F.L. Sayles F.T. Manheim 1970 Marked increases in interstitial salinity occur in two drill holes located in the Gulf of Mexico at a water depth of more than 3500 meters. The increases probably arose through diffusion of salt from buried evaporites. In one hole, however, brackish water was encountered on penetrating the oil-permeated cap rock of a salt dome. The phenomenon is attributed to production of fresh water during oxidation of petroleum hydrocarbons and decomposition of gypsum to form native sulfur. application/pdf 10.1126/science.170.3953.57 en American Association for the Advancement of Science Brines and interstitial brackish water in drill cores from the deep Gulf of Mexico article