1000 m long gas blow-out pipes

This study presents seismic observation of pipe anomalies from offshore Nigeria, outcrops of blow-out pipes from Rhodes, Greece, and geophysical modelling of an acoustic pipe. The studies give insight into how pipes form, their internal structure, the seismic image and geophysical artefacts related to the pipes. Over one hundred seafloor craters, 100 m–700 m wide and up to 30 m deep, have been observed on the seafloor offshore Nigeria. They are underlain by interpreted cones and seismic pipe anomalies that can be traced down to reservoir zones at 1000 m–1300 m below the seafloor. The seismic pipe anomalies are 50 m–150 m wide and almost vertical. They are interpreted as up-scaled pipes found in outcrops on Rhodes, Greece. The outcrops show pipe-related structures at three levels. Lowest, the reservoir rock contains metre-sized cavities which are filled with a mixture of clay derived from the overlying cap rock. In the middle, several circular to oval structures in plane view of pipes are observed in the lowest part of the cap rock. Highest, 15 m into the clay cap rock, strongly sheared country rock forms circular structures with a core of structureless clay. Based on outcrop observation on Rhodes we constructed an acoustic model of a 50 m wide and 1000 m long pipe. Seismic modelling proves that such pipes would be expressed in seismic data, that they are similar to the seismic pipe anomalies offshore Nigeria but this study also revealed that prominent intra-pipe reflections are artefacts. A formation model for the pipes is suggested: High fluid overpressure in the reservoir generated hydro fractures from the reservoir to seafloor where a mixture of gas and fluid flowed at high speed to form pipes, cones and seafloor craters. After hours to weeks of gas and fluid flow through the pipe the pore pressure in the reservoir dropped and the blow-out terminated. Muddy slurry fell back and plugged the cavity in the reservoir and the pipe.