Gas Hydrate and Free Gas Concentrations in Two Sites inside the Chilean Margin (Itata and Valdivia Offshores)

Two sectors, Itata and Valdivia, which are located in the Chilean margin were analysed by using seismic data with the main purpose to characterize the gas hydrate concentration. Strong lateral velocity variations are recognised, showing a maximum value in Valdivia offshore (2380 ms−1 above the BSR) and a minimum value in the Itata offshore (1380 m·s−1 below the BSR). In both of the sectors, the maximum hydrate concentration reaches 17% of total volume, while the maximum free gas concentration is located Valdivia offshore (0.6% of total volume) in correspondence of an uplift sector. In the Itata offshore, the geothermal gradient that is estimated is variable and ranges from 32 °C·km−1 to 87 °C·km−1, while in Valdivia offshore it is uniform and about 35 °C·km−1. When considering both sites, the highest hydrate concentration is located in the accretionary prism (Valdivia offshore) and highest free gas concentration is distributed upwards, which may be considered as a natural pathway for lateral fluid migration. The results that are presented here contribute to the global knowledge of the relationship between hydrate/free gas presence and tectonic features, such as faults and folds, and furnishes a piece of the regional hydrate potentiality Chile offshore

A cold seep triggered by a hot ridge subduction

The Chile Triple Junction, where the hot active spreading centre of the Chile Rise system subducts beneath the South American plate, offers a unique opportunity to understand the influence of the anomalous thermal regime on an otherwise cold continental margin. Integrated analysis of various geophysical and geological datasets, such as bathymetry, heat flow measured directly by thermal probes and calculated from gas hydrate distribution limits, thermal conductivities, and piston cores, have improved the knowledge about the hydrogeological system. In addition, rock dredging has evidenced the volcanism associated with ridge subduction. Here, we argue that the localized high heat flow over the toe of the accretionary prism results from fluid advection promoted by pressure-driven discharge (i.e., dewatering/discharge caused by horizontal compression of accreted sediments) as reported previously. However, by computing the new heat flow values with legacy data in the study area, we raise the assumption that these anomalous heat flow values are also promoted by the eastern flank of the currently subducting Chile Rise. Part of the rift axis is located just below the toe of the wedge, where active deformation and vigorous fluid advection are most intense, enhanced by the proximity of the young volcanic chain. Our results provide valuable information to current and future studies related to hydrothermal circulation, seismicity, volcanism, gas hydrate stability, and fluid venting in this natural laboratory

Colombian consensus recommendations for diagnosis, management and treatment of the infection by SARS-COV-2/ COVID-19 in health care facilities - Recommendations from expert´s group based and informed on evidence

La Asociación Colombiana de Infectología (ACIN) y el Instituto de Evaluación de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Salud (IETS) conformó un grupo de trabajo para desarrollar recomendaciones informadas y basadas en evidencia, por consenso de expertos para la atención, diagnóstico y manejo de casos de Covid 19. Estas guías son dirigidas al personal de salud y buscar dar recomendaciones en los ámbitos de la atención en salud de los casos de Covid-19, en el contexto nacional de Colombia

Gas Hydrate System Offshore Chile

In recent decades, the Chilean margin has been extensively investigated to better characterize the complex geological setting through the geophysical data. The analysis of seismic lines allowed us to identify the occurrence of gas hydrates and free gas in many places along the margin and the change of the pore fluid due to the potential hydrate dissociation. The porosity reduction due to the hydrate presence is linked to the slope to identify the area more sensitive in case of natural phenomena or induced by human activities that could determine gas hydrate dissociations and/or leakage of the free gas trapped below the gas-hydrate stability zone. Clearly, the gas hydrate reservoir could be a strategic energy reserve for Chile. The steady-state modelling pointed out that the climate change could determine gas hydrate dissociation, triggering slope failure. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of high concentrations of gas hydrate in correspondence of important seafloor slope. The dissociation of gas hydrate could change the petrophysical characteristics of the subsoil triggering slopes, which already occurred in the past. Consequently, it is required to improve knowledge about the behavior of the gas hydrate system in a function of complex natural phenomena before the exploitation of this important resource

PRESENCIA DE GAS HIDRATO Y CARACTERÍSTICAS MORFOESTRUCTURALES EN EL MARGEN CHILENO

2007/2008During the last decades, the scientific community spent many efforts to study the gas hydrates in oceanic and permafrost environments. In fact, the gas hydrate occurrence has a global significance because of the potential energy resource represented by the large amount of hydrocarbon trapped in the hydrate phase. Moreover, it may play a role in global climate change, and it is also study because of the hazard that accumulations of gas hydrate may cause to drilling and seabed installations. In seismic data, the base of the gas hydrate presence is detected by a strong reflector, called BSR. Along the Chilean continental margin, in the last decades the BSR is well reported by several geophysical cruises. In particular, the BSR is recognized along the accretionary prism. An important aspect related to the gas hydrates is the estimate of gas concentration in the pore space by using seismic data. In fact, both compressional and shear wave velocities provide information about the presence of gas hydrate and free gas in marine sediments. A quantitative estimate of gas hydrate and free gas concentrations can be obtained by fitting the theoretical velocity to the experimental velocity. For this purpose, in this Thesis several seismic data are analyzed in order to detect, quantify and explain the gas hydrate presence in this region. Frontal and basal accretions were identified by interpreting six post-stack time migrated sections, which across the entire margin (continental shelf, continental slope, oceanic trench and oceanic crust). The trench infill southwards of Juan Fernandez Ridge is characterized by a succession of reflectors with high and low amplitude associated to turbidites. A thinner bed (0.3 s) was recognized in correspondence to the accretionary prism characterized by several morphological highs. These morphological highs were associated to different accretional stages. On the contrary, a thicker bed (0.8 s) was recognized in correspondence to an uplifted accretionary prism characterized by a smoother topography. Basal and frontal accretions can be related to the morpho-structures recognized in this part of the Chilean margin. Negative and positive flower structures can help to explain the deformational variability of the Chilean margin, because negative flowers structures are associated to transtensional domain, where the continental slope morphology is characterized by normal faults, submarine erosive channels and slump heads. Positive flower structures, instead, are associated to transpresional domain and could explain the presence of older re-activated thrusts, slightly deformed slope basins. Moreover a strike-slip component affecting the oceanic crust, can also involve the continental margin, in fact on the continental slope, positive and negative flower structures can be associated to strike-slip faults parallel to the coast or to Riedel shear. The BSR is an important indicator of gas hydrate and free gas presence and we performed a processing to enhance its presence. In all analysed sections, the BSR was recognized in correspondence to an ancient accretionary prism with different seismic characteristics along the margin. A strong and continuous BSR was recognized in the northern sector (offshore Itata) and southern sector (offshore Coyhaique), while a discontinuous and weak BSR was recognized in the central Chile (offshore Arauco and Valdivia). In order to quantify the gas-phase, an advanced processing was performed. Two portions of sections were selected of about 20 km length. The first one is located in the central part (offshore Arauco) and another one is located in the southernmost part (offshore Coyhaique). In the Coyhaique offshore, the seismic section evidences the presence of a structural high that acts as structural trap for the gas and the fluid upwards migrating. Here, the BSR depth varies from 250 mbsf (in the middle of the accretionary prism) to 130 mbsf (in the structural high), reaching its maximum (330 mbsf) in the fore-arc basin. This depth variability is partially due to the different water depth and partially to the variable geothermal gradient, which varies from 35 to 95° C/km, caused by fluid migration that modifies the gas hydrate stability field. In the Arauco offshore, the BSR is strong and continuous only in a limited area, where it is possible suppose that the fluid is accumulated below the gas hydrate layer and, somewhere, the fluid reaches the seafloor. In this area, the BSR depth reaches 500 mbsf. Here, the higher BSR depth with respect to offshore Coyhaique can be justified by the high water depth and the presence of a lower geothermal gradient (about 30° C/km). The results allowed us to recognize a high (2200 m/s) and low (1270 m/s) velocity layers associated to gas hydrate and free gas presence respectively. The highest gas hydrates and free gas concentrations were detected in the Coyhaique offshore (at 44.5 °S) with an average of 12% and 1% of total volume respectively. By using the instantaneous amplitude, in particular using the BSR/seafloor ratio, it is possible conclude that the section located northernmost in offshore Itata (close to 36 °S; RC2901-728 section), can be considered an interesting reservoir of gas hydrates and free gas, because of the high estimated values of the BSR/seafloor ratio (>0.5). This study suggests that the gas hydrate can play an important role in this part of the Chilean margin for two main reasons. The first one is related to the potentiality of the hydrate reservoir. In fact, the local high concentrations of both hydrate and free gas, as suggested by previous and our studies, could be considered as a future energy resources. The second one is related to the important geo-hazard related to the gas hydrate destabilization. For example, high amount of the free gas, presumably in overpressure condition (Coyhaique offshore), could be naturally released and trigger submarine slides, inducing hydrate instability. Moreover, a possible strong earthquake could generate anomalous sea waves, which could affect at vicinity coast, inducing the gas hydrate destabilization.XX Ciclo197

Wave Equation Datuming Applied to Seismic Data in Shallow Water Environment and Post-Critical Water Bottom Reflection

Coastal areas are generally characterized by human manufacturing; thus, seismic data analysis is necessary to characterize the properties of the subsoil, the main purpose of which is to clarify risk situations. In the case of very shallow water environments, seismic multiple attenuation becomes a challenge when the reflection of the seafloor is post-critical, so it is not recorded because of the acquisition parameters. We propose an approach to attenuate the multiples by using wave equation datuming that does not require the detection of seafloor reflection and avoids the seafloor reflection prediction and related approximations in the post-critical conditions. Moreover, this approach allows for the enhancement of higher frequencies, and, consequently, an increase in resolution, demonstrating that it is a powerful tool to attenuate multiples and reverberations, especially where other approaches are found to be inefficient. An example of the application of seismic data acquired in the continental shelf of South Chile is reported

Gas Hydrate: Environmental and Climate Impacts

This Special Issue reports research spanning from the analysis of indirect data, modelling, laboratory and geological data confirming the intrinsic multidisciplinarity of the gas hydrate studies. The study areas are (1) Arctic, (2) Brazil, (3) Chile and (4) the Mediterranean region. The results furnished an important tessera of the knowledge about the relationship of a gas hydrate system with other complex natural phenomena such as climate change, slope stability and earthquakes, and human activities

A review of the gas hydrate distribution offshore Chilean margin

In last decades, the Chilean margin has been extensively investigated to better characterize the complex geological setting through the acquisition of geophysical data and, in particular, seismic lines. The analysis of seismic lines allowed identifying the occurrence of gas hydrates and free gas in many places along the margin. Clearly, the gas hydrate reservoir could be a strategic energy reserve for Chile, but, on the other hand, the dissociated of gas hydrate due to climate change could be an issue to face. Moreover, this region is characterized by large and mega-scale earthquakes that may contribute to gas hydrate dissociation and consequent submarine slides triggering. In this context, Chilean margin should be considered a natural laboratory to study the hydrate system evolution

Gas Hydrate: Environmental and Climate Impacts

This Special Issue reports research spanning from the analysis of indirect data, modeling, and laboratory and geological data confirming the intrinsic multidisciplinarity of gas hydrate studies. The study areas are (1) Arctic, (2) Brazil, (3) Chile, and (4) the Mediterranean region. The results furnished an important tessera of the knowledge about the relationship of a gas hydrate system with other complex natural phenomena such as climate change, slope stability and earthquakes, and human activities

Gas Hydrate System Offshore Chile

In recent decades, the Chilean margin has been extensively investigated to better characterize the complex geological setting through the geophysical data. The analysis of seismic lines allowed us to identify the occurrence of gas hydrates and free gas in many places along the margin and the change of the pore fluid due to the potential hydrate dissociation. The porosity reduction due to the hydrate presence is linked to the slope to identify the area more sensitive in case of natural phenomena or induced by human activities that could determine gas hydrate dissociations and/or leakage of the free gas trapped below the gas-hydrate stability zone. Clearly, the gas hydrate reservoir could be a strategic energy reserve for Chile. The steady-state modelling pointed out that the climate change could determine gas hydrate dissociation, triggering slope failure. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of high concentrations of gas hydrate in correspondence of important seafloor slope. The dissociation of gas hydrate could change the petrophysical characteristics of the subsoil triggering slopes, which already occurred in the past. Consequently, it is required to improve knowledge about the behavior of the gas hydrate system in a function of complex natural phenomena before the exploitation of this important resource