Archive:Petroleum seep: Difference between revisions
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The term seep may also refer to the movement of liquid [[hydrocarbons]] to the surface and between [[geological]] layers. Oil may rise from the [[sea floor]] to sea surface and can form [[tar ball (oil)|tar ball]]s that can wash up on [[beach]]es. | The term seep may also refer to the movement of liquid [[hydrocarbons]] to the surface and between [[geological]] layers. Oil may rise from the [[sea floor]] to sea surface and can form [[tar ball (oil)|tar ball]]s that can wash up on [[beach]]es. | ||
Much of the oil discovered in [[California]] during the 19th century was from seeps where oil had risen to the surface. | Much of the oil discovered in [[California]] during the 19th century was from seeps where oil had risen to the surface. Seeps may be a significant source of pollution. One seep, the Coal Oil Point Seep Field near Santa Barbara, California has a seep area of about three square kilometers, and releases about 40 tons per day of methane and about 19 tons of reactive organic gas (ethane, propane, butane and higher hydrocarbons), which is about the same as that released by all the cars and trucks in the county. | ||
It als releases on the order of 100 to 150 barrels of liquid petroleum per day. The Manterey formation contains about one billion barrels, so at the current leaking rate, it would be emptied of liquid petroleum in about 20,000 years if it were not being replenished. The estimated lifetime of the gas component is even shorter. The field produces about 9 cubic meters of gas per barrel of oil, and so there is about 9,000,000 cubic meters of gas in the reservoir. The seep would deplete this amount of gas in about 150 years. | |||
==External link== | ==External link== | ||
Revision as of 15:33, 5 June 2006
A seep is a wet place, where a liquid, usually groundwater, has oozed from the ground to the surface. Seeps are usually not flowing, with the liquid sourced only from underground.
The term seep may also refer to the movement of liquid hydrocarbons to the surface and between geological layers. Oil may rise from the sea floor to sea surface and can form tar balls that can wash up on beaches.
Much of the oil discovered in California during the 19th century was from seeps where oil had risen to the surface. Seeps may be a significant source of pollution. One seep, the Coal Oil Point Seep Field near Santa Barbara, California has a seep area of about three square kilometers, and releases about 40 tons per day of methane and about 19 tons of reactive organic gas (ethane, propane, butane and higher hydrocarbons), which is about the same as that released by all the cars and trucks in the county.
It als releases on the order of 100 to 150 barrels of liquid petroleum per day. The Manterey formation contains about one billion barrels, so at the current leaking rate, it would be emptied of liquid petroleum in about 20,000 years if it were not being replenished. The estimated lifetime of the gas component is even shorter. The field produces about 9 cubic meters of gas per barrel of oil, and so there is about 9,000,000 cubic meters of gas in the reservoir. The seep would deplete this amount of gas in about 150 years.
External link
- Hyrdocarbon Seeps has detailed description of a major seep just offshore from Santa Barbara, California.