CHEMICAL AND CARBON ISOTOPE INSTABILITIES IN THE GRYPHON GASES OF MUD VOLCANOES: AN EXAMPLE OF THE SOUTHERN CASPIAN AND TAMAN' MUD-VOLCANO PROVINCE

Abstract

Chemical and carbon isotope instabilities are characterized in the gryphon gases of the following mud volcanoes: Kipyashchii Bugor (southwestern Turkmenistan), Dashgil' (Shemakha-Kobystan mud volcanic region of Azerbaijan), Shugo (western Kuban foredeep), and Bugazskii (Kerch-Taman foredeep). It was shown that the effects considered are consequences of geodynamic and seismic activity in the interiors of the Alpine fold belt and mechanical mixing of gases from individual formation and fractured reservoirs penetrated by the channels of mud volcano edifices, whose roots occur at great depths, in the region of critical or supercritical temperatures (above 373°C) where the foci of tectonic earthquakes and deep interior fluidization are probably located.