• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2007

The main purpose of this study is to identify the shallow gas origin in the KSSM zone. Based on the results of gas composition and isotope in the headsapace gas, the shallow gas is mainly composed of methane and carbon and deuterium isotopes (${\delta}^{13}CCH_4$ and ${\delta}DCH_4$) of methane has ranged from -93.4%o to -70.9%, and from -228%o to -199%o in each. These results imply that shallow gas has predominately biogenic source by $CO_2$ reduction rather than thermogenic. The carbon isotopic separation (${\varepsilon}_c$) between methane and carbon dioxide $(CO_2)$ has a range of 54.4 to 72.2, it also supports biogenic origin of shallow gas.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.10 no.1_2 s.11
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• pp.18-22
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• 2004

To identify and interpret the distribution and the characteristics of the gas hydrate layers in the Ulleung Basin, we have surveyed and gathered the multi-channel seismic data, Chirp sub-bottom profiler, SeaBeam and 12 m piston core samples since 1996. In previous works, high-resolution seismic profiles showed acoustic anomalies such as acoustic void, acoustic turbidity and pock mark which indicate the presence of gas-charged sediments. The patterns of horizontal degassing cracks originated from free methane expansion is the strong indicator of shallow gas-charged sediments in the core samples. The observation of submarine slides and slumps from destabilizing the sediments in the southern part of the Ulleung Basin may also point out that the gas had been released from gas hydrate dissociation during lowstand of sea level. The multi-channel seismic data show BSR, blanking and phase reversal. The gas hydrate layers above which large-scale shallow gases are distributed exist at the depth of about 200 m from the sea-floor with water depth of 2,100 m. From the interpretation of seismic sections in the southern Ulleung Basin, gas hydrate layers occur in the Pleistocene-Holocene sediments. These gas-charged sediments, acoustic anomalies and BSR may be all related to the existence of gas hydrate layers in the study area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.149-157
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• 2003

Deep sea core samples were taken in the southwestern part of the Ulleung Basin in order to characterize the properties of shallow gases in the sediment. Amount of shallow gases in the sediments were calculated by head space techniques, and chemical and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbon gases were analyzed. Geochemical analyses were carried out on the gas bearing sediments to find out relationship between natural gas contents and organic characteristics of the sediments. Seismic characteristics of shallow gases in the sediments were also examined in this study. The amount of the hydrocarbon gases in the sediments range from 0.01% to 11.25%. Calculation of volume of gas per volume of wet sediment varies from 0.1 to 82.0 ml HC/L wet sediment. Methane consists 98% of the total hydrocarbon gases except for two samples. Based on the methane content and isotopic composition$(\delta^{13}c)$: -94.31$\textperthousand$~-55.5$\textperthousand$), the hydrocarbon gases from the sediments are generated from bacterial activities of methanogenic microbes. Contents of hydrocarbon gases are variable from site to site. Volume of shallow gases in the sediments shows no apparent trends vs. either characteristics of organic matter or particle sizes of the sediments. Gas concentration is high in the area of seismic anomalies such as blanking zone or chimney structures in the section. Physicochemically the pore water and the formation water systems are saturated with gases in these areas. Concentration of hydrocarbon gases in the sediments in these area shows favorable condition for generation of gas hydrate, as far as the other conditions are satisfied.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.260-263
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• 2007

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2022

For surveying shallow gas reservoirs in the Pohang basin, we proposed a seismic exploration method applicable to the transition zone in which land and marine areas are connected. We designed the seismic acquisition geometry considering both environments. We installed land nodal receivers on the ground and employed vibroseis and airgun sources in both land and marine areas. For seismic exploration in the transition zone, specific acquisition and processing techniques are required to ensure precise matching of reflectors at the boundary between the onshore and offshore regions. To enhance the continuity of reflection events on the seismic section, we performed amplitude and phase corrections with respect to the source types and applied a static correction. Following these processing steps, we obtained a seismic section showing connected reflectors around the boundary in the transition zone. We anticipate that our proposed seismic exploration method can also be used for fault detection in the transition zone.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.41-45
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• 2002

광양만의 지형변화 및 퇴적환경발달양상에 대해 표층퇴적물과 지층탐사자료를 이용하여 연구하였다. 광양만 해역은 1970년대이후 광양만 개발에 따라 해안선 및 해저지형이 급격한 변화를 겪어왔다. 광양만의 면적은 개발이전보다 25%정도 감소하였다. 해안선 변형은 공단건설을 위한 해안매립공사로 인해 그리고 해저지형변화는 대형선박들의 안전항로개발을 위한 해저퇴적물의 준설 등에 의해 발생하고 있다. 표층퇴적물는 점토질 퇴적물 묘도서측 및 여수해만의 외해지역에 주로 분포하고, 사질 퇴적물은 섬진강하구와 수로에 분포하고 있다. 표층퇴적물의 유기물 함량은 퇴적물의 특성을 반영하며, 특히 점토질퇴적물에 다량으로 포함하고 있다. 탄성파 단면도상에서 기반암위에 Unit II와 Unit I가 분포하며, 하부 Unit II는 홀로세 이전의 하천환경 퇴적층으로 판단되며, 홀로세 Unit I 퇴적층은 섬진강하구에서 외해를 향해 전진퇴적양상의 쐐기형태를 보인다. 이 층은 섬진강에서 유출된 퇴적물이 델타환경을 이루면서 형성된 퇴적층서로 해석된다. Unit I 퇴적층내에 천부가스층이 광범위하게 분포한다. 천부가스는 광양만의 생태환경에 영향을 미칠 것으로 판단된다. 광양만 주변의 재발에 따른 해안 및 해저지형의 급격한 변형은 퇴적환경 및 해양환경에 변화를 야기할 것으로 예상된다. 특히 섬진강 하구지역의 광양제철소 건설은 섬진강에서 장양만으로 유입되는 퇴적물의 퇴적작용의 커다란 영향을 미칠 것으로 판단된다.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 1999

High-resolution images are drawn from existing seismic data which were originally obtained by Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute (KORDI) during 1994-1997 for deep seismic studies on the East Sea of Korea. These images are analyzed for mapping Quaternary faults and near-bottom gas pockets. First 12 channels are selected from shot gathers for reprocessing. The processing sequence adopted for high-resolution seismic images comprises data copy, trace editing, true amplitude recovery, common-midpoint sorting, initial muting, prestack deconvolution, bandpass filtering, stacking, highpass filtering, poststack deconvolution, f-x migration, and automatic gain control (AGC). Among these processing steps, predictive deconvolution, highpass filtering, and short window AGC are the most significant in enhancement of resolution. More than 200 Quaternanry faults are interpreted on the migrated sections in the shallow depths beneath the seafloor. Although numerous faults are found mostly at the western continental slope and boundaries of the Ulleung Basin, significant amount of the faults are also indicated within the basin. Many of these faults are believed to be formed with reactivation of basement, from geotectonic activities including volcanism, and often originated in Tertiary, indicating that the tectonic regime of the East Sea might be unstable. Existence of shallow gas pockets casts real hazardous warnings to deep-sea drillings and/or to underwater constructions such as inter-island cables and gas pipelines. On the other hand, discovery of these gas pockets heightens the interests in developing natural resources in the East Sea. Reprocessed seismic sections, however, show no typical seismic characteristics for gas hydrates such as bottom-simulating reflectors in the western continental slope and ocean floor.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.513-523
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• 2012

The upper sedimentary layer of the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea shows stacked mass-flow deposits such as slide/slump deposits in the upper slope, debris-flow deposits in the middle and lower slope, and turbidites in the basin plain. Shallow gases or gas hydrates are also reported in many area of the Ulleung Basin, which are very important in terms of marine resources, environmental changes, and geohazard. This paper aims at studying acoustic characteristics and distribution pattern of gas-related structures such as acoustic column, enhanced reflector, dome structure, pockmark, and gas seepage in the upper sedimentary layer, by analysing high-resolution chirp profiles. Acoustic column shows a transparent pillar shape in the sedimentary layer and mainly occurs in the basin plain. Enhanced reflector is characterized by an increased amplitude and laterally extended to several tens up kilometers. Dome structure is characterized by an upward convex feature at the seabed, and mainly occurs in the lower slope. The pockmark shows a small crater-like feature and usually occurs in the middle and lower slope. Gas seepage is commonly found in the middle slope of the southern Ulleung Basin. These gas-related structures seem to be mainly caused by gas migration and escape in the sedimentary layer. The distribution pattern of the gas-related structures indicates that formation of these structures in the Ulleung Basin is controlled not only by sedimentary facies in upper sedimentary layer but also by gas-solubility changes depending on water depth. Especially, it is interpreted that the chaotic and discontinuous sedimentary structures of debris-flow deposits cause the facilitation of gas migration, whereas the continuous sedimentary layers of turbidites restrict the vertical migration of gases.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.242-248
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• 2001

A high resolution Chirp seismic profile and a multichannel seismic reflection profile were analysed to study the possibility of gas hydrate presence in the southwestern upper slope of the Ulleung Basin. The Chirp profile shows acoustic turbidity, acoustic void, and pockmarks, suggesting the presence of shallow gas in the sediments .Slope failures appear to have occurred in association with decomposition of gas hydrated sediments. A bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) is seen in subbottom depths of 60 to 110 m below the seafloor at water depths of 750 to 1130 m. The sediments above BSR are characterized by acoustic blanking probably due to amplitude reduction caused by a mixture of gas hydrate with sediments. The interval velocity above the BSR is 1,650 m/sec and it drops abruptly to 1,080 m/sec below the BSR. The sediment column between seafloor and the BSR thins with increasing water depth, which is very closely related to increasing geothermal gradient with increasing water depth in the Ulleung Basin.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.207-215
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• 2004

As the sea connecting with the East Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk is the most potential area of gas hydrates in the world. In other to examine geophysical structures of gas hydrate-bearing sediments in the Sea of Okhotsk, the CHAOS (hydro-Carbon Hydrate Accumulation in the Okhotsk) international research expedition was carried out in August 2003. In the expedition, high-resolution seismic and geochemical survey was also conducted. Sparker seismic profiles show only diffusive high-amplitude reflections without BSRs at BSR depth. It means that BSR appears to be completely different images on seismic profiles obtained using different frequencies. Many gas chimneys rise up from BSR depth to seafloor. The chimneys can be divided into two groups with different seismic characteristics; wipe-out (WO) and enhanced reflection (ER) chimneys. Different seismic responses in the chimneys would be caused by amount of gas and gas hydrates filling in the chimneys. In hydroacoustic data, a lot of gas flares rise up several hundreds meters from seafloor to the water column. All flares took placed at the depths within gas hydrate stability zone. It is interpreted that gas hydrate-bearing sediments with low porosity and permeability due to gas hydrate filling in the pore space make good pipe around gas chimneys in which gas is migrating up without loss of amount. Therefore, large-scale gas flare at the site on gas chimney releases into the water column.