ASSOCIATION OF HYDROCARBON FIELDS WITH MUD VOLCANOES IN THE SOUTH CASPIAN BASIN

Abstract

The article presents the authors’ opinions and their own views on the geodynamic processes creating mud volcanoes and associated oil and gas accumulations. The results of 2D/3D seismic and geophysical well logging data interpretation allow clarifying the distribution area of the Maikop sediments and suggest that mud volcanism is associated with the deposits, accumulated in Maikop paleobasin. Mud volcanism in the study area appears to be synchronized in time and space with
the growth of folds, as indicated by paleoreconstruction based on the seismic sections. Hence, formation of oil and gas accumulations in the basin is associated to mud volcanism and the vents of mud volcanoes are supposed to be the main pathways for hydrocarbon migration.