MUD VOLCANISM OF THE NORTHWESTERN CAUCASUS AND THE OIL AND GAS PROSPECTS

Abstract

In this paper, an effort is made to consider mud volcanism of northwestern Caucasus from the most complete data including data on the abutting seas water areas and available data on ancient mud volcanoes. A number of new mud volcanoes are described in the mountainous area of the Caucasus and in the Black Sea area. New mud volcano provinces, the Caucasus province and the Eastern Black Sea (Tuapse) province are separated. Most likely mechanisms of clayey diapir formation (clayey diapirism) are discussed. Some steps are made to estimate the role of mud volcanoes and clayey-diapir formations as one of the features of oil and gas presence.