I am a PhD candidate the Centre of Excellence for Arctic Gas hydrates, Environment and climate (CAGE) at UiT. CAGE lay its foundation for understanding how methane release affects the marine environment and climate in the arctic regions.

Methane gas is one of the most potent greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. Most of the gas is stored on earth in gas hydrates (concentrated methane gas trapped in a cage of ice) in sedimentary basins below the seabed. The hydrates are stable in a specific temperature and pressure ranges, which makes them sensitive to, for example, changes in bottom-water temperature. Release of gas into the water column, and potentially into the atmosphere could act as a positive feedback to global warming and contribute to further enhancement of it. One of the greatest uncertainties in the Arctic marine methane supply is the amount of frozen methane in the sub-seabed.

Picture from R/V Helmer Hansen, July 2015.Laying out the P-Cable 3D seismic system in the water. Cross-cable on the winch where 14 streamers (green cables) are manually attached with 12.5 m space. Airgun on the left side. 

Below is an illustration of P-Cable 3D seismic system we use at UiT with seismic-example. Time-lapse seismic (or 4D seismic) method involves acquisition, processing and interpretation of repeated seismic surveys.  We are currently developing a workflow for processing time-lapse P-Cable seismic by use of several test datasets acquired around the coast of northern Norway.  

When a reliable and applicable workflow is established, it will be used on 4D seismic studies on gas hydrate provinces at NW Svalbard margin and the Barents Sea. I aim to gain a better understanding of spatial and temporal fluid migration systems and dynamics of gas hydrates.