THE BENHAM
RISE
Prepared By: Rhea Joy B. Celz
Benham Plateau, also known as the
Benham Rise, is a 13-million-hectare
undersea region rich in minerals and huge
natural gas deposits, located in the Philippine
Sea, East of Luzon. It is a massive formation of
basalt, a common volcanic rock, and is
described in a study as a thickened portion of
the Philippine sea plate's oceanic crust.
Benham Rise is not subjected to any
maritime boundary disputes and claims
unlike the Spratly Islands in the West
Philippine Sea, which is also claimed by
China and other Southeast Asian
countries.
Geological Features
Benham Rise is a submerged extinct volcanic
ridge located at 16 30 N, 12445E off the
coast of Luzon, with the size of about 250 km in
diameter and rises over 2,000 meters above the
sea floor, from below 5,000 meters below sea
level to above 3,000 meters below sea level.
The precise location is somewhere near the east
of the Philippine Trench and near the south of
the East Luzon Trench, both of which absorb the
subducting force of the Philippine Sea Plate
under the Philippine Mobile Belt, a collage of
large blocks of that crust that amalgamated
prior to the collision of the Philippine Sea Plate
with the Eurasian Plate.
History
Named after Admiral Andrew Ellicot Kennedy
Benham (18321905) by American surveyors
who were the probable discoverers of the
geological feature.
Benham Rise has been part of the culture of
ancient Filipinos. Ancient Catanduanes people
have fished and roamed the area long before
the colonial era. In fact, it is celebrated in
Catandunganons' folktales, legends and
poetry. Today, large percentage of fish caught
by Catandunganon comes from Benham Rise.
The continental shelf of a coastal State
comprises the sea-bed and subsoil of the
submarine areas that extend beyond its
territorial sea throughout the natural
prolongation of its land territory to the outer
edge of the continental margin, or to a distance
of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from
which the breadth of the territorial sea is
measured where the outer edge of the
continental margin does not extend up to that
distance.
Philippine Claim
In April 2009, the Philippines lodged a full
territorial waters claim with the United Nations
Commission on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf.
The CLCS facilitates the implementation of the
UNCLOS in respect of the establishment of the
outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200
nautical miles (M) from the baselines from which
the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
It is stated that a coastal state fully enjoys its
rights in the juridical continental shelf up to a
distance of 200 nm from the baselines and needs
no proclamation.
Philippine Claim
In situation wherein the continental margin
extends beyond 200 nm, a coastal state must
submit a claim to an extended continental shelf
with
thetoCLCS.
Failure
make a submission forecloses states
claim to an extended continental shelf, and
their juridical continental shelf of 200 nm would
now mark the limits of the international seabed
area which is the common heritage of mankind.
According to the government's claim, based on a
set of guidelines by the Commission on the Limits
of the Continental Shelf, the area satisfies the 350mile constraint line since the outer limits of the
continental shelf are located landward of the
constraint line.
Delineating
ECS
Established baseline
(either normal or straight)
2500 m isobath + 100 M
350 M
200 M
Hedberg Line
60 M
continental shelf
slope
continental crust
Animated
foot ofbyslope
I Made(FOS)
Andi Arsana madeandi@[Link]
(max. change of gradient)
continental
rise
abyssal
plain
sediment
ocean crust
Outer limit of CS
1% sediment thickness
Fixed points (lat, long)
(Gardiner Line)
The outer limits of the continental shelf beyond
200 M result from the application of two formulae
(giving entitlement) and two constraint lines
(restricting entitlement):
A. Determination of outer edge
- 60 M formula line (FOS + 60 M) or
- sediment thickness formula line (sediment
thickness at least 1% of distance back to
FOS)
B. Maximum Distance (shall not exceed)
-distance constraint (350 M from baselines or
-depth constraint (2500 m isobath + 100 M)
Philippine Claim
Rules for Determination of the Outer
[Link]
Test of Appurtenance
Limits
A series of multi-beam bathymetric surveys were
conducted by NAMRIA in order to determine the
morphology of the seabed in the Benham Rise
Region. The hydrographic data collected, composed
of bathymetric measurements from multi-beam echosounding survey cruises conducted between 2004
and 2008, were supplemented by additional data
from international bathymetric surveys. Analysis of all
the data and information collected clearly
demonstrated a natural prolongation and
geomorphological continuity between the Philippine
Island of Luzon and Benham Rise, the structure of
which extends beyond 200 M from the baselines of
the territorial sea.
Philippine Claim
2. The Foot of the Continental Slope plus 60 M
Formula
Multi-beam swath bathymetric measurements
were used to identify the foot of the continental
slope, by the points of maximum change in gradient
of the seabed in the region where the base of
Benham Rise and its associated structures meet the
deep ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean.
3. The 1% Sediment Thickness Formula
Referring to the percentage of sediment thickness
in comparison with the shortest distance to the foot
of the continental slope, was not used. Information on
sediment thickness at the relevant locations in the
Benham Rise Region is not available from marine
geophysical surveys to date.
Philippine
Claim
4. The 350 M Constraint Line
Geodetic information was collected to calculate the
location of the constraint line located 350 M from the
baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is
measured. This constraint is satisfied since the outer
limits of the continental shelf are located landward of the
constraint line.
5. The 2,500 m plus 100 M Constraint Line
Multi-beam bathymetric measurements were used to
determine the location of the 2,500 metre isobath in the
areas of the Benham Rise Region beyond 200 M from the
baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is
measured. Geodetic methods were used to determine the
location of the constraint line located 100 M from the
location of the isobath. However, this constraint line was
not applied since the outer edge of the continental
margin lies well inside the 350 M constraint line.
Philippine Claim
6. The Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf
The outer limits of the continental shelf beyond
200 M in the Benham Rise Region is delineated by
straight lines not more than 60 M in length,
connecting fixed points not more than 60 M from the
foot of the continental slope.
In April 2012, the UN Convention of the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS) recognized and officially
approved the Philippines claim that Benham
Rise is part of its continental shelf and territory.
With that, the Philippines territory has also
increased to 43 million hectares from 30 million
hectares.
Explorations
Filipinos reached the shallowest portion of
Benham Rise for the first time in 2014. This
portion, Benham Bank, is 50 meters deep. The
depth of the main plateau is 3,000 meters. Back
then, the team of scientists did 5 dives only for
around 5 minutes each, at least in the lowest part
they reached a total of around 25 minutes.
First Photos
Explorations
Scientists recently managed to photograph the
diverse array of marine wildlife of Benham Rise in
an expedition undertaken earlier this year.
For the 2016 exploration, scientists were able to
extensively study the underwater terrain of
Benham Bank through cutting-edge technology.
The team covered 12 research stations and
analyzed hours of video footage daily.
They documented a variety of soft and hard
corals, fish, algae, sponges, among other marine
biodiversity, particularly in the Benham Bank.
Explorations
The Department of Energy or DOE will conduct
seismic surveys to determine the actual oil and
gas content of Benham Rise. The DOE is looking to
bid out portions of Benham Rise with a high
possibility of including the plateau in the next
contracting round for oil, gas and petroleum
exploration projects. PECR (Philippine Energy
Contracting Round), will need to gather the
necessary data to encourage more investors. The
Benham Plateau is believed to be rich in natural
gas and manganese nodules, and is being eyed by
a number of interested bidders.
Explorations
For the past years, studies conducted by the
Department
of
Environment
and
Natural
Resources (DENR), indicated that Benham Rise
has large deposits of methane in solid form.
Methane clathrate also called methane hydrate or
methane ice is a solid clathrate compound in
which a huge amount of methane is trapped
inside a crystal like structure of water, forming a
solid similar to ice. Significant deposits of
methane clathrate have been found beneath
Antarctic ice and in sedimentary deposits along
continental margins worldwide.
Explorations
Methane ice deposits are believed to be a
larger hydrocarbon resource than all of the
worlds oil, natural gas and coal resources
combined, it could become the next energy
game changer. Experts dubbed the
methane ice as the fuel of the future. In
fact, the deposits of this methane ice in
Benham Rise are believed to be so huge, it
could make the Philippines one of the
richest countries in the world.