Italian scientists study Azerbaijan's mud volcanoes

Italian scientists Angelo Minissale and Marco Bonini and their Azerbaijani colleagues study various mud volcanoes in the Shamakhi-Gobustan region of Azerbaijan.

The expeditions started on June 20 and are conducted by Dr Akbar Feyzullayev, head of the
Department of Oil and Gas Geology and Geochemistry at ANAS's Geology Institute and Chingiz Aliyev, PhD, Italian Marco Bonini and Giovanni Moratti, Orlando Vaselli and Benedetta Antonielli.
The aim of the study is to check the links between the structure of volcanoes, tectonic zones and volcanic activity, as well as the chemical composition of gases and water.
These will be the first comprehensive studies of mud volcanoes and will use the latest methods, Feyzullayev said.

Thirty-six countries, including Italy, have about 800 mud volcanoes, with 400 in the South Caucasus. More than 300 mud volcanoes are located on the territory of Azerbaijan. According to Angelo Minissale, although Italy has fewer mud volcanoes than Azerbaijan, the sedimentary basins of the two countries have a similar geological history, which is why the Italian scientists have chosen to conduct their studies in Azerbaijan.

Mud volcanoes are a sign of the presence of oil and gas underground. They are created when mud and sand several kilometers beneath the Earth's surface are pushed upwards by compressive forces and expelled.


/AzerTAc/