Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble — Global Oceanic Methane Seeps
I review our present knowledge on methane seeps around the planet. These seeps are found on many coastlines and continental shelves around the planet, including both the Arctic and Antarctic, at a wide range of water depths.
In shallow water, the methane bubble plumes reach the surface and atmosphere, while in deeper water the methane bubble plume dissolves into the water column.
I discuss where these methane seeps occur, and their implications to the global methane budget. I also talk about the methane hydrates (clathrates) found in high pressure, low temperature, usually deep water locations.
Interestingly, the deepest methane venting locations are a great candidate for the origins of life on our planet, and host entire ecosystems of life based on so-called chemosynthesis energy, versus sunlight based photosynthetic based life closer to the land surfaces. Of course, it is perpetual darkness on the deep ocean floor, with no light penetration.
I also chat about methane's potent GHG (Greenhouse Gas) properties, with it's very large GWP (Global Warming Potential) versus carbon dioxide.
References
Mongabay review article published Jan 8, 2026:
Methane chasers: Hunting a climate-changing gas seeping from Earth’s seafloor
news.mongabay.com/2026/01/methane-chasers-hunting-a-climate-changing-gas-seeping-from-earths-seafloor
Perplexity query: What is the Global Warming Potential of methane on different timescales?
perplexity.ai/search/what-is-the-global-warming-pot-Ftth_ssCTXi4EuTWMbbbdQ
Perplexity query: What are methane hydrates?
perplexity.ai/search/what-are-methane-hydrates-jasoRVpdQHKzchvU8XVEpg
Peer-reviewed scientific paper:
Antarctic seep emergence and discovery in the shallow coastal environment
nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63404-3
Abstract
We report striking discoveries of numerous seafloor seeps of climate-reactive fluid and gases in the coastal Ross Sea, indicating this process may be a common phenomenon in the region. We establish the recent emergence of many of these seep features, based on their discovery in areas routinely surveyed for decades with no previous seep presence....
Peer-reviewed Science journal paper:
Biological Communities at the Florida Escarpment Resemble Hydrothermal Vent Taxa
science.org/doi/10.1126/science.226.4677.965
Global Methane Budget paper published early 2025:
essd.copernicus.org/articles/17/1873/2025/essd-17-1873-2025.pdf
Yale Environment Article: Melting Arctic Ocean Raises Threat of ‘Methane Time Bomb’
https://e360.yale.edu/features/melting_arctic_ocean_raises_threat_of_methane_time_bomb#:~:text=Scientists%2520have%2520long%2520believed%2520that,then%2520they%2520began%2520to%2520rise.
Science Direct article: Marine bubble flow quantification using wide-baseline stereo photogrammetry
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092427162200171X?via=ihub%252523f0005
Abstract
Reliable quantification of natural and anthropogenic gas release (e.g. CO2, methane) from the seafloor into the water column, and potentially to the atmosphere, is a challenging task. While ship-based echo sounders such as single beam and multibeam systems allow detection of free gas, bubbles, in the water even from a great distance, exact quantification utilizing the hydroacoustic data requires additional parameters such as rise speed and bubble size distribution. Optical methods are complementary in the sense that they can provide high temporal and spatial resolution of single bubbles or bubble streams from close distance...
Norway Arctic Research article: International research team discovers a potential source of abiotic methane in the Arctic Ocean
https://en.uit.no/nyheter/artikkel?p_document_id=914923
From my friend Heidi:
Hello! I wanted to share something important with you. Paul Beckwith is doing incredible work to educate people about climate change and extreme weather, but he needs our support to continue this vital mission. Every donation, no matter the size, can make a difference in helping him reach more communities. Please consider clicking the link below to donate or share it with others who care about our planet. Thank you!
Year end - Year start GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-paul-...
Please donate to PaulBeckwith.net to support my research and videos connecting the dots on abrupt climate system mayhem.
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...
Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble — Global Oceanic Methane Seeps
I review our present knowledge on methane seeps around the planet. These seeps are found on many coastlines and continental shelves around the planet, including both the Arctic and Antarctic, at a wide range of water depths.
In shallow water, the methane bubble plumes reach the surface and atmosphere, while in deeper water the methane bubble plume dissolves into the water column.
I discuss where these methane seeps occur, and their implications to the global methane budget. I also talk about the methane hydrates (clathrates) found in high pressure, low temperature, usually deep water locations.
Interestingly, the deepest methane venting locations are a great candidate for the origins of life on our planet, and host entire ecosystems of life based on so-called chemosynthesis energy, versus sunlight based photosynthetic based life closer to the land surfaces. Of course, it is perpetual darkness on the deep ocean floor, with no light penetration.
I also chat about methane's potent GHG (Greenhouse Gas) properties, with it's very large GWP (Global Warming Potential) versus carbon dioxide.
References
Mongabay review article published Jan 8, 2026:
Methane chasers: Hunting a climate-changing gas seeping from Earth’s seafloor
news.mongabay.com/2026/01/methane-chasers-hunting-a-climate-changing-gas-seeping-from-earths-seafloor
Perplexity query: What is the Global Warming Potential of methane on different timescales?
perplexity.ai/search/what-is-the-global-warming-pot-Ftth_ssCTXi4EuTWMbbbdQ
Perplexity query: What are methane hydrates?
perplexity.ai/search/what-are-methane-hydrates-jasoRVpdQHKzchvU8XVEpg
Peer-reviewed scientific paper:
Antarctic seep emergence and discovery in the shallow coastal environment
nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63404-3
Abstract
We report striking discoveries of numerous seafloor seeps of climate-reactive fluid and gases in the coastal Ross Sea, indicating this process may be a common phenomenon in the region. We establish the recent emergence of many of these seep features, based on their discovery in areas routinely surveyed for decades with no previous seep presence....
Peer-reviewed Science journal paper:
Biological Communities at the Florida Escarpment Resemble Hydrothermal Vent Taxa
science.org/doi/10.1126/science.226.4677.965
Global Methane Budget paper published early 2025:
essd.copernicus.org/articles/17/1873/2025/essd-17-1873-2025.pdf
Yale Environment Article: Melting Arctic Ocean Raises Threat of ‘Methane Time Bomb’
https://e360.yale.edu/features/melting_arctic_ocean_raises_threat_of_methane_time_bomb#:~:text=Scientists%2520have%2520long%2520believed%2520that,then%2520they%2520began%2520to%2520rise.
Science Direct article: Marine bubble flow quantification using wide-baseline stereo photogrammetry
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092427162200171X?via=ihub%252523f0005
Abstract
Reliable quantification of natural and anthropogenic gas release (e.g. CO2, methane) from the seafloor into the water column, and potentially to the atmosphere, is a challenging task. While ship-based echo sounders such as single beam and multibeam systems allow detection of free gas, bubbles, in the water even from a great distance, exact quantification utilizing the hydroacoustic data requires additional parameters such as rise speed and bubble size distribution. Optical methods are complementary in the sense that they can provide high temporal and spatial resolution of single bubbles or bubble streams from close distance...
Norway Arctic Research article: International research team discovers a potential source of abiotic methane in the Arctic Ocean
https://en.uit.no/nyheter/artikkel?p_document_id=914923
From my friend Heidi:
Hello! I wanted to share something important with you. Paul Beckwith is doing incredible work to educate people about climate change and extreme weather, but he needs our support to continue this vital mission. Every donation, no matter the size, can make a difference in helping him reach more communities. Please consider clicking the link below to donate or share it with others who care about our planet. Thank you!
Year end - Year start GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-paul-...
Please donate to PaulBeckwith.net to support my research and videos connecting the dots on abrupt climate system mayhem.
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...
