北极海盆的深海热液

从海底地壳开裂处涌出一般带有大量生物的深海热泉的现象已众所周知。一开始在太平洋和大西洋中找到了它们 ,而在 2 0世纪和 2 1世纪交接期印度洋中也发现了热液 ,而后就输到高纬度的北极海区了。在极区盆地中应当有热液已有过报道。例如 ,1 993年 9月 ,俄 德联合北极考察队乘坐“极地”(Polarstern)号破冰船 ,在拉普帖夫海加克利 (Гакке х)海岭东端 (77°45′N、1 2 5° 55′E ,水深 1 990m) ,获得了对研究热液非常有意义的样品 ,证实了在这个海岭上存在着热液活动 ;但是 ,在 2 0 0 1年 ,美国和德国破冰船“健康”(Healy)号和“极…     

Discards in North Sea fisheries: causes,consequences and solutions

Discards refer to that part of the catch returned to the sea during fishing operations. This study assesses the consequences, causes, and potential solutions to the discard problem using the example of North Sea fisheries. Fishermen's immediate objectives during fishing operations and the low confidence in projected gains from discard reduction measures have promoted use of unselective trawls while the poor enforcement of the quota system has exacerbated discard quantities. It is concluded that a reduction in discard rates is required for a long-term solution to the ecological and economic costs of discarding and the development of fishing opportunity incentives can promote the use of more selective fishing techniques.     

The North Sea regime shift: Evidence, causes, mechanisms and consequences

This paper focuses on the ecosystem regime shift in the North Sea that occurred during the period 1982–1988. The evidence for the change is seen from individual species to key ecosystem parameters such as diversity and from phytoplankton to fish. Although many biological/ecosystem parameters and individual species exhibited a stepwise change during the period 1983–1988, some indicators show no evidence of change. The cause of the regime shift is likely to be related to pronounced changes in large-scale hydro-meteorological forcing. This involved activating of complex intermediate physical mechanisms which explains why the exact timing of the shift can vary from 1982 to 1988 (centred around two periods: 1982–1985 and 1987–1988) according to the species or taxonomic group. Increased sea surface temperature and possibly change in wind intensity and direction at the end of the 1970s in the west European basin triggered a change in the location of an oceanic biogeographical boundary along the European continental shelf. This affected both the stable and substrate biotope components of North Sea marine ecosystems (i.e. components related to the water masses and components which are geographically stable) circa 1984. Large-scale hydro-climatic forcing also modified local hydro-meteorological parameters around the North Sea after 1987 affecting the stable biotope components of North Sea ecosystems. Problems related to the detection and quantification of an ecosystem regime shift are discussed.     

The petroleum geology of the Unst Basin, North Sea

The Unst Basin is situated in the northern North Sea between the East Shetland Basin and the Shetland Isles. The basin is essentially a three-armed, Permo-Triassic fault-controlled basin containing up to 3600 m of red-beds. This is overlain by a westerly thickening Jurassic and early Cretaceous sequence, the stratigraphy of which is very similar to that of the East Shetland Basin. In particular, the Brent Group (140 m), Humber Group (685 m) and Cromer Knoll Group (300 m) are well represented.As a result of Laramide uplift of the area, the thick Upper Cretaceous and Palaeocene strata of the East Shetland Basin are absent from the Unst Basin. This uplift resulted in substantial erosion within the Unst Basin providing the major source for Palaeocene sands in the Viking Graben and the Faeroes Basin. Late Palaeocene and younger Tertiary strata transgress westwards across this erosion surface.Petroleum exploration within the basin culminated in the drilling of two exploration wells. These wells encountered potential reservoir and source rocks in the Jurassic section. However, geochemical analyses indicate these source rocks are immature for hydrocarbon generation within the Unst Basin. It is concluded that the Unst Basin has a low petroleum potential.     

Eocene succession on the East Shetland Platform, North Sea

A sand-prone Middle Eocene sequence is recognized in three cored boreholes on the East Shetland Platform. Three lithostratigraphic divisions are recognized: Lower Sand Unit, Main Sand Unit and Upper Claystone Unit. The Lower Sand Unit is of fluvio-deltaic origin, occurring on the southern part of the East Shetland Platform. The Main Sand Unit represents the subsequent transgression of the delta. The unit comprises a set of highstand shelf systems tracts separated by glauconitic bands and reflected by palynological assemblage breaks. The presence of reworked palynofloras in sediments of late Middle Eocene age implies derivation of sediment from the north-west part of the East Shetland Platform. Although it is tempting to ascribe sea level changes to the sediment pattern, a tentative correlation with the Hampshire Basin only highlights the difficulties involved.     

Geometry of allochthonous Chalk Group members,Central Trough,North Sea

The temporal and spatial distribution of the hydrocarbon-bearing Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary allochthonous chalk is of economic importance. Examination of cores from the UK sector of the Central Trough has confirmed the correlation of major allochthonous chalk units to wireline log responses dependent on high porosity. Allochthonous units were recognized from wireline log coverage of over 100 exploration wells in the Central Trough area. Correlation indicated extensive apparent lateral continuity of allochthonous sediment packages enabling the establishment of an event stratigraphy. A minimum of nineteen major redeposition events were recognized within the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) and Early Palaeocene (Danian) chalks. Essentially, synchronous sourcing and redeposition occurred on both margins of the Central Trough but with a marked dominance of activity along the eastern margin in terms of incorporated sediment volume. The described core material was placed in a regional context by means of the event stratigraphy and confirmed a previously proposed relationship of depositional rock type and transport distance. This study recognizes five principal mass-flow complexes named after their dominant sediment source areas: Jaeren, North Hidra, South Hidra, Lindesnes and Auk. The Jaeren, North Hidra and Auk Flow Complexes are here documented for the first time, as are other, less extensive deposits.     

北海主要巨型油气田的强化采油措施

欧洲西北部的北海是仅次于波斯湾的第2大海洋油气产区。北海油田的开发自20世纪60年代开始后,英国、挪威等北海沿岸国家一些油气公司纷纷加入。20世纪70年代,英、挪两国相继在北海发现了一系列巨型油气田,形成盛极一时的北海油气勘探开发热潮。     

International politics of the North Sea

An account of the research project of the North Sea Study Group of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.