National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
United States Department of Commerce

Methane

Seafloor Mapping Data Reveals Large Number of Gas Seeps Off U.S. West Coast

The U.S. West Coast continental shelf is known to host methane bubble streams, formerly thought to be rare.

Underwater image of the seafloor with a grey carbonate shelf with methane bubbles rising above

Klamath Knoll is a carbonate-capped accretionary ridge offshore southern Oregon.  Bubble streams are extruding from beneath a carbonate shelf in 730 meter (2395 feet) water depth. These carbonate platforms are essential habitat for fish, deep-sea corals and invertebrates.

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