Applications of heat flow in the Western Black Sea to model geothermal evolution and gas hydrate formation

The main objective of the study is to outline the surface distribution of the modern and paleo-heat flow in order to reconstruct the thermal history of the Western Black Sea basin in relation to the origin and stability of gas hydrates. Key bore-hole section models confirm the basic theory for the opening of the basin, as well as variations in paleo-heat flow values over a wide range. The gas hydrates in the paleo-delta areas of the Danube and Dnieper Rivers are of probable biogenic origin, which is confirmed by the model results.