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Isotope-Geochemical Characteristics of Fluids and Organic Matter of Rocks of Mud Volcanoes in the Northwestern (Azerbaijan) and Southeastern (Iran) Parts of the South Caspian Basin: A Comparative Analysis

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Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of the isotope-geochemical characteristics of the products of activity of mud volcanoes (MVs) in the northwestern (Azerbaijan) and southeastern (Iran) parts of the South Caspian Basin (SCB). Gases of MVs in the studied regions are mainly of thermocatalytic origin, with the predominance of methane. High concentrations of nitrogen (up to 50%) are noted in the gases of some MVs in the Iranian sector. One distinctive feature of the MVs in the Azerbaijani part of the SCB is the presence of isotopically superheavy (>5‰) carbon dioxide, which is not typical for MVs in Iran. The waters of the MVs of Iran and most of the MVs of Azerbaijan are of the sodium chloride type. Isotopically heavy bicarbonate and carbonate ions, characteristic of the mud volcanic waters of Azerbaijan, are not typical for the volcanoes of the Iranian part of the SCB. Organic matter of rock ejecta of MVs in the Azerbaijani part of the SCB refers mainly to type II and type II–III kerogen, while in its Iranian part it is mainly type III kerogen. Mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan are characterized by a wide range of gas generation depths (10–16 km) and, accordingly, significant subvertical migration. The calculated maximum depth of the HC gas source in the Iranian part of the SCB does not exceed 12 km.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank our Iranian colleagues for the opportunity to use data on MVs in Iran.

Funding

This work was supported by ongoing institutional funding. No additional grants to carry out or direct this particular research were obtained.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, AZ1000, Baku, Azerbaijan

    A. A. Feyzullayev

  2. Institute of Oil and Gas, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, AZ1000, Baku, Azerbaijan

    A. A. Feyzullayev & U. A. Movsumova

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  1. A. A. Feyzullayev
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  2. U. A. Movsumova
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Feyzullayev, A.A., Movsumova, U.A. Isotope-Geochemical Characteristics of Fluids and Organic Matter of Rocks of Mud Volcanoes in the Northwestern (Azerbaijan) and Southeastern (Iran) Parts of the South Caspian Basin: A Comparative Analysis. Izv. Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 59, 772–779 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001433823070022

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