Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S. in Engineering Science

Department

Electrical Engineering

First Advisor

Greg Easson

Second Advisor

Louis G. Zachos

Third Advisor

Walter Guidroz

Relational Format

dissertation/thesis

Abstract

The Green Canyon Federal Protraction area in the Gulf of Mexico is rich in hydrocarbons. The movement of the Sigsbee salt escarpment in green canyon has resulted in a complex bathymetric profile and extensive shallow faulting that has allomigration of hydrocarbons to the surface creating cold seep sites. Green Canyon block 600 (gc600) contains multiple naturally occurring, active hydrocarbon seeps. Multi-beam bathymetry, backscatter, and polarity preserving chirp data were collected for gc600 to study the development of these naturally occurring seeps. Using these data, the structure and sedimentation of the first fifty meters can be studied in relation to the formation of hydrocarbon seeps. Studying the subsurface will contribute to a better understanding of the migration of hydrocarbons and the formation of future seep sites. The subsurface chirp data provide a visual representation of the movement of hydrocarbons near the seafloor and recent depositional history. This movement in combination with the bathymetric profile will help with understanding the current conditions and the evolution of similar depocenters in the Green Canyon Federal Protraction area in the Gulf of Mexico and the resulting flow of hydrocarbons. By analyzing the bathymetric profile and subsurface data, a geologic base map can be constructed to provide a foundation for future research.

ThesisAPPENDIX.pdf (4422 kB)

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