A geochemical study on mud volcanoes in the Junggar Basin, China

A comprehensive study was performed to characterize, for the first time, the mud, water, and gases released from onshore mud volcanoes located in the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, northwestern China. Chemical compositions of mud, along with the geology of the basin, suggest that a source of the mud is Mesozoic or Cenozoic shale. Oxygen and H isotope compositions of the released water suggest a local meteoric origin. Combined with the positive Eu anomalies of the water, a large 18O shift of the water suggests extensive interaction with rocks. Gases discharged from the mud volcanoes are predominantly thermogenic hydrocarbons, and the high δ13C values (>+20‰ VPDB) for CO2 gases and dissolved carbonate in muddy water suggest secondary methanogenesis with CO2 reduction after oil biodegradation.The enrichments of Eu and 18O in water and the low thermal gradient of the area suggest that the water–rock interactions possibly occur deeper than 3670 ± 200 m. On the other hand, considering the relationship to the petroleum reservoir around the mud volcanoes, the depth of the gases can be derived from about 3600 m, a depth that is greater than that generally estimated for reservoirs whose gas is characterized by 13C-enriched CO2. Oil biodegradation with CO2 reduction likely occurs at a shallower depth along the seepage system of the mud volcano. The results contribute to the worldwide data set of gas genesis in mud volcanoes. Moreover, they further support the concept that most terrestrial mud volcanoes release thermogenic gas produced in very deep sediments and may be early indicators of oil biodegradation, an important problem in the petroleum industry.

► Gases released from Xinjiang mud volcanoes are dominated by thermogenic origin.
► Secondary microbial activities occurring closer to the surface dramatically changed the δ13CCO2.
► The water–rock interaction occurred at deeper level than gas and petroleum reservoir.