Newly Discovered Hydrate-Bearing Structure in Lake Baikal

A new deep-water hydrate-bearing structure, named after Moscow State University (MSU), has been discovered on July 29, 2018 during the geological-geophysical research of the Class@Baikal project. The structure lies on a fault scarp at the bottom of the central basin of Lake Baikal at a water depth of 1380 m (coordinates N 52°52′/E 107°07′). The “MSU” structure is sub-isometric in planar view, 500 m in diameter, and reveals a multi-summit morphology. Results of initial investigations show an active fluid seepage and gashydrate formation within the discovered structure. Laboratory analyses of the sampled gases indicate a significant concentration of thermogenic hydrocarbons.