REEF BANKS

The banks in the Gulf of Mexico formed about 160 million years ago as a result of salt layer deposits in the then shallow sea. As sediment accumulated over the salt layers, intense pressure pushed pockets of these salt layers up, causing distinct domes to form. These new shallow areas provided habitat for reef building communities. The organisms associated with the banks varies according to the depth of the physical features. Sonnier Bank crests at only 21 meters below the sea surface while Geyer Bank rises from a depth of about 210 meters and flattens out at a depth of 60 meters. The tops of the banks can have well-developed reef communities at their crests while the bases often have fine sediments such as mud. An interesting feature of Bright Bank is a ‘mud volcano' and hydrocarbon seeps.