WESTERN BLACK-SEA BASIN MUD VOLCANO PROVI NCE

Nine mud volcanoes have been discovered south of the Crimea Peninsula. Besides, seven buried mud volcanoes were discovered recently on the b asis of seismic data in this area. Mud volcano breccia is represented mainly by Maikopian shales. Mud volcano area is characterized by a gre at thickness of Maikopian shales, which is 5 km thick. The paper gives a detailed description of the mud volcano area and a history of its d iscovery. An increased content of hydrocarbons was found within the ea of mud volcanoes.