Diverse Origins of Gases From Mud Volcanoes and Seeps in Tectonically Fragmented Terrane

• Published in: Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems : G3 Vol. 24; no. 10
• Main Authors: Lin, Yueh‐Ting, Rumble, Douglas, Young, Edward D., Labidi, Jabrane, Tu, Tzu‐Hsuan, Chen, Jhen‐Nien, Pape, Thomas, Bohrmann, Gerhard, Lin, Saulwood, Lin, Li‐Hung, Wang, Pei‐Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.10.2023; AGU and the Geochemical Society; Wiley
• Subjects: Abiotic factors; active tectonic regime; Carbon dioxide; Deformation; Degassing; Depth; Dissolved inorganic carbon; Earth Sciences; Equilibrium; Gases; Geochemistry; Helium; helium isotope; Isotope composition; Methane; methane isotopologue; mud volcano; Mud volcanoes; Nitrogen; Offshore; Organic matter; Orogeny; Sciences of the Universe; seep; Seepages; Spatial variations; Subduction; Tectonics; Thermodynamic equilibrium; Volcanic gases; Volcanoes; Volcanology; Taiwan; seep; methane isotopologue; helium isotope; mud volcano; active tectonic regime
• ISSN: 1525-2027; 1525-2027
• DOI: 10.1029/2022GC010791

Identification of methane origins remains a challenging work as current diagnostic signals are often not sufficient to resolve individual formation and post‐formation processes. To address such a knowledge gap in a tectonically active and fragmented terrain, samples from mud volcanoes, gas seeps, and springs distributed along structural features onshore and offshore of Taiwan were analyzed for their isotopic compositions of methane, nitrogen, helium, dissolved inorganic carbon, CO2, and water. Our analyses yielded Δ13CH3D and Δ12CH2D2 values ranging between +1.9‰ and +7.8‰ and between +3.0‰ and +19.9‰, respectively. A portion of the samples were characterized by values that represent the thermodynamic equilibrium at temperatures of 99°–260°C. These temperature estimates, together with the bulk isotopic compositions and local geothermal gradients (25°–30°C/km), suggest that methane was formed by thermal maturation of organic matter at depths of 2–9 km below the land surface and channeled upward along faults. Other samples were found to deviate from equilibrium by varying degrees. Considering the geological background, helium isotopic ratios, and nitrogen isotopologue compositions, and methanogens detected at some sites, these gases are either abiotic in origin or a mixture of microbial and thermogenic sources. Regardless of whether the equilibrium of methane isotopologues was reached, few sites hosted by sedimentary formations were characterized by mantle‐like helium signatures, indicating decoupled origins and potential degassing of helium from the relic igneous source. Overall, these results suggest the extraction of methane and other gases from multiple depths from strata fragmented by fault displacement in an active orogenic belt. Plain Language Summary Mud volcanoes and gas seeps are distributed primarily in active tectonic regimes and represent the surface expression of subsurface fracture networks. They provide rapid access to probing subsurface characteristics for the generations of methane, other gases, and water. Identifying the exact mechanisms of methane formation remains a challenging work due to the lack of diagnostic signals with sufficient resolving power. This study employed a wide range of isotopic tools to constrain the origins of gases and water from mud volcanoes and seeps in Taiwan, where dual subductions and associated arc‐continent collision between the Philippine Sea and Eurasian plates have enabled the plumbing of gases and water in accordance with structure development and stratum deformation. Our results reveal a spectrum of geochemical characteristics that point to diverse formation mechanisms and conditions. In particular, deeply sourced thermogenic methane (from depths of 2–9 km) appears to constitute a major gas component at most sites, and is mixed by various degrees with abiotic methane pertinent to igneous bodies emplaced during subduction/collision, or microbial methane generated at shallow depths. Overall, the results address the temporal and spatial variations in gas origins prone to terrain fragmentation and dynamic structural control associated with mountain building. Key Points Mud volcanoes and gas seeps provide rapid access to probing subsurface fluid characteristics in tectonically active regions Thermogenic methane constitutes a major component of hydrocarbons and forms at temperatures of 99°–260°C A wide spectrum of geochemical characteristics indicates diverse formation mechanisms and conditions that constrain gas and water origins