Methane seeps occur from the shallow subtidal zone to the ocean trenches, at depths ranging from 15 meters to more than 7,800 meters. Thus, they are not exclusively a deep-sea phenomenon; however, only those systems below the continental shelf host highly specialized biological communities.

Where are seeps found?

Cold seeps are common along continental margins in areas of high primary productivity and tectonic activity, where crustal deformation and compaction drive emissions of methane rich fluid. Cold seeps are patchily distributed and they occur most frequently near ocean margins from intertidal to hadal depths.

What is methane seep?

That's what a methane seep is-a point where methane, a gas, escapes from the rock into the ocean above it. It is one of several types of ocean seeps where things like petroleum, carbon dioxide, or hydrogen sulfide leak into the waters surrounding them.