Deposition and Rates of Fault Movement

The slip rates on the bounding listric fault surfaces on Sabah basin are different and highly variable
but the slip rates of up to 0.43 mm/year have been identified from depth corrected and structurally
balanced models of the half-grabens.

During this same time interval sedimentation rates observed in wells were averaging from 0.1 to 0.2
mm/year.

The low sedimentation rates of about 0.1 mm/year indicate two things which are:

 In an actively extending rift system such as the tectonic subsidence is likely to be of greater
significance on the internal seismic facies characteristics than the eustatic sea level.

 The half-grabens were primarily in a starved condition with new accommodation space
outstripping sediment supply.

There is clearly a strong tectonic overprint on the stratigraphy of the half-grabens.

Gas Hydrate Extraction and Associated Risks

Gas hydrates look and act much like ice, but it contains huge amounts of methane. Methane can be
extracted from natural gas hydrates through three methods which are:

1. Depressurization where the pressure is decreased below the equilibrium pressure of

hydrates.

2. Injection of chemical inhibitor such as methanol into the gas hydrate sediments to promote
hydrate dissociation by lowering the temperature.

3. Thermal stimulation by increasing the temperature in order to accomplish gas hydrate

dissociation.

A key issue for the extraction of gas hydrate is its potential contribution to global warming.

Solid methane hydrates contribute to geotechnical stability.

However, if the solid methane hydrates undergo dissociation, the area around the formation can
become destabilised.

The small shift in the seabed can damage the wellbores and resulted in additional cost for drillers
and operators.

Other risk factors associated with gas hydrate extraction include submarine slope failure and a
decrease in microbial communities associated with methane-hydrate ecosystem.