Hi sureshbansal342:
sureshbansal342 wrote:MY point is there is no need to manipluate it with abiogenic origin while we have strong evidence of its deep origin.
Please explain what you mean.
sureshbansal342 wrote:we can not ignore the scientific chemical test evidence of its biogenic origin.
Please provide the "chemical test evidence" for oil's biogenic origin.
At this time, ALL supposed evidence for oil's biogenic origin has been fully addressed and dismissed. In fact, the abiotic markers for oil, such as minerals, which are plentiful in the deep crust and shallow mantel, but rare at the surface and shallow crust, helium, and daimondoids, all demonstrate petroleum's deep abiotic origin.
With due respect, sureshbansal342, your opinion that Earth is analogous to a living tree is not supported by the scientific evidence. Your opinion is a philosophical stance -- not connected to any scientific definition and/or rigor -- only in a loose philosophical vain would the Earth constitute a living body. (And in that loose philosophical vain, I have sympathy for your analogy. Humans need to be stewards of the Earth and thinking of it as something that can "die", perhaps, makes Man more cognizant of his responsibilities to his fellow man, and the other living creatures he is so priviledged to share this wonderful globe with.)
Hi Chromium6:
The paper you present regarding the "Dolomite Problem", is insufficient. It does not answer the dolomite problem because while in rare instances bacteria in highly saline lagoons have been shown to promote the formation of dolomite, it does not explain the scientific evidence for rapid dolomite intrusion and/or replacement, which would require large amounts of ready dolomite already constituted in the crust of the Earth. Also, it does not come close to explaining the huge amount of dolomite in the Italian Dolomite Mountains, and, as the name implies, these mountains are constituted, in large part, of dolomite.
The paper you present is actually more of an apologia for conventional geology's insistence that dolomite forms above the Earth's surface in an aqua solution, then precipitates into sedimentary deposits even though there is no laboratory evidence for such, and very limited field evidence (the bacteria in saline lagoons suggested by the paper), thus, the "Dolomite Problem."
What the scientific evidence suggests to me is that the conventional geological view where almost all sediments originate from surface erosion which then is washed down into low lying basins is incorrect. The best evidence is that a large perecentage of sediments were generated within the Earth's crust, then, extruded onto the surface.
A physical process known as diapirism, where either igneous rocks, shale (mud), and salt rises from the cracks & fissures in the bedrock (along with petroleum in brine form).
Martin Hovland is a geologist, who works for Statoil, the Norwegian national oil company, and has developed a scientifically supported hypothesis regarding the origin of various materials on and within the sea floor: (Incidently, Martin Hovland subscribes to Abiotic Oil Theory.)
Martin Hovland wrote:The Hydrothermal Mud Theory
Kilometre thick layers of mud (clay) covers the world’s oceanic crust and portions of continental crust. Where does all this clay originate? Rivers and glaciers is a common answer. However, there may be another, much more active and virulent culprit – the deep-ocean hot vents and buried hydrothermal systems.
What happens when seawater enters down into the porous and fractured oceanic crust? It heats up and becomes supercritical because of the high pressure (i.e., more than 300 bar pressure). When water is in its supercritical state, it has a density of only 0.3 g/cm3 and flows into any crack or fissure, no matter how thin it may be. Actually, supercritical water produces its own voids, as it flows effortlessly through rock by dissolution – like smoke drifting through air! Supercritical water is so acid and reactive that it dissolves any rock type. In its wake, it leaves behind ‘alteration products’ and re-mineralized rock. It leaves beautiful patterns, ranging from highly fractured and veined rock, to whispy patterns, like turbulent flowing water.
One of its products is mineral colloids, which are transported in a slurry through rock conduits, the hydrothermal zones of rock and sedimentary layers. The colloids react with each other and form various kinds of clay minerals (montmorillonite, kaolinite, etc.) according to mineral types being transported. Mud volcanoes are one of the surface manifestations of this type of hydrothermal system... [...]
http://www.martinhovland.com/mud_volcanoes.htmPotentially, water and other molecules are also likely intruded below the surface or extruded onto the surface with their origin being within the deep crust or even shallow mantle.
Martin Hovland wrote:The Hydrothermal Salt Theory
On earth, there exist over 200 large salty desrts, including salt flats and salt pans, such as ‘Great Salt Lake’, in USA. In addition there are just as many alkaline lakes on earth, such as ‘Lake Van’, in Turkey, ‘Salton Sea’ and ‘Mono Lake’, in USA. Thus, large portions of earth’s land surface is useless and salt-ridden. In earth’s largest water reservoir, the ocean, there is plenty of salt (3.4 %). However, most of this planet’s salt is hidden from sight, and is stored in kilometre thick layers under the ocean floor and land surfaces.
Where does all this salt come from? Solar evaporation of seawater is the most common geological answer. However, there may be a much more dynamic and widespread process that can account for most of the salt on our planet (and also other planets, such as Mars). The process is actively producing salt on earth continuously in areas such as the Red Sea, the Danakil depression (Eritrea, Ethiopia), and along spreading zones, such as the Gakkel Ridge, under the north pole.
The main salt-forming agent is supercritical water. When water becomes supercritical at temperatures above 380oC, combined with pressures above 230 bars, it turns into a non-polar fluid. This H2O-phase can no longer dissolve salts! The consequence is that whenever seawater enters into a hydrothermal system and is forced to flow down (by ’forced convection’) into the bowels of the crust, it becomes supercritical and has to drop its load of salt. When this water rises up again from depth, it condenses to fresh-water, leaving masses of solid salt particles behind.
Some of the kilometre high salt domes and walls residing underground, known from sedimentary basins all over the world, act as conduits for hydrothermal fluids. Thus, they work in much the same way as mud volcanoes and can have violent outbursts, such as from the ‘Sedom’ salt dome, in Israel, which erupted fire, solids, and fluids in biblical times. “If you look back, you will turn into a pillar of salt…” – Lot’s wife did, and she now resides on ‘Mt Sedom’, as a pillar of anhydrite, CaSO4, one of the main salts on earth….[...]
http://www.martinhovland.com/new_salt_theory.htmAn early and important area of research & study for Martin Hovland was the formation and mechanics of sea bottom pockmarks (a type of diapirism):
Martin Hovalnd wrote:Pockmarks
Pockmarks are craters in the seabed formed by the expulsion of gas and/or water from sediments. These features occur world-wide, in the ocean at all depths, in lakes, and probably on some of the planet Mars. They were first discovered off Nova Scotia by Lew King and Brian MacLean, 1970.
http://www.martinhovland.com/pockmarks.htmAnd because I have cited Martin Hovland in support of certain ideas, let me present a published paper by lead author Martin Hovland.
AAPG/GSTT HEDBERG CONFERENCE, “Mobile Shale Basins – Genesis, Evolution and Hydrocarbon Systems “, June 4-7, 2006 – Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Mud volcanoes – a result of supercritical water formation at depth?
By Marin Hovland, Statoil, Håkon Rueslåtten, Numerical Rocks, Helge Løseth, Statoil, Christine Fichler, Statoil, Hans Konrad Johnsen, Statoil.
Martin Hovland, et al., wrote:Geological setting of mud volcanoes
Mud volcanoes occur in deep sedimentary basins located at relict or active plate boundaries. Some pertinent examples are:
- Chandragup, located on the Makran Accretionary Wedge, Pakistan.
- Abundant mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan, located on a very deep (>20 km) backarc-related sedimentary basin.
- Marine mud volcanoes, such as the Campeche Knolls (shale/salt diapirs), in the Gulf of Mexico, located on the flank of a previous spreading system.
- Large mud volcanoes on the Mid Mediterranean Ridge, located on a subduction/accretionary system.
- Mud volcanoes on and off Trinidad, located on a transform plate boundary.
Mud volcanoes have been studied for more than 100 years. Hedberg (1974) concluded that they were consequences of over-pressure caused by oil and gas generation at depth. A problem with this hypothesis are the difficulties of explaining the formation of some of the products that well up together with hydrocarbons in most mud volcanoes.
Products of mud volcanoes
In general, the terrestrial and ocean-bottom mud volcanoes produce three main components: very fine-grained clayey material (‘mud gel’), water of varying chlorinity, and hydrocarbons: both liquids and gases (Brown, 1990; Hovland et al., 1997; Milkov, 2000; Planke et al., 2003).
Planke et al. (2003), found that terrestrial mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan emitted brines with net additions of B, Na, Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Ba, U, Cl, and Br and a net removal of Ca, Mg, K, and SO4, compared to seawater. This is despite the Caspian Sea being an intra-continental drainage basin (draining the Volga river), without marine contact, and despite there being any underlying salt deposits in the Azeri/South Caspian sedimentary basin.
Recently, a completely new type of fluid-releasing piercement structure was found in the Campeche Basin, off Yucatan, Mexico: an ‘Asphalt volcano’ (MacDonald et al., 2004). At least two such features (one named ‘Chapopote’) were found at 3,000 m water depth. They occur at the apex of large, deep-rooted vertical salt piercement structures (salt diapirs). The Campeche volcanoes also produce light hydrocarbons, which are detectable on the sea-surface with satellite technology (MacDonald et al., 2004). There is a possible link between inferred hydrothermal processes at the root of the Chapopote salt stock and the venting asphalt on the seafloor (Hovland et al., 2005). It is suggested that the process that produces asphalt material in Chapopote is similar to the process that causes the petroleum venting from terrestrial and marine mud volcanoes. Consequently, these volcanoes can be reckoned in the same family as mud volcanoes.
A new formation hypothesis
Due to the lack of a convincing and unifying model for the formation of the World’s numerous terrestrial and marine mud volcanoes, we are currently examining the possible role of supercritical water formed at depth in sedimentary basins. From observations of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, it is known that ‘phase separation’ occurs (Bischoff and Rosenbauer, 1989). ‘Phase separation’ is just another term for ‘supercritical water’, which forms at elevated temperatures and pressures. For seawater, the supercritical point is around Tc=405oC, and Pc=300 bars (equivalent to a seawater hydrostatic pressure of 2,800 m water depth). [...]
http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstr ... ovland.htmNote:
Martin Hovland, et al., wrote:This is despite the Caspian Sea being an intra-continental drainage basin (draining the Volga river), without marine contact, and despite there being any underlying salt deposits in the Azeri/South Caspian sedimentary basin.
Which I suggest means saline brine is produced even where there is no ready sedimentary deposits of halite, commonly referred to as rock salt.
Keep in mind this diapirism process when reviewing Eugene Coste's statement & prediction:
The oil- and gas-fields are located along the faulted and fissured zones of the crust of the earth, parallel to the great orogenic and volcanic dislocations. -- Eugene Coste, abiotic oil theorist & hydrocarbon explorationist
Remember the discussion of the Mediterranean Ridge:
Wikipedia entry wrote:The Mediterranean Ridge is a wide ridge in the bed of the Mediterranean Sea, running along a rough quarter circle from Calabria, south of Crete, to the southwest corner of Turkey, and from there eastwards south of Turkey, including Cyprus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_RidgeThe Mediterranean Ridge runs parallel to the orogenic dislocation of the Hellenic Arc and Hellenic Trench. The Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex is approximately 1,500 miles (appox. 2,500 kilometers) long from the Ionian Sea to the far eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Cyprus. And averages 90 to 180 miles wide (150 to 300 kilometers). (An illustration depicting the Mediterranean Ridge is provided with the Wikipedia entry.)
Martin Hovland, et al., wrote:Mud volcanoes occur in deep sedimentary basins located at relict or active plate boundaries. Some pertinent examples are: [...] Large mud volcanoes on the Mid Mediterranean Ridge, located on a subduction/accretionary system. [...] It is suggested that the process that produces asphalt material in Chapopote is similar to the process that causes the petroleum venting from terrestrial and marine mud volcanoes.
Let's look at an abstract which describes the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex.
The Mediterranean Ridge and related mud diapirism: a background, A.F. Limonova, J.M. Woodsideb, M.B. Citac, M.K. Ivanova (1996).
A.F. Limonova, et al., wrote:Abstract
The Mediterranean Ridge, stretching from the Calabrian Rise to the Florence Rise, is the largest structural unit of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It is directly related to ongoing convergence and collision of the African and Eurasian plates, starting in the Oligocene, and is considered to be a giant accretionary complex consisting of intensively folded and faulted rocks of the African margin. Since its origin in the late Miocene, the Ridge continued to grow up and outward, experiencing more deformation because of the developing collision. The mud diapirism and mud volcanism are usual and wide-spread phenomena for the Mediterranean Ridge that developed as a result of an intensive tectonic overburden due to stacking of rock units by thrusting and strong lateral compressional stress pressing up and squeezing plastic sedimentary series out onto the seafloor.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 2796001508And let's follow up with the geochemistry of the Mediterranean Ridge:
The inorganic geochemistry of a Mediterranean Ridge mud breccia, Simon J. Wakefield, Gerard M. O'Sullivan (1996).
Wakefield & O'Sullivan wrote:Abstract
A shallow penetration core from the Napoli Dome within the Olimpi Mud Volcano field has been characterised geochemically. The sediment can be considered to be essentially a mixture of a carbonate-rich, aluminium-poor component with a carbonate-poor, aluminium-rich one. This major lithological variation controls the geochemistry of Sr [strontium] and Mn [manganese] (carbonate associated) and of Fe, Zn, Si and Ni (aluminium associated). Other minor elements e.g. Cu, Rb, V, and Zr show a surface enrichment in the hemipelagic veneer at the top of the core while Mo and As are enriched sub-surface in association with sulphides. Organic carbon and nitrogen show clear decreases with depth but differential diagenesis degrades the organic matter such that the C/N ratio increases with depth from 9 to 18. Linked to this organic material is a massive peak of barium, an order of magnitude above background, centred on a nitrogen poor horizon at 31 cm with a C/N ratio of 29. Pore water Si and P profiles increase with depth to 200 μM and 31 μM, respectively, indicating that this mud breccia facies is a potential source of nutrients to the Mediterranean Sea.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 2795001611The Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex is still actively expanding:
Rate of outward growth of the Mediterranean ridge accretionary complex, Kim A. Kastens (1991)
Kim A. Kastens wrote:The position as a function time of the deformation front on the southwest flank of the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex is constrained as follows:
1. (a) the deformation front is now active;
[...]
5. (e) a gypsum-bearing breccia in DSDP Site 125 requires that the site was either on the abyssal plain or within the tectonically active outer perimeter of the accretionary complex during the Messinian salinity crisis;
[...]
Together, these constraints define a range of potential growth curves for the Mediterranean Ridge, with a rate of outward growth of approximately 0.5 to 2 cm/yr. This growth rate is faster than that inferred for most other modern accretionary prisms, both as an absolute value, and as a fraction of the subduction velocity. An unusually thick incoming section and/or an unusually weak (evaporitic) décollement may contribute to the rapid growth rate. The inferred age of accretion does not increase linearly with distance from the deformation front; rather, there is an apparent acceleration of the rate of outward growth through time.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 519190117BAnd, let's take a more recent look at the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex:
Structural setting and tectonic control of mud volcanoes from the Central Mediterranean Ridge (Eastern Mediterranean), by C Huguen (2004).
C Huguen wrote:Abstract
Based on a recent marine geophysical data set, including swath bathymetry, acoustic imagery and six-channel seismics, recorded over a large area of the Mediterranean Ridge (MR) in early 1998 during the Prismed 2 survey, this paper presents a study of the various relationships observed between tectonic features cutting across the Central Mediterranean Ridge accretionary wedge and massive mud expulsions (known as mud volcanoes), identified over large areas of the ridge. Regional mapping of two of the mud volcano fields previously only partly investigated (Olimpi and United Nations Rise) revealed the presence of many new mud expulsion centres and a third new mud volcano field has been identified. All the mud features show great variability in morphology, size and backscatter strength of their surrounding mud flows. Based on their contrasting morpho-acoustic characteristics, we propose a classification into three main groups of mud construction: (1) "mud volcanoes", these consist of subcircular and prominent reliefs, often associated with high backscatter mud flows; (2) "mud domes", similar to mud volcano, but smaller, these occurrences correspond to weakly reflective mud constructions; (3) "mud plateaus" represent a third category which appears as wide, often highly reflective and rather flat mud extrusions. From all available data, an attempt to explain the different mud ascent processes and driving forces is discussed, in relation to the initial collision structural setting of the Central Mediterranean Ridge. Within this area, most of the mud constructions have been observed to be associated with tectonic features and, in particular, with strike-slip faulting for the first time. As a hypothesis, we propose in this paper two different ascent processes to explain the contrasting mud constructions: (1) "extrusion" for the mud volcanoes and plateaus and (2) "intrusion" for the mud domes, connected to two different mud levels controlled by the crustal geometry of this pre-collision area and especially the southwards extension of the Cretan continental crust below the Mediterranean Ridge accreted sediments.
http://www.mendeley.com/research/struct ... terranean/And, let's also look at shale (mud) diapirs in another location well established for having big petroleum fields.
The structure and formation of diapirs in the Yinggehai–Song Hong Basin, South China Sea, Chao Lei, Jianye Ren, Peter D. Clift, Zhenfeng Wang, Xusheng Li, Chuanxin Tong (2011)
Chao Lei, et al., wrote:Abstract
The occurrence of shale diapirs in the Yinggehai–Song Hong (YGH–SH) Basin is well documented, as is their association with big petroleum fields. In order to better understand how and why the diapirs form we performed a detailed geophysical analysis using a new regional compilation of high-resolution two- and three-dimensional seismic reflection data, as well as drilling data that cover the diapirs in YGH–SH Basin. As many as 18 diapirs were identified and are arranged in six N–S-striking vertical en échelon zones. On seismic reflection sections gas chimney structures, diapiric faults and palaeo-craters are genetically linked with the process of diapirism. Here we use geophysical and geological observations to propose a three-stage model for diapirism: initiation, emplacement, and collapse. During these three stages, different diapiric structure styles are formed, which we describe in detail. These include buried diapirs, piercing diapirs and collapsed diapirs. We link the diapirism to activity on the offshore continuation of the Red River Fault, as shown on our high-resolution seismic reflection data, which is also related to a high paleogeothermal gradient caused by crustal thinning. We also recognize the role of loading by the very large volume of sediment eroded from the edges of the Tibetan Plateau and delivered by the Red River to the basin.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 7211000195Chao Lei, et al., wrote:Highlights
► Some new kinds of diapirs are described in the Yinggehai Basin, which are little known in the existing literature. ► Inversion structures on the seismic data provide direct evidence for deformation associated with strike-slip movement on the Red River Fault. ► A classification system is proposed to be applied to the sedimentary basins around the world.
The introduction and the full paper with schematic figures showing diapir structure is available at the link following the quoted passage. The paper may be used only for educational purposes:
Chao Lei, et al., wrote:1. Introduction
Diapirs have been observed in a number of sedimentary basins worldwide. According to the style of mobilization and injection materials, diapirs are divided into several kinds, e.g., shale [mud], salt and igneous diapirs. Over the past few decades, as a result of intense exploration of hydrocarbons, shale diapirism has been explored in detail and structures associated with shale diapirs have been recognized as being of great significance in hydrocarbon exploration and production. This is because of their impact on source, migration, reservoir, trap and seal aspects of the hydrocarbon system...
The Yinggehai - Song Hong (YGH - SH) Basin is an ideal region for studying shale diapir structures. In the southern part of the basin, there are gas seepages and pockmarks on the seafloor caused by the diapirism, especially close to the offshore extension of the Red River Fault, which forms the eastern margin of the basin. Evidence of migration pathways for shale diapirs, such as gas chimneys, in the Central Yinggehai Depression, was first revealed by conventional seismic reflection profiling in the 1980s. It has been speculated that fluids flowed from great depth upward along these zones, resulting in geothermal and overpressure anomalies in shallow sediments adjacent to the diapiric structures... [...]
http://lsu.academia.edu/PeterClift/Pape ... _China_SeaThe phrase, "It has been speculated that fluids flowed from great depth upward along these zones...", suggests the author also knows that these diapirs have been cited as evidence for Abiotic Oil Theory.
I encourage readers to link the full paper and examine the schematic figures and illustrated seismic figures of the shale (mud) diapirs.
Now, lets's go back and re-examine the schematic of the Mediterranean Ridge:
Wikipedia entry wrote:The Mediterranean Ridge is a wide ridge in the bed of the Mediterranean Sea, running along a rough quarter circle from Calabria, south of Crete, to the southwest corner of Turkey, and from there eastwards south of Turkey, including Cyprus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_RidgeAnd consider Eugene Coste's admonition:
The oil- and gas-fields are located along the faulted and fissured zones of the crust of the earth, parallel to the great orogenic and volcanic dislocations. -- Eugene Coste, abiotic oil theorist & hydrocarbon explorationist
It seems highly likely the Mediterranean Ridge based on the evidence produced above has giant hydrocarbon deposits, and with the water depth at the top of the ridge being appoximately 6,500 feet (2000 meters) deep, and with drilling ships capable of drilling in 10,000 feet of water, this geological complex would seem assessible to modern petroleum exploration & production. Is there a way to calculate how much oil & gas is present in the whole accretionary complex, along its 1,500 mile length, while averaging 90 to 180 miles wide. (An illustration depicting the Mediterranean Ridge is provided with the Wikipedia entry.)
Well, are there any similar geological formations which have a track record for petroleum production and an estimation for total reserves?
There just might be:
GIS in an Overview of Iraq Petroleum Geology, By Jingyao Gong and Larry Gerken, Search and Discovery Article #10043 (2003)
Gong & Gerken wrote:General Comments
Georeferenced maps of Iraq, almost entirely from AAPG publications, are presented herein to show the overall framework of this country within a region that contains vast petroleum resources and to show some features of representative fields. Several maps of fields are accompanied by cross-sections; correlation diagrams for Northern and Southern Iraq are presented along with a tabulation of the various producing stratigraphic units. For presentation, each map utilizes the geographic coordinate system wherein each increment of latitude and longitude is equal.*
http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/gong03/Here is the map I would like readers to look at:
Gong & Gerken wrote:Figure 6. Key structural elements in the Zagros province, with oil and gas fields (from Versfelt, 2001). LEGEND [Green hash-line] Approximate extent of Zagros foreland Basin (ZFB), [Blue saw-tooth] Edge of mountain front...
http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/docum ... ges/06.htmThere are significant areas of folding & faulting just as there is in the Mediterranean Ridge.
The Zagros Mountains are substantial in length:
Wikipedia entry wrote:The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km (932 mi), from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of Hormuz. The highest points in the Zagros Mountains are Zard Kuhbakhtiari (4,548 m, 14,921 ft) and Mt. Dena (4,359 m, 14,301 ft). The Hazaran massif in the Kerman province of Iran forms an eastern outlier of the range, the Jebal Barez reaching into Sistan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zagros_MountainsDoes the Persian Gulf have diapirism?
Tectonic implications of diapirism on hydrocarbon accumulation in the United Arab Emirates, A. S. Alsharhan and
M. G. Salah (2004)
A. S. Alsharhan and M. G. Salah wrote:Abstract
The offshore of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) contains eight diapiric islands; Dalma, Zirkouh, Qarnain, Das, Sir Bani Yas, Arzana, Sir Abu Nuwair and Abu Musa. These islands and Jebel Dhanna Peninsula owe their relief to the diapiric movement of salt which has pierced and deformed the overlying strata. These diapiric islands have similar shapes, stratigraphic sequences, areal distribution of the identified stratigraphic units and general tectonic framework. With the exception of Das Island, the stratigraphic sequence on the surface of all the diapiric islands consists, in ascending order, of: 1) Infracambrian to Cambrian (Hormuz Group) composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks, salt, anhydrite, carbonate and clastic interbeds; 2) Miocene composed of sandstone, siltstone, shale, carbonate and evaporite interbeds; and, 3) Pliocene to Recent sediments composed of mixed facies of clastics, carbonates and evaporites. The structural configuration and the tectonic development of the Arabian Gulf Basin played an important role in the salt movement, which enhanced the formation and distribution of the islands, the timing of hydrocarbon generation, migration, and entrapment in the surrounding fields. The U.A.E., one of the world's richest in oil reserves, has almost 200 billion barrels (Bbbl) of oil and 275 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas that is sourced mainly from the Upper Jurassic and Lower to Middle Cretaceous formations and accumulated in carbonate reservoirs that range in age from upper Paleozoic to Oligo-Miocene. The geophysical and the geological data revealed three trap geneses in the U.A.E.: 1) Salt-related; 2) basement-related; and, 3) fold belt (collision) traps. Salt-related oil fields of the U.A.E. offshore area are characterized by: (a) dome-shaped structures; (b) independent closures; (c) radial faults within the structures; and, (d) multi-step structural growth histories. Subtle turtle structures exist between the diapiric islands of the U.A.E.. These structures form fields at Hair Dalma and Dalma, near Dalma Island, Mandous field, near Sir Abu Nuwair Island, and Mubarek field near the Abu Musa Island. The quality of the carbonate reservoir in the salt related oil fields is attributed to the effects of the diapiric salt movement.
http://bcpg.geoscienceworld.org/content ... 9.abstract Yes, the Persian Gulf does have diapirism, although, it is salt diapirism, instead of mud diapirism.
The area in front of the Zagros Mountains is called a foreland-arc and the area in front of the Hellenic Arc is an island forearc. Both the Zagros Mountains and the Hellenic Arc are described as having back-arc basins. The Zagros Mountains are not as long as the Mediterranean Ridge. All in all, the Mediterranean Ridge is the bigger geological complex. From examining the map in figure 6. above, it's clear oil & gas deposits parallel the Zagros Mountains, an orogenic deformation of great magnitude. It's highly likely oil & gas deposits parallel the Hellenic Arc in the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex:
The oil- and gas-fields are located along the faulted and fissured zones of the crust of the earth, parallel to the great orogenic and volcanic dislocations. -- Eugene Coste, abiotic oil theorist & hydrocarbon explorationist, 1905
Abiotic Oil Theory: Does it predict where large oil & gas deposits can be discovered?
You bet your bottom Dollar. Where there's oil, there's more oil.
