Quantitative Study of Methane Sequestration by Hydrate-Encapsulated Bubbles at Cold Seeps: Kinetic Characteristics and Environmental Implications
4 affiliations
- 1Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
- 2Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
- 3Shandong Key Laboratory of Mineralization Processes and Resources Utilization of Strategic Metal Minerals, Shandong Institute of Geological Sciences, Jinan 250013, China
- 4Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting, Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
Abstract
Cold seeps are a major source of natural methane emissions from the seafloor and regulate the global ocean carbon cycle. Hydrate formation serves as a key natural barrier restricting methane escape, but its kinetic mechanisms remain poorly quantified due to limited in situ monitoring capabilities. Here, we employ time-series Raman spectroscopy to conduct quantitative monitoring of methane hydrate growth kinetics and coupled methane sequestration behavior across various fluid-bubble flows. Time-resolved spectral data clearly capture real-time variations in the concentration and conversion ratio of multiphase methane during hydrate growth, quantitatively revealing the dynamic evolution patterns and regulatory mechanisms in cold-seep environments. Experimental results indicate that the growth rate accelerates and the occupancy of large cages in cold-seep bubble flows increases by 15% relative to that of small cages influenced by low salinity and small solid particles. Furthermore, field model estimates indicate that the annual methane sequestration by hydrate-encapsulated bubbles at Site F is estimated to be about 0.34–2.77 t/yr, which accounts for roughly 3.3%–26.9% of the total methane leakage flux in this region. These findings fill critical quantitative gaps in understanding cold-seep methane sequestration dynamics and provide key parameters for incorporating hydrate-mediated sequestration into ocean carbon cycle models.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026quantitative,
title = {{Quantitative Study of Methane Sequestration by Hydrate-Encapsulated Bubbles at Cold Seeps: Kinetic Characteristics and Environmental Implications}},
author = {Yitong Zhang and Shichuan Xi and Liang Ma and Lianfu Li and Wanying He and Zengfeng Du and Zhicheng Wang and Jun Tao and Xin Zhang},
journal = {Environmental Science \& Technology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6c11347},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c11347},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Quantitative Study of Methane Sequestration by Hydrate-Encapsulated Bubbles at Cold Seeps: Kinetic Characteristics and Environmental Implications
AU - Yitong Zhang
AU - Shichuan Xi
AU - Liang Ma
AU - Lianfu Li
AU - Wanying He
AU - Zengfeng Du
AU - Zhicheng Wang
AU - Jun Tao
AU - Xin Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Environmental Science & Technology
DO - 10.1021/acs.est.6c11347
UR - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c11347
AB - Cold seeps are a major source of natural methane emissions from the seafloor and regulate the global ocean carbon cycle. Hydrate formation serves as a key natural barrier restricting methane escape, but its kinetic mechanisms remain poorly quantified due to limited in situ monitoring capabilities. Here, we employ time-series Raman spectroscopy to conduct quantitative monitoring of methane hydrate growth kinetics and coupled methane sequestration behavior across various fluid-bubble flows. Time-resolved spectral data clearly capture real-time variations in the concentration and conversion ratio of multiphase methane during hydrate growth, quantitatively revealing the dynamic evolution patterns and regulatory mechanisms in cold-seep environments. Experimental results indicate that the growth rate accelerates and the occupancy of large cages in cold-seep bubble flows increases by 15% relative to that of small cages influenced by low salinity and small solid particles. Furthermore, field model estimates indicate that the annual methane sequestration by hydrate-encapsulated bubbles at Site F is estimated to be about 0.34–2.77 t/yr, which accounts for roughly 3.3%–26.9% of the total methane leakage flux in this region. These findings fill critical quantitative gaps in understanding cold-seep methane sequestration dynamics and provide key parameters for incorporating hydrate-mediated sequestration into ocean carbon cycle models.
SN - 0013-936X
SN - 1520-5851
ER -