Scientific purpose is summarized from the cruise overview available at:
https://ig.utexas.edu/energy/gom2-methane-hydrates-at-the-university-of-texas/gom2-2-expedition/
The underlying goal of the UT-GOM2-2 effort was two-fold. As noted in the project prospectus, In the shallow subsurface, the goal was to constrain the flux of carbon from the sediment into the ocean and determine whether there have been recent temperature perturbations at the ocean floor. Drilling and coring more deeply, the project will collect material from muds as well as gas hydrate-bearing sands. Again, as noted in the prospectus, "Through sampling of the
microbes, and analysis of the surrounding pore fluid, we will illuminate the depths and rates at which microbes are generating methane beneath the seafloor. Our analyses will inform biological, geochemical, and geomechanical models to constrain the role of gas hydrates in the carbon cycle and the potential for gas hydrates as an energy resource."
Location
Gulf of Mexico
Summary
Project scientists participated in the summer 2023 drilling expedition to sample gas hydrates from a sand-rich layers over 1000 feet below the seafloor of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The expedition, which was led by the University of Texas-Austin and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, focused on sampling dipping hydrate-bearing sand layers trapped between clay-rich layers during a site selection process led by the USGS Gas Hydrates Project more than a decade ago. Project scientists led pressure core analysis, gas sampling, and curation during the offshore expedition. During the post-expedition phase, Project scientists led sampling of all recovered core material and have started analyses on the sediments and gases retrieved during the drilling. Updates on project findings, products and data will be posted by the project owners (University of Texas) at: https://ig.utexas.edu/energy/gom2-methane-hydrates-at-the-university-of-texas/gom2-2-expedition/
Info derived
USGS-derived data will be included here as the measurement results become available.
Comments
The GOM2-2 project was supported by the Department of Energy, with the University of Texas as the science lead. Conventional and Pressure cores were acquired through a gas hydrate-bearing reservoir in the Terrebonne Basin within the Walker Ridge 313 (WR313) lease block in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Through our partnership with U. Texas, S. Phillips participated in the onboard pressure core analysis. S. Phillips and W. Waite participated in the post-cruise, onshore processing of conventionalized and pressure core.
Post-cruise publications will be link when they become available. For the most up-to-date information, the University of Texas hosts a site with the cruise reports, shipboard data, and links to various publications and datasets:
https://ig.utexas.edu/energy/gom2-methane-hydrates-at-the-university-of-texas/gom2-2-expedition/
Updates on project findings, products and data will be posted by the project owners (University of Texas) at: https://ig.utexas.edu/energy/gom2-methane-hydrates-at-the-university-of-texas/gom2-2-expedition/
Updates on project findings, products and data will be posted by the project owners (University of Texas) at: https://ig.utexas.edu/energy/gom2-methane-hydrates-at-the-university-of-texas/gom2-2-expedition/
Updates on project findings, products and data will be posted by the project owners (University of Texas) at: https://ig.utexas.edu/energy/gom2-methane-hydrates-at-the-university-of-texas/gom2-2-expedition/
