Evidence for a deep gas-hydrate stability zone associated with submerged permafrost on the Canadian Arctic Beaufort Shelf, Northwest Territories / M. Riedel … [et al.].: M44-2015/8E-PDF

"The presence of offshore permafrost on the Canadian Beaufort Sea Shelf has long been recognized from seismic and borehole data. These thermal conditions could support a gas hydrate stability zone beneath the subsea permafrost. In this study we present the first evidence for the widespread occurrence of gas hydrate on the Beaufort Shelf using 3-D seismic data. A reflector was identified at a depth of ~1000 m that mimics some of the behaviour of the traditional bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs) in marine gas hydrate regimes. However, the reflection is not truly bottom-simulating, as its depth is controlled by the thinning wedge of subsea permafrost. The reflection cross-cuts strata and marks a zone of enhanced reflectivity, possibly originating from free gas accumulated at this phase boundary. Implications of this widespread gas hydrate zone include: deep-drilling hazards associated with the free gas, potential overpressure, lateral fluid migration and associated seafloor expulsions"--Provided by publisher.

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