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Shallow gas features in the Galician Rías Baixas (NW Spain)

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Abstract

Areas with gas accumulations and gas escapes have been mapped in two rías from Galicia (Ría de Pontevedra and Arousa) and compared with already published data from the Rías de Vigo (García-Gil et al. 2002) and Muros-Noia (Magariños-Álvarez et al. accepted). Calculations indicate different areas of gas-bearing sediments for each ría. Quantitative data from acoustic plume studies and pockmark densities in the seepage areas were also obtained. In terms of the area of gas-bearing sediment and seeping activity, the Ría de Arousa is found to be the most important from a quantitative point of view. Comparison of the locations of the gas accumulations with grain size distributions of sediments reveals a spatial coincidence with finer surface sediments that are mainly muds.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Robert Langridge (Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science, New Zealand), for the English corrections. This work has been supported by Projects PGIDTOOPXI30105PR, PGIDTOOPXI30105PR of the Xunta de Galicia, and REM2000–1102MAR of the Spanish Research Programme. It is part of the 464 IGCP Projects. We thank M.O.P.T. (Spain) for the support with some available data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dpto. Geociencias Marinas y Ordenación del Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias de Vigo, Universidad de Vigo, 36200, Vigo, Spain

    A. Ferrín, R. Durán, R. Diez, S. García-Gil & F. Vilas

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  1. A. Ferrín
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  2. R. Durán
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  3. R. Diez
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  4. S. García-Gil
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  5. F. Vilas
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Correspondence to A. Ferrín.

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Ferrín, A., Durán, R., Diez, R. et al. Shallow gas features in the Galician Rías Baixas (NW Spain). Geo-Mar Lett 23, 207–214 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-003-0158-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-003-0158-6

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