Preliminary research on characteristics, distribution patterns and origins of submarine slides in deepwater oil and gas exploration area of Baiyun Sag

Deepwater geohazards, especially submarine slides, may seriously threaten the safe construction of deepwater facilities for oil and gas development. However, the risks and economic losses could be predicted and prevented if the formation mechanism and distribution pattern of submarine landslides are carefully studied. Based on the high-resolution 3D seismic data acquired by CNOOC in the Baiyun Sag, we identified the submarine slide and other deepwater geohazards, such as gas hydrate, gas chimneys, mud diapirs, shallow gas and shallow water, and found that they are closely related. In fact, the decomposition of gas hydrate, release of overpresured fluid and high rate of sedimentation are the main causes of submarine slide in the Baiyun Sag. These controlling factors are resulted from neotectonics in the northern South China Sea. Therefore, neotectonics is the main reason of submarine slides.