pockmark formation in deep water sedimentary systems, and may inform future studies of fluid migration and expulsion in sediment sinks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:52:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d570ff1a853464894be4b698868533d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:52:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d570ff1a853464894be4b698868533d2022-12-21T20:20:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632021-08-01910.3389/feart.2021.683617683617Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New ZealandArunee Karaket0Piyaphong Chenrai1Piyaphong Chenrai2Mads Huuse3Basin Analysis and Structural Evolution Research Unit (BASE RU), Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandBasin Analysis and Structural Evolution Research Unit (BASE RU), Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandM.Sc. Program in Petroleum Geoscience, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomGlobally, a wide range of pockmarks have been identified onshore and offshore. These features can be used as indicators of fluid expulsion through unconsolidated sediments within sedimentary basin-fills. The Great South Basin, New Zealand, is one such basin where paleo-pockmarks are observed at around 1,500 m below the seabed. This study aims to describe the characteristics of paleo-pockmarks in the Great South Basin. Numerous paleo-pockmarks are identified and imaged using three-dimensional seismic reflection data and hosted by fine-grained sediments of the Middle Eocene Laing Formation. The paleo-pockmarks are aligned in a southwest to northeast direction to form a fan-shaped distribution with a high density of around 67 paleo-pockmarks per square kilometre in the centre of the study area. The paleo-pockmarks in this area have a similar shape, varying from sub-rounded to a rounded planform shape, but vary in size, ranging from 138 to 481 m in diameter, and 15–45 ms (TWT) depth. The origin of the fluids that contributed to the paleo-pockmark formation is suggested, based on seismic observations, to be biogenic methane. The basin floor fan deposits beneath the interval hosting the paleo-pockmark might have enhanced fluid migration through permeable layers in this basin-fill. This model can help to explain pockmark formation in deep water sedimentary systems, and may inform future studies of fluid migration and expulsion in sediment sinks.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.683617/fullpaleo-pockmarkseismic interpretationgreat south basinbiogenic methanefluid expulsion |
| spellingShingle | Arunee Karaket Piyaphong Chenrai Piyaphong Chenrai Mads Huuse Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand Frontiers in Earth Science paleo-pockmark seismic interpretation great south basin biogenic methane fluid expulsion |
| title | Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand |
| title_full | Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand |
| title_fullStr | Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand |
| title_short | Seismic Characteristics of Paleo-Pockmarks in the Great South Basin, New Zealand |
| title_sort | seismic characteristics of paleo pockmarks in the great south basin new zealand |
| topic | paleo-pockmark seismic interpretation great south basin biogenic methane fluid expulsion |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.683617/full |
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