Geological-geophysical analysis of mud volcanism regions

Geological and geophysical data on the world distribution and conditions of continental-type mud volcanoes are presented. The deep structure of mud-vo lcanic activity zones is considered. Various aspects of their relationships with deep faults and oil and gas deposits are discussed. Based on an analy sis of these data, a mechanism of the formation and development of mud volc anoes is proposed. This mechanism is incorporated into a more general conce pt of the fluid motion in the upper crust. The known geomechanical model of crustal waveguides [Karakin, 1990; Karakin and Kambarova 1997] forms the b asis of the scheme proposed. This model suggests the existence of a self-ex cited regime of waveguides and periodically alternating ascending and desce nding fluid flows. Mud volcanoes can arise in the zones of ascending fluid flows provided the fluids penetrate clayey sedimentary strata broken by a f ault system. If the fluids permeate into a reservoir with an impermeable co ver, ordinary oil and gas deposits form. Thus, oil and gas deposits and mud volcanoes have a common nature.