Structural Geology and fluid flow around mud volcanoes in the Shamakhy-Gobustan area

Azerbaijan mud volcanoes are well known to expel muds together with hydrocarbons on the surface (Guliyev, 2006; Institute of Geology and Geophysics (ANAS) et al., 2015). They originate from overpressured organic-rich Paleogene shales deposited in a rapidly subsiding basin (e.g. Feyzullayev and Lerche, 2009; Knapp et al., 2007; Piip et al., 2012). Associated oil and natural gas seeps to the surface and the atmosphere, the latter with estimated volumes of 0.5 - 2 Tg/a (e.g. Etiope and Klusman, 2002; Kopf 2002; 2003; Etiope and Milkov, 2003). While the mud volcanoes itself and the macro-seepage from their center are well studied, we focus on micro-seepage around mud volcanoes. We aim to identify the fluid pathways by detecting micro-seepage of methane in the surrounding of mud volcanoes, evaluate structures available for fluid flow and analyze a possible influence of the organic-rich fluids on groundwaters.