Naftlige Mud Volcano, an Attractive Phenomenon in Golestan Province, Iran

Mud volcanoes or mud domes are geomorphological phenomena formed by a composition of water, mud, and gases. They are defined as main elements of geological structures which are taken into consideration by geologists and oil industry experts regarding their association with oil and gas reserves and methane greenhouse gas production.

Naftlige mud volcano is located in the eastern part of the Caspian Sea and west of Gomishan in Golestan Province, Iran. It is a large puddle of water around 25 meters diameter with a very soft mud edge and gas bubbles in the middle. It is an attractive geomorphological phenomenon which appears along the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea. The ejected materials from this mud volcano are solid silt and clay suspended in liquids.

The released gases are methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Like all other natural phenomena, mud volcanism can affect the environment both positively and negatively. Significant environmental impacts caused by emissions include the loss of plants and vegetation destruction in the region. Increased mud volcanic activity caused the oversaturation and intoxication of water by methane resulting in the mass extinction of sea inhabitants.

In Naftlige mud volcano, saline water with mud and gas comes out with high pressure and concentration, and the crude oil odor can be smelled. The combination of iodine in seawater and brines from the depths of the earth with sodium and potassium compounds is the reason for its purple or pink color.