Project overview:

Numerical modeling of gas hydrates investigates the dynamics of gas hydrate formation and dissolution in marine sediments with a special focus on the multiphase reactive porous flow and the potential atmospheric/oceanic feedbacks. The scope of our current research is to understand and quantify the rates of gas hydrate crystallization from in-situ organic matter and its implications for the global hydrate budget, the mechanisms of upward free gas migration inside the Gas Hydrate Stability Zone (GHSZ), the role of bio-chemical processes associated with hydrate formation (POC degradation via sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, anaerobic oxidation of methane- AOM), and physical controls on gas hydrate distribution in marine anoxic sediments with various lithologies. Our numerical models are built upon a compilation of input data sets derived from various sources, including GEOMAR climate models (e.g. the Ocean General Circulation Model OGCM in ORCA_R025 configuration).

Contact: Dr. Ewa Burwicz-Galerne, e-mail: eburwicz(at)geomar.de, phone: +49 (0)431 600-2843

Burwicz, E. B., Reichel, T., Wallmann, K., Rottke, W., Haeckel, M., and Hensen, C. (2017) 3D basin-scale reconstruction of the natural gas hydrate system of the Green Canyon, Gulf of Mexico, G-cubed.

Dumke, I., Burwicz, E. B., Berndt, C., Klaeschen, D., Feseker, T., Geissler, W. and Sarkar, S. (2016) Gas hydrate distribution and hydrocarbon maturation north of the Knipovich Ridge, western Svalbard marginJournal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth. DOI 10.1002/2015JB012083.

Wallmann, K., Pinero, E., Burwicz, E., Haeckel, M., Hensen, C., Dale, A. W. and Ruepke, L. (2012) The Global Inventory of Methane Hydrate in Marine Sediments: A Theoretical Approach Energies, 5 (7). pp. 2449-2498. DOI 10.3390/en5072449.

Burwicz, E. B., Rüpke, L. and Wallmann, K. (2011) Estimation of the global amount of submarine gas hydrates formed via microbial methane formation based on numerical reaction-transport modeling and a novel parameterization of Holocene sedimentation Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 75 (16). pp. 4562-4576. DOI 10.1016/j.gca.2011.05.029.

Biastoch, A., Treude, T., Rüpke, L. H., Riebesell, U., Roth, C., Burwicz, E. B., Park, W., Latif, M., Böning, C. W.,Madec, G. and Wallmann, K. (2011) Rising Arctic Ocean temperatures cause gas hydrate destabilization and ocean acidification Geophysical Research Letters, 38 (8). L08602. DOI 10.1029/2011GL047222.

Conference proceedings

Burwicz, E., Reichel, T., Pinero, E., Hensen, C., Wallmann, K. and Haeckel, M. (2014) Gas hydrate dynamics at the Green Canyon Site, Gulf of Mexico - recovery prospects based on new 3-D modeling study [Paper] In: 8. International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH8), 28.07.-01.08.2014, Beijing, China . Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH8-2014), Beijing, China, 28 July - 1 August, 2014 ; T3-63 

Burwicz, E., Rüpke, L. and Wallmann, K. (2011) A new global gas hydrate budget based on numerical reaction-transport modeling and a novel parameterization of Holocene and Quaternary sedimentationProceedings of the 7th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH 2011), Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, July 17-21, 2011. HWU, Edinburgh, p. 9.

Rüpke, L., Biastoch, A., Treude, T., Riebesell, U., Roth, C., Burwicz, E., Park, W., Latif, M., Böning, C. W.,Wallmann, K. and Madec, G. (2011) Rising Arctic Ocean temperatures cause gas hydrate destabilization and ocean acidification Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH2011), Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, July 17-21, 2011. HWU, Edinburgh, p. 6.

Wallmann, K., Burwicz, E., Ruepke, L. H., Marquardt, M., Pinero, E., Haeckel, M. and Hensen, C. (2011)Constraining the global inventory of methane hydrate in marine sediments Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH2011). HWU, Edinburgh, UK, 129/1-13.