Application of marine heat flow data important in oil, gas exploration

Geothermal heat is conducted from the centre of the earth to the surface by thermal convection and conduction. Methods for measuring geothermal heat flow on the seafloor are outlined. Geothermal heat floor through the seafloor is the product of the thermal gradient in, and the thermal conductivity of, the sediment in a depth interval. The ways in which geothermal heat flow data are used in offshore oil and gas exploration, particularly the Gulf of Mexico, are described. Heat flow data are used in thermal maturation analyses, subsalt exploration and in predicting potential hazards associated with gas hydrates.