Journal V.24.No.2.2022
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Variations in molecular and isotopes composition of seepage gases in the north-western and south-eastern parts of Lake Baikal

O.N. Vidishcheva, G.G. Akhmanov, E.V. Kislitsyna, A. Mazzini, A.Yu. Mal'tseva, E.N. Poludetkina, E.A. Bakay, I.E. Man'ko, D.V. Korost, O.M. Khlystov

Original article

DOI https://doi.org/10.18599/grs.2022.2.19

209-216
rus.

open access

Under a Creative Commons license
The paper presents results of gas-geochemical studies of bottom sediments and petroleum potential assessment of Baikal Rift Basin. During the expeditions of the Class@Baikal project in 2014–2019, gases from the Lake Baikal bottom sediments were analyzed. The results showed a clear difference in chemical and isotopic composition of the seeping gases collected in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the lake. The seepage released from northwest part were relatively enriched by methane and had a low concentration of C2+ compounds. The seepage gases had relatively lighter carbon isotopes composition of CH4 (from -72,7 to -50,1 ‰ VPDB) and the high variability of δ13C in C2H6 (from -65 to -22 ‰ VPDB). The gases released from southeastern part of the lake had an increase in C2+ compounds and had relatively lighter carbon isotopes composition of methane (from –57,2 to –41,0 ‰ VPDB). The carbon isotopes composition of ethane varies from -32 to -25 ‰ VPDB. Asymmetric structure of the Baikal rift basin and various processes of gas migration within it might cause the variations. Diffusive process led to the lighter carbon isotopes composition of the seepage gases from the northwestern part of lake and the gas molecular composition enrichment by methane. Such molecular and isotopic fractionations caused by geochemical processes helps to understand the migration of gas from source rocks to the earth’s surface. Similar geochemical indicators of fractionation should be taken into consideration when assessing oil and gas source rocks and basin potential from gas geochemical studies data.
 
Lake Baikal, continental rifting, gas geo-chemistry, methane seeps
 
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Olesya N. Vidishcheva – Engineer, Petroleum Geology Department
Lomonosov Moscow State University
1, Leninskie gory, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation 

Grigorii G. Akhmanov – PhD (Geology and Mineralogy); Associate Professor, Petroleum Geology Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University; Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Regional Climate Systems, Sevastopol State University
1, Leninskie gory, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation
33, Universitetskaya st., Sevastopol, 299053, Russian Federation
 
Ekaterina V. Kislitsyna – Expert, Hydrocarbon systems modeling, Beicip-Franlab
47a, Vavilova st., Moscow, 117312, Russian Federation
 
Adriano Mazzini – PhD (Geology and Petroleum Geology), Leading Researcher, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo
Sem Sælands vei 2A, Blindern, Oslo, 0316, Norway
 
Anna Yu. Mal’tseva – PhD (Geology and Mineralogy), Senior Researcher, Center for Hydrocarbon Recovery, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)
3, Nobelya st., Moscow, 143026, Russian Federation
 
Elena N. Poludetkina – PhD (Geology and Mineralogy), Senior Researcher, Petroleum Geology Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University 
1, Leninskie gory, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation
 
Elena A. Bakay – PhD (Geology and Mineralogy), Senior Researcher, Petroleum Geology Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University 
1, Leninskie gory, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation
 
Irina E. Man`ko – Expert, Petroleum Geology Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University 
1, Leninskie gory, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation
 
Dmitriy V. Korost – PhD (Geology and Mineralogy), Senior Researcher, Petroleum Geology Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University
1, Leninskie gory, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation
 
Oleg M. Khlystov – Head of the Laboratory, Geology of the Lake Baikal, Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Ulan-Batorskaya st., 3, Irkutsk, 664074, Russian Federation
 

For citation:

Vidishcheva O.N., Akhmanov G.G., Kislitsyna E.V., Mazzini A., Mal’tseva A.Yu., Poludetkina E.N., Bakay E.A., Man’ko I.E., Korost D.V., Khlystov O.M. (2022). Variations in molecular and isotopes composition of seepage gases in the north-western and south-eastern parts of Lake Baikal. Georesursy = Georesources, 24(2), pp. 209–216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18599/grs.2022.2.19

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Georesursy LLC