RYBAK О.M., PARYSHEV O.O., INOZEMTSEV Yu.I., STUPINA L.V. Fire phenomena in the Black Sea during the 1927 Crimean earthquakes as possible indicators of oil and gas potential

https://doi.org/10.15407/gpimo2025.01.057

О.M. Rybak, PhD (Geol. & Mineral.), Senior Researcher
e-mail: mega.akvatorija@gmail.com
ORCID 0000-0001-5746-7259
O.O. Paryshev, PhD (Geol.), Senior Researcher
e-mail: paryshev1974@gmail.com
ORCID 0000-0003-1318-9650
Yu.I. Inozemtsev, Dr. Sci. (Geol.), Leading Researcher
ORCID 0000-0002-4083-8292
L.V. Stupina, PhD (Geol.), Senior Researcher
e-mail: stlada@ukr.net
ORCID 0000-0002-5082-0862
SSI «MorGeoEcoCenter NAS of Ukraine»
55 b, st. Oles Honchar, Kyiv, 01054, Ukraine

FIRE PHENOMENA IN THE BLACK SEA
DURING THE 1927 CRIMEAN EARTHQUAKES
AS POSSIBLE INDICATORS OF OIL AND GAS POTENTIAL

This article explores the relationship between the 1927 Crimean earthquakes and the activity of submarine mud volcanoes south of Crimea. Particular emphasis is placed on massive gas emissions accompanied by fiery flashes, considered potential indicators of subsurface processes. It is shown that mud volcanoes - typically formed within seismically active fold systems of Alpine tectogenesis — along with other geological structures such as magmatic volcanoes, hydrocarbon deposits, artesian basins, and geysers, are components of fluid-dynamic systems sensitive to changes in tectonic stress within the Earth’s crust. The study of such systems opens new perspectives for modeling the mechanisms of seismic event formation and for predicting seismic activity. Furthermore, the observed fiery phenomena may point to the region’s significant hydrocarbon potential. 

Keywords: mud volcanoes, Black Sea basin, earthquakes, fiery phenomena, gas emissions.
 

References

Aliev Ad.A. Griazevye vulkany Kaspiia. Kharakternye osobennosti proiavleniia i izverzhenii. Katalog resp. seism. sluzhby. Baku. 2011. S. 30-38.

Aliev Ad.A., Bairamov A.L. Vliianie seismichnosti na griazevoi vulkanizm v Azerbaidzhane i nekotorye paradoksy. Tr. In-ta geologii Az. AN. № 36. Baku: Nafta-Press, 2008. S. 40-51.

Aliev Ad.A., Bairamov A.L. Zakonomernosti prostranstvenno-vremennogo raspredeleniia griazevykh vulkanov Yuzhno-Kaspiiskoi vpadiny. Tr. In-ta geologii Az. AN. № 35. Baku: Nafta-Press, 2007. S. 25-45.

Aliev Ad.A., Guliev I.S., Dadashev F.G., Rakhmanov R.R. Atlas griazevykh vulkanov mira. Baku: Nafta-Press, 2015. 322 s.

Aliev Ad.A., Guliev I.S., Rakhmanov R.R. Katalog izverzhenii griazevykh vulkanov Azerbaidzhana (1810-2007 gg.). Baku: Nafta-Press, 2009. 110 s.

Barsukov V.L., Varshal G.M., Garanin A.V., Zamokina N.S. Znachenie gidrokhimicheskikh metodov dlia kratkosrochnogo prognoza zemletriasenii. Gidrokhimicheskie predvestniki zemletriaseniia. Moskva: Nauka, 1985. S. 3-17.

Voitov G.I., Yusupov S.Sh. Izotopno-uglerodnyi predvestnik silnykh tektonicheskikh zemletriasenii. Dokl. RAN. 1996. T. 346. № 3. S. 392-395.

Geologicheskaia otsenka trass linii sviazi Sevastopol-Evpatoriia, Sevastopol-Kerch, Sevastopol-Poti (29 reis NIS «Profesor Vodianitskii»). Kiev: OMGOR, 2003. 177 s.

Golubov B.N., Imagilov D.F. Truboobraznye tela pod dnom Severnogo Kaspiia i fliuidnyi rezhim ego nedr. Genezis nefti i gaza. Moskva: GEOS, 2003. S. 78-80.

Gubkin I.M. Griazevye vulkany Sovetskogo Soiuza i ikh sviaz s genezisom neftianykh mestorozhdenii Krymsko-Kavkazskoi geologicheskoi provintsii. Tr. 17 Mezhdunar. geol. konf. T. 4. 1940. S. 33-66.

Dvoichenko P.A. Chernomorskie zemletriaseniia 1927 g. v Krymu. Priroda. 1928. № 6. S. 523-541.

Dmitrievskii A.N., Valiaev B.N. Uglevodorodnaia degazatsiia Zemli i genezis neftegazovykh mestorozhdenii: razvitie idei P. N. Kropotkina. Mat-ly konf. «Degazatsiia Zemli i genezis neftegazovykh mestorozhdenii». Moskva: GEOS, 2010. S. 7-10.

Dmitrievskii A.N., Valiaev B.N. Fliuidogeodinamicheskie i geneticheskie aspekty gidratonosnosti razreza osadkov dna Mirovogo okeana. Geodinamika i neftegazonosnye struktury Chernomorskogo regiona. 2002. S. 58-59.

Kraiushkin V.A. Abiogenno-mantiinyi genezis nefti. Kiev: Nauk. dumka, 1984. 176 s.

Kropotkin P.M., Valiaev B.N. Geodinamika griazevulkanicheskoi deiatelnosti (v sviazi s neftegazonosnostiu). Geologicheskie i geokhimicheskie osnovy poiska nefti i gaza. Kiev: Nauk. dumka, 1980. S. 148-178.

Kropotkin P.N., Valiaev B.N. Tektonicheskii kontrol protsessov degazatsii Zemli i genezis uglevodorodov. Tr. XXVII geol. kongressa. T. 13. Moskva: Nauka, 1984. S. 13-25.

Limonov A.F. Griazevye vulkany. Sorosovskii obrazovatelnyi zhurnal. 2004. T. 8. № 1. S. 63-69.

Mamedov P.Z., Guliev I.S. Subvertikalnye geologicheskie tela v osadochnom chekhlе Yuzhno-Kaspiiskoi vpadiny. Izv. Az. AN. Nauki o Zemle. 2003. № 3. S. 10-15.

Nikonov A.A. Krymskie zemletriaseniia 1927 g. Neizvestnye iavleniia na more. Priroda. 2002. № 9. S. 13-20.

Osika D.G. Fliuidnyi rezhim seismicheski aktivnykh oblastei. Moskva: Nauka, 1981. 204 s.

Osika D.G., Cherkashin V.I. Fliuidodinamika i seismichnost. Makhachkala. 2004. 176 s.

Parfonova V.V. Tiazhkie vzdokhi Zemli. Literaturnaia gazeta. № 23. 2002.

Plotnikov A.M. Poteri uglevodorodov na griazevykh vulkanakh Kerchenskogo poluostrova. Geologiia i neftegazonosnost Prichernomorskoi vpadiny. Kiev: Nauk. dumka. 1967. S. 72-81.

Rakhmanov R.R. Griazevye vulkany i ikh znachenie v prognozirovanii gazoneftenosnosti nedr. Moskva: Nedra, 1987. 174 s.

Rybak O.M., Paryshev O.O., Inozemtsev Yu.I., Stupina L.V. Mozhlyvi dzherela zhyvlennia «vohnianykh yavyshch» u zakhidnii chastyni Chornoho moria pid chas zemletrusiv 1927 roku. Heolohiia i korysni kopalyny Svitovoho okeanu. 2024. 20, № 1. S. 63-76. 
https://doi.org/10.15407/gpimo2024.01.063

Rusakov O.M., Kutas R.I. Problemy otsenki neftegazonosnosti severo-vostochnoi chasti ukrainskogo sektora Chernogo moria. Geofiz. zhurnal. 2011. T. 33. № 4. S. 50-61.

Skvortsov E.F. Nekotorye rezultaty ekspeditsii po issledovaniiu grunta Chernogo moria v sviazi s zemletriaseniem. Chernomorskie zemletriaseniia 1927 g. i sudby Kryma. Simferopol: Krymgosizdat. 1928. S. 50-63.

Sobisevich A.L., Gorbatikov A.V., Ovsiuchenko A.N. Glubinnoe stroenie griazevogo vulkana Gory Karabetovoi. DAN RAN. 2008. 22, № 4. S. 542-546.

Starostenko V.I., Makarenko I.B., Rusakov O.M. i dr. Geofizicheskie neodnorodnosti Chernogo moria. Geofiz. zhurn. 2010. 32, № 5. S. 3-20.

Tugolesov A.D., Gorshkov A.S., Meisner L.B., Solovev V.V., Khakhalev E.M. Tektonika mezokainozoiskikh otlozhenii Chernomorskoi vpadiny. Moskva: Nedra, 1985. 216 s.

Khaustov V.V. O glubinnykh vodakh Yuzhno-Kaspiiskoi vpadiny. Uchenye zapiski: elektronnyi zhurnal Kurskogo gos. un-ta. 2011. № 2(18). 8 s.

Shimanovskii S.V. Soobshchenie o Krymskom zemletriasenii 12 sentiabria 1927 g. Chernomorskie zemletriaseniia 1927 goda i sudby Kryma. Simferopol: Krymgosizdat. 1928. S. 43-49.

Shniukov E.F. Griazevye vulkany Chernogo moria kak poiskovyi priznak gazogidratov metana. Litologiia i polezn. iskopaemye. 2013. S. 119-127.

Shniukov E.F. Fliuidogennaia mineralizatsiia griazevykh vulkanov Azovo-Chernomorskogo regiona. Kiev: GNU OMGOR NAN Ukrainy. 2016. 194 s.

Shniukov E.F., Hnatenko G.I., Nesterovskii V.A. Griazevoi vulkanizm Kerchensko-Tamanskogo regiona. Kiev: Nauk. dumka, 1992. 199 s.

Shniukov E.F., Kobolev V.P., Pasynkov A.A. Gazovyi vulkanizm Chernogo moria. Kiev: Logos. 2013. 384 s.

Shniukov E.F., Netrebskaia E.Ia. Korni chernomorskikh griazevykh vulkanov. Heolohiia i korysni kopalyny Svitovoho okeanu. 2013. № 1. S. 87-92.

Shniukov E.F., Sheremetev V.M., Maslakov N.A., Kutnyi V.A., Gusakov I.N., Trofimov V.V. Griazevye vulkany Kerchensko-Tamanskogo regiona. Krasnodar, 2005. 176 s.

Shniukov E.F., Yanko V.V. Gazootdacha dna Chernogo moria: geologo-poiskovoe, ekologicheskoe i navigatsionnoe znachenie. Visnyk Odeskoho natsionalnoho universytetu. Heohrafichni ta heolohichni nauky. T. 19. Vyp. 4(23). 2014. S. 225-241.
https://doi.org/10.18524/2303-9914.2014.4(23).39371

Shniukov Ye.F., Kobolev V.P. Vohniani hazovi pliumy pid chas yaltynskykh zemletrusiv 1927 roku. Heol. i kor. kopalyny Svitovoho okeanu. 2021. № 4. S. 3-21.

41. Cooper, M.C., Selley, R.C., Cartwright, J.A. Vertical gas migration mechanisms in the Central North Sea, studied with ultra-high resolution digital 2D and 3D seismic data. In: Curzi, P.V. and Judd, A.G. (eds.) Abstracts and Guidebook, Vth International conference on Gas in Marine Sediments, Bologna, September 1998, P. 163-165.

42. Derr, J.S. Earthquake lights: a review of observations and theories. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 63, 1973. Р. 2177-2187. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0630062177

43. Gold, T., Soter, S. Fluid ascent through the solid lithosphere and its relation to earthquakes. Pure Appl. Geophys. 122. 1985. Р. 492-530. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00876389

44. Montandon, F. Lueurs et malaise d'origine seismique. Geogr. Helv. 3, 1948. Р. 157-178.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-3-157-1948

45. Ouellet, M. Earthquake lights and seismicity. Nature. 348, 1990. Р. 492. 
https://doi.org/10.1038/348492a0