Molecular and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbons at Site 533, Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 76
In an investigation of gas hydrates in deep ocean sediments, gas samples from Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 533 on the Blake Outer Ridge in the northwest Atlantic were obtained for molecular and isotopic analyses. Gas samples were collected from the first successful deployment of a pressure core barrel (PCB) in a hydrate region. The pressure decline curves from two of the four PCB retrievals at in situ pressures suggested the presence of small amounts of gas hydrates. Compositional and isotopic measurements of gases from several points along the pressure decline curve indicated that (1) biogenic methane (δ13C = -68‰; CJ/CJ = 5000) was the dominant gas (>90%); (2) little fractionation in the C,/ C2 ratio or the C carbon isotopic composition occurred as gas hydrates decomposed during pressure decline experi ments; (3) the percent of C3 , i-C4 , and CO2 degassed increased as the pressure declined, indicating that these molecules may help stabilize the hydrate structure; (4) excess nitrogen was present during initial degassing; and (5) Cj/Q ratios and isotopic ratios of C gases were similar to those obtained from conventional core sampling. The PCB gas also con tained trace amounts of saturated, acyclic, cyclic, and aromatic C5 -C14 hydrocarbons, as well as alkenes and tetrahydrothiophenes. Gas from a decomposed specimen of gas hydrate had similar molecular and isotopic ratios to the PCB gas (δ13C of -68% for methane and a q/ Q ratio of -6000). Regular trends in the δ 13C of methane ( 95 60%) and C{ /C2 ratios (-25000 — 2000) were observed with depth. Capillary gas chromatography (GC) and total scanning fluorescence measurements of extracted organic material were characteristic of hydrocarbons dominated by a marine source, though significant amounts of perylene were also present.