2-D heat and fluid flow modelling of the central basin and western high in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey

Abstract

The main objective of this thesis is modelling the fluid flow and heat distribution of the Central Basin and the Western High of the Sea of Marmara to understand both heat distribution and gas and fluid flow in this critic region. For this purpose, two seismic sections are selected to create a real-earth model, which are SM46 for Central Basin and DMS-5 for Western High. Furthermore, interpreted geological features like faults, sedimentary units are transferred for the construction geometry and meshing, properly. After that, the physical parameters are accordingly determined to clarify boundary and cell zone conditions of the models, which are permeability, porosity, temperature and hydrostatic pressure. Thus, models are calculated through the time, numerically, also they reach the steady state condition. According to the results like heat distribution models and calculated velocity in XX and YY directions, the created models are adjusted to previous studies in this region. Generally, faults have responsibility to transport fluid inside of the system, so they provide a circulation by migrating and distributing gas and fluid flow accordingly to physical conditions like hydrostatic pressure and permeability. Besides, it is thought that the northern part of the Central Basin act a depocenter by promoting faults that F3 and F1 fault, when fluid and gas flow observed in the southern branch of the basin with F2, F4 faults. At the same time, inside of the Central Basin is interpreted as a transportation area because of the dominant lateral movements, while northern and southern branches have upward fluid flow activity with higher velocity on the seafloor. On the other hand, Western High shows a little bit higher fluid flow velocity values than the Central Basin due to the lower hydrostatic pressure, subsidiary and shearing structures. In addition, Main Marmara Fault has active role for circumstance of the fluid flow in the Western High with other active/inactive faults. Therefore, modeling results are in good agreement with previous studies.