Processes controlling water and hydrocarbon composition in seeps from the Salton Sea geothermal system, California, USA

Research Article| January 01, 2007 Processes controlling water and hydrocarbon composition in seeps from the Salton Sea geothermal system, California, USA Henrik Svensen; Henrik Svensen 1Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dag A. Karlsen; Dag A. Karlsen 2Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Anne Sturz; Anne Sturz 3Department of Marine Science and Environmental Studies, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, California 92110, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kristian Backer-Owe; Kristian Backer-Owe 4Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David A. Banks; David A. Banks 5School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sverre Planke Sverre Planke 6Volcanic Basin Petroleum Research, Oslo Research Park, Norway, and Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Henrik Svensen 1Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Dag A. Karlsen 2Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway Anne Sturz 3Department of Marine Science and Environmental Studies, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, California 92110, USA Kristian Backer-Owe 4Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway David A. Banks 5School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK Sverre Planke 6Volcanic Basin Petroleum Research, Oslo Research Park, Norway, and Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 14 Jul 2006 Revision Received: 04 Sep 2006 Accepted: 07 Sep 2006 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2007) 35 (1): 85–88. https://doi.org/10.1130/G23101A.1 Article history Received: 14 Jul 2006 Revision Received: 04 Sep 2006 Accepted: 07 Sep 2006 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Henrik Svensen, Dag A. Karlsen, Anne Sturz, Kristian Backer-Owe, David A. Banks, Sverre Planke; Processes controlling water and hydrocarbon composition in seeps from the Salton Sea geothermal system, California, USA. Geology 2007;; 35 (1): 85–88. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G23101A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Water-, mud-, gas-, and petroleum-bearing seeps are part of the Salton Sea geothermal system (SSGS) in Southern California. Seeps in the Davis-Schrimpf seep field (∼14,000 m2) show considerable variations in water temperature, pH, density, and solute content. Water-rich springs have low densities (<1.4 g/cm3), Cl contents as high as 45,000 ppm, and temperatures between 15 and 34 °C. Gryphons expel denser water-mud mixtures (to 1.7 g/cm3), have low salinities (3600–5200 ppm Cl), and have temperatures between 23 and 63 °C. The main driver for the seep system is CO2 (>98 vol%). Halogen geochemistry of the waters indicates that mixing of deep and shallow waters occurs and that near-surface dissolution of halite may overprint the original fluid compositions. Carbon isotopic analyses suggest that hydrocarbon seep gases have a thermogenic origin. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of petroleum in a water-dominated spring, composed of 53% saturated compounds, 35% aromatics, and 12% polar compounds. The abundance of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and immature biomarkers suggests a hydrothermal formation of the petroleum, making the SSGS a relevant analogue to less accessible hydrothermal seep systems, e.g., the Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.