Influence of tectonics on global scale distribution of geological methane emissions

Abstract

Earth’s hydrocarbon degassing through gas-oil seeps, mud volcanoes and diffuse microseepage is a major natural source of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. While carbon dioxide degassing is typically associated with extensional tectonics, volcanoes, and geothermal areas, CH4 seepage mostly occurs in petroleum-bearing sedimentary basins, but the role of tectonics in degassing is known only for some case studies at local scale. Here, we perform a global scale geospatial analysis to assess how the presence of hydrocarbon fields, basin geodynamics and the type of faults control CH4 seepage. Combining georeferenced data of global inventories of onshore seeps, faults, sedimentary basins, petroleum fields and heat flow, we find that hydrocarbon seeps prevail in petroleum fields within convergent basins with heat flow ≤ 98 mW m−2, and along any type of brittle tectonic structure, mostly in reverse fault settings. Areas potentially hosting additional seeps and microseepage are identified through a global seepage favourability model.