Hydrocarbon seepage plays an essential role in defining seafloor morphology and increasing habitat heterogeneity in the deep sea whereby asphalt volcanism ranks among the most complex and proliferous hydrocarbon discharge systems that have been described to date. In this study, seepage of hydrocarbon gas and oil as well as asphalt deposits were investigated at Mictlan Knoll in the southern Gulf of Mexico. A multi-disciplinary approach was used including hydroacoustic surveys and visual seafloor observations to study the seafloor manifestations of hydrocarbon seepage. Mictlan Knoll is an asphalt volcano characterized by a crater-like depression surrounded by an elevated rim. Asphalt deposits are widespread in the depression where a large area of extensive asphalt deposits correlates with a high backscatter area (~75,000 m²). Numerous asphalt deposits appear relatively fresh and probably extruded recently, as oil bubbles were seen to emanate locally within areas covered by extensive asphalt deposits. An area of more irregular seafloor morphology occurring in the northern part of the depression is interpreted to be related to the active extrusion of asphalt below or within older surficial deposits. Additionally, 25 hydroacoustic anomalies indicative for gas bubble emissions were detected. Gas volume quantifications conducted during seafloor inspections with a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) at a single gas escape site situated above a gas hydrate outcrop revealed up to 0.1 × 10⁶ mol CH₄/yr. Gas emission at this site, monitored by an autonomous scanning sonar device, indicated a highly variable bubble release activity. Based on our findings, it is proposed that Mictlan Knoll hosts the most extensive asphalt deposits known to date in the Gulf of Mexico.

碳氢化合物渗漏在定义海底形态和增加深海栖息地异质性方面起着至关重要的作用，沥青火山作用是迄今为止描述的最复杂和最丰富的碳氢化合物排放系统之一。在这项研究中，对墨西哥湾南部 Mictlan Knoll 的碳氢化合物气体和石油以及沥青沉积物的渗漏进行了调查。使用了多学科方法，包括水声调查和海底目视观测来研究碳氢化合物渗漏的海底表现。Mictlan Knoll 是一座沥青火山，其特征是一个火山口状的洼地，周围环绕着升高的边缘。沥青沉积物在洼地广泛分布，其中大面积广泛的沥青沉积物与高反向散射区域（~75,000 m ²）。许多沥青沉积物看起来相对较新，可能是最近被挤出的，因为在被大量沥青沉积物覆盖的区域内可以看到局部出现油泡。出现在凹陷北部的一个更不规则的海底形态区域被解释为与旧表层沉积物下方或内部沥青的活跃挤压有关。此外，还检测到 25 个指示气泡排放的水声异常。在位于天然气水合物露头上方的单个气体逃逸地点使用远程操作车辆 (ROV) 在海底检查期间进行的气体体积量化显示高达 0.1 × 10 ⁶  mol CH ₄/年。该地点的气体排放由自主扫描声纳设备监测，表明气泡释放活动变化很大。根据我们的研究结果，有人认为 Mictlan Knoll 拥有迄今为止墨西哥湾已知的最广泛的沥青矿床。