[Nethra K Putti]

MUD VOLCANOES

Mud Volcanoes are also called as Sedimentry volcanoes or Gas-Oil Volcanoes are close cousines to Magnetic volcanoes. Just like Magnetic volcanoes they erupt Powerfully & hurl flames to great heights. They spew out millions of cubic meters of hydrocarbon gases & tones of mud.

Mud Volcanoes also exists on floor of sea & can form islands & banks that alter topography & shape of the coastline & even triggers earthquakes.

Another feature of Mud volcanoes is their direct relationship of oil & gas fields. Mud volcanoes resemble super deep exploration wells in the sense that they are direct indicators of hydrocarbons at great depths and provide valuable information on the formation and migration of oil and gas.

Mud volcanoes are essentially channels for releasing pressurized gas and mineral water, sometimes with traces of oil, together with associated mud from great depths (8*12km) and depositing them on the surface of the earth where they form mounds ranging from 5 to 500m high. In both appearance and behavior, they outwardly resemble a magmatic volcano. The explosive release of pent-up gases combined with the burning of hydrocarbon gases adds to this similarity. But, unlike their magmatic cousins, which carry molten rock or larva or enormous heat to the surface, mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan are at ambient temperature and may even be cool.