Influence of gas production induced volumetric strain on permeability of coal

Summary The gas permeability of a coalbed, unlike that of conventional gas reservoirs, is influenced during gas production not only by the simultaneous changes in effective stress and gas slippage, but also by the volumetric strain of the coal matrix that is associated with gas desorption. A technique for conducting laboratory experiments to separate these effects and estimate their individual contribution is presented in this paper. The results show that for a pressure decrease from 6.2 to 0.7 MPa, the total permeability of the coal sample increased by more than 17 times. A factor of 12 is due to the volumetric strain effect, and a factor of 5 due to the gas slippage effect. Changes in permeability and porosity with gas depletion were also estimated using the measured volumetric strain and the matchstick reservoir model geometry for flow of gas in coalbeds. The resulting variations were compared with results obtained experimentally. Furthermore, the results show that when gas pressure is above 1.7 MPa, the effect of volumetric strain due to matrix shrinkage dominates. As gas pressure falls below 1.7 MPa, both the gas slippage and matrix shrinkage effects play important roles in influencing the permeability. Finally, the change in permeability associated with matrix shrinkage was found to be linearly proportional to the volumetric strain. Since volumetric strain is linearly proportional to the amount of gas desorbed, the change in permeability is a linear function of the amount of desorbing gas.     

毛洋头铀（银,钼）矿床同位素地球化学研究

毛洋头铀矿床的（Ｈ、Ｏ）同位素特征表明：早期矿化热液主要为岩浆水，而晚期矿化热液则主要为大气降水。铅同位素组成反映该矿床中铅为不同来源的混合铅。Ｃ、Ｓ同位素组成变化范围小，且与火成岩的Ｃ、Ｓ同位素组成相当，说明矿床中的碳和硫主要淋取于火成围岩或源于地壳深部。     

The Natural Probability Distribution of Load and Unload Response Ratio

In this paper,the Gutenberg-Richter model is used to generate seismic events.The events that satisfy the random distribution are also generated.With those events,the natural probability distribution of Load and Unload Response Ratio(LURR),which measures quantitatively the degree of instability of a nonlinear system,is discussed.The study is based on stress energy release,which is chosen as the response of nonlinear system F3.The comparative results from the observation catalogue and generating data are also studied.It is revealed that the natural probability of LURR is mostly stable when the sample number is sufficient.The lower the natural probability of LURR,the more the precursory is information it may contain.The influence of Y3 resulting from the sample number and the magnitude range of events is also discussed.     

Attenuation of coda waves and Q c value beneath the Chengdu telemetered seismic network

Based on the single scattering model of coda power spectrum analysis, digital waveform data of 50 events recorded by the real-time processing system of the Chengdu telemetry network are analyzed to estimate the Q _c values of earth medium beneath the Chengdu telemetry network for several specified frequencies. It is found that the Q _c shows the frequency dependency in the form of Q _c = Q ₀ f ⁿ in the range of 1.0 to 20.0Hz. Estimated Q ₀ ranges from 60.83 to 178.05, and n is found to be 0.713 to 1.159. The average value of Q ₀ and n are 117 and 0.978 respectively. This result indicates the strong frequency dependency of the attenuation of coda waves beneath the Chengdu telemetry network. Comparing with the results obtained in other regions of the world, it is found that Q ₀ ⁻¹ value and its change with frequency are similar to those in regions with strong tectonic activity. This subject is supported by the Ministry of Personnel, China for partly sponsoring.     

Paleoclimatological and paleoenvironmental records since 4 000 a B. P. in sediments of alpine lakes in Taiwan

The 3 310-m-high Chia-min Lake records the climatic history since 4 ka B. P. in Taiwan. The warm/wet period before 2.2 ka B.P. seemed to correspond to the later part of the Holocene Megathermal, and the cold/dry period during 0–2.2 ka B. P. corresponded to the Katathermal. Before the termination of the Megathermal, an especially warm and humid segment (2.2–2.4 ka B. P.) emerged. The paleoclimatic records from Yuen-yang and Chi-tsai Lakes support the notion that the Megathermal in Taiwan terminated during 2—2.3 ka B. P. A warm segment (820–1 320 AD) in the Katathermal could be considered the Medieval Warm Period. The climate turned cold and dry after 1 320 AD and this indicated the onset of the Little Ice Age. These paleoclimatic variations are also in good agreement with those recorded in Great Ghost Lake.     

Crustal structure of Dabieshan orogenic belt

The crustal structures ofP velocity and density on the deep seismic sounding profile across the Ilabieshan orogenic belt are presented. There is a 5-km-thick crustal “root” between the Yuexi and Xiaotian where the elevation is highest on the profile. An apparent Moho offset of 4. 5 km beneath the Xiaotian-Mozitan fault marks the paleo-suture of the Triassic collision. A high-velocity anomaly zone at the depth below 3 km beneath the ultra-high pressure (UHP) zone may be correlated to the higher content of UHP metamorphic rocks. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Joint Earthquake Science Foundation.     

Numerical modeling of 3-D terrain effect on MT field

Using the boundary element method, the numerical modeling problem of three-dimensional terrain effect on magnetotelluric (MT) field is solved. This modeling technique can be run on PC in the case of adopting special net division. The result of modeling test for 2-D terrain by this modeling technique is basically coincident with that by 2-D modeling technique, but there is a great difference between the results of 3-D and 2-D modeling for 3-D terrain. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Magnetostratigraphy and palaeoclimate of Red Clay sequences from Chinese Loess Plateau

Two Red Clay profiles near Xi’an and Xifeng were investigated in an attempt to determine magnetostratigraphic and palaeoclimatic records. The results show that aeolian dust accumulation and the related East Asia palaeomonsoon system had begun by 6.5 Ma, and it is deduced that the Tibetan Plateau had reached a significant elevation at that time. The late Tertiary palaeoclimatic history of the Red Clay as reflected by magnetic susceptibility is reconstructed during the period of 6.5–2.5 Ma. Stepwise increase in susceptibility of aeolian dust accumulation appears to have a close correlation to the uplift processes of the Tibetan Plateau. The remarkable increase of aeolian dust accumulation at 3.2 Ma appears to be due to the influence of global ice volume on the East Asia monsoon. Palaeomonsoon variation during the late Tertiary as recorded in the Red Clay sequences from the Chinese Loess Plateau can be regarded as the product of a number of interacting factors, such as uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, solar radiation, global ice volume, etc. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Foundation of Xi’an Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Properties of wave velocity for two types of granitoids at high pressure and temperature and their geological meaning

The wave velocity for two types of granitoids was measured using the analytic method of full-wave vibration at high pressure and high temperature. The laws of velocity changes for them differ with the pressure boost and temperature rise, and the velocity change of S-type is more violent than that of I-type. The “softening point” of compressional wave velocity (V μ) is also revealed during the measurement for two types of granitoids imitating the pressure and temperature at a certain depth. But the depth of “softening”, V_p after “softening” and the percentage of V_p’s drop around the “sofrening point” for two types of granitoids are obviously different. The depth of “softening” is 15 km approximately and V_p after “softening” is 5.62 km/s for S-type granitoid. But for I-type granitoid the depth of “softening” is 26 km approximately and V_p after “softening” is 6. 08 km/s. Through careful analysis of rock slices after the experiment, it was found that the “softening” of elastic-wave velocity is caused by the partial melting of granite. Combined with the results of geophysical prospecting, these results suggest that the low-velocity layers developing in the interior of Earth crust are related to thc partial melting of different types of granitoids. The formation of the low-velocity layer in the upper-middle Earth crust is closely related to the development of S-type granitoid, but that in the lower Earth crust is closely related to the development of I-type granitoid.