Passing gas through the hydrate stability zone at southern Hydrate Ridge,offshore Oregon

We present an equilibrium model of methane venting through the hydrate stability zone at southern Hydrate Ridge, offshore Oregon. Free gas supplied from below forms hydrate, depletes water, and elevates salinity until pore water is too saline for further hydrate formation. This system self-generates local three-phase equilibrium and allows free gas migration to the seafloor. Log and core data from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1249 show that from the seafloor to 50 m below seafloor (mbsf), pore water salinity is elevated to the point where liquid water, hydrate and free gas coexist. The elevated pore water salinity provides a mechanism for vertical migration of free gas through the regional hydrate stability zone (RHSZ). This process may drive gas venting through hydrate stability zones around the world. Significant amount of gaseous methane can bypass the RHSZ by shifting local thermodynamic conditions.     

Marine geology of the Medriff Corridor, Mediterranean Ridge

Abstract Thirty-one piston and/or gravity cores not exceeding 10 m in length were raised in selected areas of a 300 km-long transect (Medriff Corridor) crossing the Mediterranean Ridge, an accretionary complex subject to continent/continent collision, containing an important evaporitic body (Messinian evaporites), in order to ground-truth the geological make-up. Core location, very accurate with reference to a complex bottom configuration, was preceded by swathe mapping, seismic profiling and side-scan sonar investigations. Most sediment cores have a pelagic facies, with biogenic marls as dominant lithology, and sapropels and tephras as minor, isochronous lithologies. A combination of isochronous lithologies and calcareous plankton biochronology permits high resolution stratigraphic correlations. Pelagic facies sediments are Middle Pleistocene to Holocene in age. Two cores associated with mounds located along thrusts contain a matrix-supported mud breccia of deep provenance, Burdigalian-Langhian in age, similar to that characteristic of the Mediterranean Ridge diapiric belt (Cita et al. 1995 ). Three new brine-filled anoxic basins (Urania, l'Atalante and Discovery) were discovered. The brines originated from submarine dissolution of Messinian evaporites and are different in the various basins. The sedimentary record strongly differs from basin to basin. These brine lakes are very young (35 000 years or less). A drastic change in sedimentation rate recorded in the Discovery Basin suggests that basin collapse was sudden and followed by progressive development of basin anoxia. Some cores were analyzed with a prototype multisensor for P-wave velocity, magnetic susceptibility and density. Sapropels show up as abrupt decreases in P-wave velocity and density, and tephra as sudden increases in magnetic susceptibility. Mud breccia displays P-wave velocities greater than pelagic marls, with peaks related to lithic clasts. Anoxic sediments have high P-wave velocities; peaks are associated with gypsum crystals.     

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of gas hydrate-bearing sediment from Hydrate Ridge,Cascadia Margin

Serious interest has been directed toward natural gas hydrate as a potential energy resource; factor in global climate change, and submarine geohazard since naturally occurring gas-hydrate deposits were found in the 1960s. Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia convergent mar- gin, is characterized by abundant methane hydrates at and below the seafloor, active venting of fluids and gases, chemosynthetic communities, and some of the highest methane oxidation rates ever found in the ma-rine environment. All of…     

井震联合分析预测神狐海域天然气水合物可能的垂向分布

已有的地质与地球物理信息表明南中国海北部陆坡神狐海域存在天然气水合物,2007年钻井和取样结果证实其以细颗粒均匀存在于水合物稳定带内,但区域分布范围极不规则.由于测井记录长度和取样深度的范围有限,天然气水合物垂向分布特征难以确定.为了深入了解此区域天然气水合物深度上的分布规律,对SH7井的多种测井数据进行综合分析并与地震反射特征建立联系,得到三个主要的沉积物性变化层位并以此为基础进行叠后数据的伪井约束反演,结果表明在已证实的含水合物层之下还存在高速层.而AVO叠前正演模拟分析结果与实际地震数据对比表明,研究区的天然气水合物稳定带可能由含水合物沉积物与饱水沉积物的薄互层组成,这就意味着在取样获得天然气水合物样品的深度之下,很可能存在另一个含水合物层.     

Influence of foraminifera on formation and occurrence characteristics of natural gas hydrates in fine-grained sediments from Shenhu area,South China Sea

Marine gas hydrates accumulate primarily in coarse-grained, high-permeability layers; however, highly saturated natural gas hydrates have been discovered in the fine-grained sediments of Shenhu area, South China Sea (SCS). This may be explained by key factors, such as the great abundance of foraminifera shells. In this paper, by analyzing the SCS foraminifera structure and performing hydrate formation experiments in the foraminifera shells, the contribution of foraminifera to hydrate accumulation in the SCS was investigated from a microscopic point of view. Simulations of hydrate formation were carried out in both pure SCS foraminifera shells and the host sediments. Pore structures in typical foraminifera were studied by use of micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (CT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hydrate growth and occurrence characteristics in the foraminifera shells were observed in-situ. The results showed that the presence of foraminifera significantly enhanced the effective porosity of the SCS sediments. Moreover, while the hydrates grew preferentially in the chambers of the coarse-grained foraminifera by adhering to the inner walls of the foraminifera shells, no apparent hydrate accumulation was observed in the fine-grained or argillaceous matrix. These findings provide a basis for further studies on the accumulation mechanism of hydrates and physical properties of hydrate reservoir in the South China Sea.     

天然气水合物体系动态演化研究(Ⅱ):海底滑坡

天然气水合物被认为是大陆边缘沉积物强度变弱的一个因子，从而能解释大陆边缘海底滑坡的一些观测现象。天然气水合物的形成使沉积物强度增加，而其分解则使沉积物强度变弱。虽然无法直接观测沉积物中天然气水合物的活动过程与相应的海底滑坡，大量的背景资料表明，天然气水合物崩解常常有助于触发海底沉积物块体的运动。此外，大型滑塌可以释放大量的固态天然气水合物，水合物在水柱中上浮。大块天然气水合物可以在分解前到达海洋的上部层，一些甲烷可以直接进入大气中。本文综述与天然气水合物体系演化有关的海底滑坡的研究现状。     

水合物层下伏游离气渗漏过程的数值模拟及实例分析

海洋环境中天然气水合物层是理想的毛细管封闭层,游离气被抑制在水合物层下,游离气层的气体压力随气体聚集和气层厚度的增加而升高,当气压超过封闭层的毛细管力时,游离气会克服毛细管进入压力、刺入上伏封闭层孔隙空间,毛细管封闭作用随之消失,从而形成水合物下伏游离气向海底的渗漏.通过对该过程进行的数值模拟计算表明：渗漏气体是以活塞式驱动上伏沉积层中的孔隙水向海底排出,水合物稳定带内流体渗漏速度随水流柱高度的减小而增加,当水流阻抗大于相应沉积层段的静岩压力时,沉积层将转变为流沙,流沙沉积被海流移除后便在海底留下凹陷麻坑.麻坑形成后流体运移通道演化为气体通道,气体快速排放.麻坑深度主要取决于游离气层的厚度和水合物封闭层（底界）的深度,而与沉积层的渗透率无关.麻坑深度一定程度上指示了渗漏前水合物层下伏游离气层的资源量.对布莱克海台海底麻坑深度的数值模拟计算表明,形成4 m深的海底麻坑需要至少22 m厚的游离气层.     

海域天然气水合物的地震研究进展

海域天然气水合物的地震研究是在岩石物性分析成果的指导下,用地震技术进行真假BSR的识别和含水合物沉积层物性预测.海域天然气水合物地震研究的进展主要表现在：物性分析理论模型由简单模型发展到最大程度模拟实际情况的复杂模型;地震勘探方法已由常规的单道、多道地震发展到多频地震、高分辨率二维、三维地震和海底多分量地震;地震资料处理由常规处理发展到突出BSR特征的“三高”和叠前时间偏移处理;从利用速度、振幅结构研究识别天然气水合物发展到AVO、多属性判别、多弹性参数和多物性参数反演识别天然气水合物、预测其物性参数.这些新技术、新方法的应用,加快了海域天然气水合物调查进度,提高了天然气水合物地球物理识别的可靠性.     

裂隙充填型天然气水合物的各向异性分析及饱和度估算——以印度东海岸NGHP01-10D井为例

沿裂隙发育的天然气水合物是印度深水盆地细粒沉积物中水合物的重要产出方式,水合物以结核状或脉状充填在高角度裂隙中.天然气水合物主要沿着构造主应力方向生成,由于裂隙的存在,含水合物的沉积物层呈现各向异性.利用孔隙介质中水合物呈均匀分布的速度模型计算的NGHP01-10D井水合物饱和度高达40%,而压力取芯表明水合物饱和度占孔隙空间的20%左右.为了研究水合物饱和度差异,基于层状介质的各向异性模型计算了裂隙充填型水合物的饱和度.在垂直井孔中,由于波入射角与裂隙倾角有关,考虑裂隙倾角变化,利用纵波和横波速度同时反演水合物饱和度和裂隙倾角.利用层状介质模型计算的水合物占孔隙空间的15%～25%,裂隙的倾角在60°～90°,多为高角度裂隙.在NGHP01-10D井中,纵横波速度联合计算的饱和度与压力取芯结果吻合更好.     

天然气水合物和游离气饱和度估算的影响因素

讨论了不同水合物胶结类型的流体饱和多孔隙固体中地震波的衰减情况,分析了估算天然气水合物和游离气饱和度影响因素.结果表明, 地层孔隙度、纵波速度模型和弹性模量的计算方法是影响反演水合物和游离气饱和度的关键因素.含水合物地层的吸收与水合物胶结类型密切相关,当水合物远离固体颗粒,像流体一样充填在孔隙时,品质因子出现负异常,而当水合物胶结固体颗粒影响骨架的弹性性质,其品质因子出现正异常.根据布莱克海台地区164航次995井的测井资料,分别应用低频和高频速度模型估算了水合物和游离气饱和度.由低频速度模型得到的水合物饱和度(占孔隙空间的)10%～20%,游离气饱和度(占孔隙空间的)05%～1%;而由高频速度模型得到的水合物饱和度(占孔隙空间的)5%～10%,游离气饱和度(占孔隙空间的)1%～2%.     

Gas hydrate layers trapping free gas in the Gulf of Oman

It has been postulated that the sediments of the Gulf of Oman, in the northwest Indian Ocean contain a number of localised accumulations of free gas which are apparent on continuous seismic reflection profiles as horizons with anomalously high amplitude reflections. We suggest that the gas is trapped beneath a relatively impermeable gas hydrate layer which is stable within the uppermost 350–700 m of sediment. The depth beneath the sea floor of all the observed highly reflective horizons varies with water depth in a manner similar to that predicted from theoretical estimates of the depth at which the phase change occurs from gas hydrate to free gas. Further evidence that the gas is trapped by a hydrate layer is provided by the detailed shape of gas layers within the cores of gentle anticlines. The curvature of the gas reflector mirrors that of the sea floor above it, but transgresses the local bedding, suggesting that the gas is trapped by a hydrate phase change governed by the pressure and temperature conditions rather than by a stratigraphic trap.     

水合物脊ODP1247站位天然气水合物藏的甲烷来源和成藏过程模拟

海洋天然气水合物体系天然气水合物成藏受甲烷供给及埋藏的控制.根据海洋天然气水合物体系甲烷的质量守恒,建立了海洋环境沉积物孔隙水溶解甲烷对流和扩散作用及微生物原位产甲烷作用供给甲烷形成天然气水合物的数值模型,对水合物脊ODP1247站位天然气水合物成藏过程进行了模拟研究,结果表明该站位孔隙水溶解甲烷的对流和扩散作用是天然气水合物成藏过程中最主要的甲烷供给方式,微生物原位生成甲烷供给的比例很小,并且在1.67 Ma以来天然气水合物藏受沉积速率变化而动态变化,但幅度不大,至今形成的水合物饱和度约0~3%,与钻探确定的饱和度接近.     

Gas hydrates (clathrates) causing pore-water freshening and oxygen isotope fractionation in deep-water sedimentary sections of terrigenous continental margins

The occurrence of gas hydrates in deep-water sections of the continental margins predicted from anomalous acoustic reflectors on seismic profiles has been confirmed by recent deep-sea drilling results. On the Pacific continental slope off Guatemala gas hydrates were brought up for the first time from two holes (497, 498A) drilled during Leg 67 of the DSDP in water depths of 2360 and 5500 m, respectively. The hydrates occur in organic matter-rich Pleistocene to Miocene terrigenous sediments. In the hydrate-bearing zone a marked decrease in interstitial water chlorinities was observed starting at about 10–20 m subbottom depth. Pore waters at the bottom of the holes (near 400 m subbottom) have as little as half the chlorinity of seawater (i.e. 9‰). Similar, but less pronounced, trends were observed during previous legs of the DSDP in other hydrate-prone segments of the continental margins where recharge of fresh water from the continent can be excluded (e.g. Leg 11). The crystallization of hydrates, like ice, excludes salt ions from the crystal structure. During burial the dissolved salts are separated from the solids. Subsidence results in a downward motion of the solids (including hydrates) relative to the pore fluids. Thawing of hydrates during recovery releases fresh water which is remixed with the pore fluid not involved in hydrate formation. The volume of the latter decreases downhole thus causing downward decreasing salinity (chlorinity). Hydrate formation is responsible for oxygen isotope fractionation with¹⁸O-enrichment in the hydrate explaining increasingly more positive δ¹⁸O values in the pore fluids recovered (after hydrate dissociation) with depth.     

南中国海神狐海域天然气水合物 地震识别及分布特征

南中国海北部陆坡神狐海域是天然气水合物发育的有利地区,钻井取芯表明此区域的天然气水合物以细颗粒状分布于水合物稳定带内.以三维地震数据为基础,讨论海洋天然气水合物调查的高分辨率地震成像关键技术,综合利用不同的地球物理方法(阻抗反演、属性聚类分析及神经网络方法等),以钻井结果为约束分析不同方法对天然气水合物识别的适用性,确定利用属性聚类方法来获得神狐海域天然气水合物与游离气的三维空间展布特征.将钻井取芯结果与地质条件相结合,综合多方面地球物理信息,分析产生这一分布特征的地质原因,指出断层与裂缝是南海北部陆坡神狐海域水合物、游离气的分布模式及天然气水合物形成的主要地质控制因素.     

Geochemistry and genesis of authigenic pyrite from gas hydrate accumulation system in the Qilian Mountain permafrost,Qinghai, northwest China

A type of authigenic pyrites that fully fill or semi-fill the rock fractures of drillholes with gas hydrate anomalies are found in the Qilian Mountain permafrost; this type of pyrite is known as “fracture-filling” pyrite. The occurrence of “fracture-filling” pyrite has a certain similarity with that of the hydrate found in this region, and the pyrite is generally concentrated in the lower part of the hydrate layer or the hydrate anomaly layer. The morphology, trace elements, rare earth elements, and sulfur isotope analyses of samples from drillhole DK-6 indicate that the “fracture-filling” pyrites are dominated by cubic ones mainly aligned in a step-like fashion along the surfaces of rock fractures and are associated with a circular structure, lower Co/Ni and Sr/Ba, lower ΣREE, higher LREE, significant Eu negative anomalies, and Δ³⁴S_CDT positive bias. In terms of the pyrites’ unique crystal morphology and geochemical characteristics and their relationship with the hydrate layers or abnormal layers, they are closely related with the accumulation system of the gas hydrate in the Qilian Mountain permafrost. As climate change is an important factor in affecting the stability of the gas hydrate, formation of fracture-filling pyrites is most likely closely related to the secondary change of the metastable gas hydrate under the regional climate warming. The distribution intensity of these pyrites indicates that when the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) is narrowing, the hydrate decomposition at the bottom of the GHSZ is stronger than that at the top of the GHSZ, whereas the hydrate decomposition within the GHSZ is relatively weak. Thus, the zone between the shallowest and the deepest distribution of the fracture-filling pyrite recorded the largest possible original GHSZ.     

南海北部琼东南海域活动冷泉特征及形成模式

近年来,活动冷泉的研究越来越受到关注.本文利用多波束数据、多道地震数据以及底质取样结果研究琼东南海域活动冷泉系统,分析活动冷泉的羽状流特征、海底地貌与底质特征以及流体活动构造特征.多波束水体数据上,观测到多个延伸高度超过750 m的气泡羽状流,海底流体活动非常强烈;多道地震上识别出麻坑、流体运移通道、气烟囱等流体渗漏相关的构造,与其他海域观测到的反射特征不同,羽状流的下方流体运移通道呈强振幅"串珠"反射;重力活塞取样在两个站位上获得浅表层块状天然气水合物.其中一个站位位于活动冷泉附近,天然气水合物赋存于海底以下8 m左右.基于以上三方面的数据,笔者提出了一个用于描述活动冷泉系统的形成模式,游离气通过气烟囱向上运移到达浅层,一部分在天然气水合物稳定带内形成天然气水合物,另一部分穿透天然气水合物稳定带到达海底,形成活动冷泉的羽状流.     

海洋天然气水合物的地球物理研究(Ⅰ)：岩石物性

本文综述了含水合物沉积物的岩石物性模型，讨论水合物饱和度与岩石物性的关系，关于纵波速度与水合物饱和度的关系，有一些简单模型，如孔隙度降低模型，时间平均方程、时间平均－Wood加权方程，也有复杂模型，如根据弹性模量计算的模型、根据等效介质中地震波传播理论的模型，本文还介绍了含水合物沉积物的电阻率、电导率模型与含注重气沉积物的岩石物性。     

Estimation of gas-hydrate concentration and free-gas saturation at the Norwegian-Svalbard continental margin

We estimate the concentration of gas hydrate and free gas at an area located to the north of the Knipovich Ridge (western Svalbard margin). The method is based on P-wave velocities computed by reflection tomography applied to multicomponent ocean-bottom seismometer data. The tomographic velocity field is fitted to theoretical velocities obtained from a poro-elastic model based on a Biot-type approach (the interaction between the rock frame, gas hydrate and fluid is modelled from first physical principles). We obtain average hydrate concentrations of 7% and maximum free-gas saturations of 0.4% and 9%, depending on the saturation model.     

基于弯曲元技术的含水合物松散沉积物声学特性研究

含水合物松散沉积物的声学特性对海上天然气水合物地球物理勘探和资源评价具有重要意义.研制了适用于高压条件下含水合物沉积物声学特性探测的纵横波一体化新型弯曲元换能器,提出利用频谱分析(FFT)和小波分析(WT)相结合的方法获取纵横波速度,并进行了多个轮次的水合物声学特性模拟实验研究.结果表明,新型弯曲元技术可以灵敏探测松散沉积物中水合物的生成和分解,随着水合物饱和度(Sh)的增大,纵横波速度呈规律性增长:当Sh<25%时,纵横波速度增长较快,水合物可能胶结沉积物颗粒生成;25%~60%之间,声速增长较为缓慢,水合物可能与沉积物颗粒呈接触关系;在Sh>60%时声速随着水合物饱和度增加又快速增长,表明水合物可能重新胶结沉积物颗粒生成.