Numerical modeling of secondary migration and its applications to Chang-6 Member of Yanchang Formation (Upper Triassic), Longdong area,Ordos Basin,China

Mathematic modeling, established on the basis of physical experiments, is becoming an increasingly important tool in oil and gas migration studies. This technique is based on the observation that hydrocarbon migration tends to take relative narrow pathways. A mathematical model of hydrocarbon migration and accumulation is constructed using the percolation theory. It is then calibrated using physical experimental results, and is tested under a variety of conditions, to understand the applicability of the model in different migration cases. Through modeling, dynamic conditions of large-scale migration pathways within homogeneous formations can be evaluated. Basin-scale hydrocarbon migration pathways and their characteristics are analyzed during the model application to the Chang-8 Member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation in Longdong area of Ordos Basin. In heterogeneous formations, spatial changes in fluid potential determine the direction of secondary migration, and heterogeneity controls the characteristics and geometry of secondary migration pathways.     

Numerical modeling of secondary migration and its applications to Chang-6 Member of Yanchang Formation (Upper Triassic), Longdong area, Ordos Basin, China

Mathematic modeling, established on the basis of physical experiments, is becoming an increasingly important tool in oil and gas migration studies. This technique is based on the observation that hydrocarbon migration tends to take relative narrow pathways. A mathematical model of hydrocarbon migration and accumulation is constructed using the percolation theory. It is then calibrated using physical experimental results, and is tested under a variety of conditions, to understand the applicability of the model in different migration cases. Through modeling, dynamic conditions of large-scale migration pathways within homogeneous formations can be evaluated. Basin-scale hydrocarbon migration pathways and their characteristics are analyzed during the model application to the Chang-8 Member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation in Longdong area of Ordos Basin. In heterogeneous formations, spatial changes in fluid potential determine the direction of secondary migration, and heterogeneity controls the characteristics and geometry of secondary migration pathways.     

Occurrence,thermal evolution and primary migration processes derived from studies of organic matter in the Lucaogou source rock at the southern margin of the Junggar Basin,NW China

The Lucaogou Formation carbonate-rich oil shale source rock is exposed at the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, NW China. We have sampled it in detail and conducted microstructural, mineralogical and geochemical studies, including thin section petrography, UV fluorescence petrography, X-ray diffraction, vitrinite reflectance, bitumen reflectance, fluid inclusion analysis and Raman spectroscopy. Organic matter is disseminated through the carbonate-bearing siltstone source rocks and concentrated in numerous bedding parallel stylolites and in two sets of carbonate veins, one along bedding parallel fractures and the other cross-cutting stylolites and bedding. The research about maturity of organic matter finds vitrinite reflectance values increase from the dispersed kerogen (0.64%) to the stylolites (the one of oriented vitrinite is 0.72% and the one of migrated bitumen is 2.38%); Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in veins containing hydrocarbon fluid inclusions show an increase from 178.5°C in the bedding parallel veins to 222°C in the cross-cutting veins, confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. These results support a model of progressive heating accompanied by fluid loss during later stages of thermal maturation of source rock and the onset of primary migration. Obviously, the occurrence of organic matter is the trace of hydrocarbon primary migration, and the bedding lamination surfaces and cross-cutting fissures are the principal pathways of hydrocarbon-bearing fluids migration. Bedding lamination surfaces evolved into stylolites along the earliest primary migration pathways, followed by bedding parallel and cross-cutting fissures.

     

Accumulation characteristics and the main controlling factors of Lunnan multilayer oil province,Tarim Basin,China

Lunnan region is a large-scale paleohigh with many coexisting oil and gas bearing series. At present, about 2 billions tons of proved, probable and possible oil and gas reverses have been proved there. Eight oil and gas bearing series have been found in the Ordovician, Carboniferous, Triassic and Jurassic of Lunnan region, they all bear the characteristics of large-scale multilayer oil-gas province. Ordovician is the main reservoir series where over 0.8 billion tons of oil geologic reserves were discovered, and a super large-scale marine carbonate oil and gas field has formed. Reservoir space of the carbonate reservoirs is mainly composed of dissolved hole, dissolved pore and fracture in Lunnan paleo-burial hill. Generally, dissolved holes are widely distributed among them. Reservoir developments are mainly controlled by karstification and tectonic disruption. Due to the similar geochemical characters, the Ordovician, Carboniferous, Triassic and Jurassic oil and gas reservoirs present the same oil source rock of Mid-Upper Ordovician, the latter except Ordovician are mostly of secondary oil and gas reservoirs migrated vertically by faults during the process of multiple phase tectonic movement, adjustment and reconstruction. Lunnan composite oil and gas accumulation region is situated in the vicinity of large-scale hydrocarbon generation depressions in three directions, ample oil and gas from hydrocarbon generation depressions supplied the adjacent oil and gas reservoirs once. Hereby, the succeed paleohigh is the long-term hydrocarbon accumulation region, which is favor for the formations of high quality reservors, fault systems and huge-scale composite oil and gas accumulation.

     

Primary migration and secondary alteration of the Upper Paleozoic gas reservoir in Ordos Basin,China — Application of fluid inclusion gases

The composition of fluid inclusions (FI) often represents the initial geochemical characteristics of palaeo-fluid in reservoir rock. Influence on composition and carbon isotopic composition of gas during primary migration, reservoir-forming and subsequent secondary alterations are discussed through comparing fluid inclusion gas with coal-formed gas and natural gas in present gas reservoirs in the Ordos Basin. The results show that primary migration of gas has significant effect on the molecular but not on the carbon isotopic composition of methane. Migration and diffusion fractionation took place during the secondary migration of gas in Upper Paleozoic gas reservoir according to carbon isotopic composition of methane in Fls. Composition and carbon isotopic composition of natural gas were nearly unchanged after the gas reservoir forming through comparing the FI gases with the natural gas in present gas reservoir.

     

Kinetics of hydrocarbon generation for Well Yingnan 2 gas reservoir,Tarim Basin,China

Well Yingnan 2, an important exploratory well in the east of Tarim Basin, yields high commercial oil and gas flow in Jurassic. Natural gas components and carbon isotopic composition indicate that it belongs to sapropel type gas. Because this region presents many suits of hydrocarbon source rocks, there are some controversies that natural gases were generated from kerogen gas or crude oil cracking gas at present. By using the kinetics of hydrocarbon generation and carbon isotope, natural gas of Well Yingnan 2 is composed mainly of crude oil cracking gas, about 72%, it is generated from secondary kerogen gas of Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rock and crude oil cracking gas of Mid-Upper Ordovician oil reservoir. The main oil and gas filling time is 65 Ma later in the Jurassic gas reservoir of Well Yingnan 2, so the gas reservoir belongs to late accumulation and continuous filling type.

     

A probabilistic framework for floodplain mapping using hydrological modeling and unsteady hydraulic modeling

ABSTRACT

Prediction of design hydrographs is key in floodplain mapping using hydraulic models, which are either steady state or unsteady. The former, which require only an input peak, substantially overestimate the volume of water entering the floodplain compared to the more realistic dynamic case simulated by the unsteady models that require the full hydrograph. Past efforts to account for the uncertainty of boundary conditions using unsteady hydraulic modeling have been based largely on a joint flood frequency–shape analysis, with only a very limited number of studies using hydrological modeling to produce the design hydrographs. This study therefore presents a generic probabilistic framework that couples a hydrological model with an unsteady hydraulic model to estimate the uncertainty of flood characteristics. The framework is demonstrated on the Swannanoa River watershed in North Carolina, USA. Given its flexibility, the framework can be applied to study other sources of uncertainty in other hydrological models and watersheds.     

Identification of seismic anomalies caused by gas saturation on the basis of theoretical P and PS wavefield in the Carpathian Foredeep,SE Poland

The thin-layer build of the Carpathian Foredeep Miocene formations and large petrophysical parameter variation cause seismic images of gas-saturated zones to be ambiguous, and the location of prospection wells on the basis of anomalous seismic record is risky. A method that assists reservoir interpretation of standard recorded seismic profiles (P waves) can be a converted wave recording (PS waves). This paper presents the results of application of a multicomponent seismic survey for the reservoir interpretation over the Chałupki Dębniańskie gas deposit, carried out for the first time in Poland by Geofizyka Kraków Ltd. for the Polish Oil and Gas Company. Seismic modeling was applied as the basic research tool, using the SeisMod program based on the finite-difference solution of the acoustic wave equation and equations of motion. Seismogeological models for P waves were developed using Acoustic Logs; S-wave model (records only from part of the well) was developed on the basis of theoretical curves calculated by means of the Estymacja program calibrated with average S-velocities, calculated by correlation of recorded P and PS wavefields with 1D modeling. The conformity between theoretical and recorded wavefields makes it possible to apply the criteria established on the basis of modeling for reservoir interpretation. Direct hydrocarbon indicators (bright spots, phase change, time sag) unambiguously identify gas-prone layers within the ChD-2 prospect. A partial range of the indicators observed in the SW part of the studied profile (bright spot that covers a single, anticlinally bent seismic horizon) points to saturation of the horizon. The proposed location is confirmed by criteria determined for converted waves (continuous seismic horizons with constant, high amplitude) despite poorer agreement between theoretical and recorded wavefields.     

Chemical evolution of Macondo crude oil during laboratory degradation as characterized by fluorescence EEMs and hydrocarbon composition

The fluorescence EEM technique, PARAFAC modeling, and hydrocarbon composition were used to characterize oil components and to examine the chemical evolution and degradation pathways of Macondo crude oil under controlled laboratory conditions. Three major fluorescent oil components were identified, with Ex/Em maxima at 226/328, 262/315, and 244/366 nm, respectively. An average degradation half-life of ～20 d was determined for the oil components based on fluorescence EEM and hydrocarbon composition measurements, showing a dynamic chemical evolution and transformation of the oil during degradation. Dispersants appeared to change the chemical characteristics of oil, to shift the fluorescence EEM spectra, and to enhance the degradation of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons. Photochemical degradation played a dominant role in the transformation of oil components, likely an effective degradation pathway of oil in the water column. Results from laboratory experiments should facilitate the interpretation of field-data and provide insights for understanding the fate and transport of oil components in the Gulf of Mexico.     

Occurrence,thermal evolution and primary migration processes derived from studies of organic matter in the Lucaogou source rock at the southern margin of the Junggar Basin,NW China

The Lucaogou Formation carbonate-rich oil shale source rock is exposed at the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, NW China. We have sampled it in detail and conducted microstructural, mineralogical and geochemical studies, including thin section petrography, UV fluorescence petrography, X-ray diffraction, vitrinite reflectance, bitumen reflectance, fluid inclusion analysis and Raman spectroscopy. Organic matter is disseminated through the carbonate-bearing siltstone source rocks and concentrated in numerous bedding parallel stylolites and in two sets of carbonate veins, one along bedding parallel fractures and the other cross-cutting stylolites and bedding. The research about maturity of organic matter finds vitrinite reflectance values increase from the dispersed kerogen (0.64%) to the stylolites (the one of oriented vitrinite is 0.72% and the one of migrated bitumen is 2.38%); Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in veins containing hydrocarbon fluid inclusions show an increase from 178.5°C in the bedding parallel veins to 222°C in the cross-cutting veins, confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. These results support a model of progressive heating accompanied by fluid loss during later stages of thermal maturation of source rock and the onset of primary migration. Obviously, the occurrence of organic matter is the trace of hydrocarbon primary migration, and the bedding lamination surfaces and cross-cutting fissures are the principal pathways of hydrocarbon-bearing fluids migration. Bedding lamination surfaces evolved into stylolites along the earliest primary migration pathways, followed by bedding parallel and cross-cutting fissures.     

The Numerical Modeling of 3-D Elastic Wave Equation Using a High-Order,Staggered-Grid, Finite Difference Scheme

This article provides the application of the high-order, staggered-grid, finite-difference scheme to model elastic wave propagation in 3-D isotropic media. Here, we use second-order, temporal-and high-order spatial finite-difference formulations with a staggered grid for discretization of the 3-D elastic wave equations of motion. The set of absorbing boundary conditions based on paraxial approximations of 3-D elastic wave equations are applied to the numerical boundaries. The trial resuits for the salt model show that the numerical dispersion is decreased to a minimum extent, the accuracy high and diffracted waves abundant. It also shows that this method can be used for modeling wave propagation in complex media with the lateral variation of velocity.     

Conduit system and formation mechanism of heat fluids in diapiric belt of Yinggehai basin, China

The conduit system of heat fluids in diapiric belt of Yinggehai basin is dominantly vertical faults and fractures. Detailed research on the formation mechanism and their occurrence features shows that the faults and fractures can be classified into three types: intrastratal dispersive hydrofracture, puncturing fault and upwarping-extensional fault. The development of the fault and fracture system not only resulted in the changes of the temperature and pressure fields in the basin, but also affected the hydrocarbon migration in the overpressured system. These faults and fractures constituted the main pathways for vertical hydrocarbon migration, and opening and closing intermittently led to episodic expulsion of overpressured fluid compartment. Thus there formed the pool-forming model of multi-source mixing and ploy-stage migration and accumulation for hydrocarbons in the Yinggehai basin. Project jointly supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No.95-Pre-39) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49732005), and A Hundred Excellent Researchers Foundation from the Ministry of Land and Resources.     

Erosion modelling for land management in the Tahoe basin,USA: scaling from plots to forest catchments

Abstract

Recent developments in hydrological modelling of river basins are focused on prediction in ungauged basins, which implies the need to improve relationships between model parameters and easily-obtainable information, such as satellite images, and to test the transferability of model parameters. A large-scale distributed hydrological model is described, which has been used in several large river basins in Brazil. The model parameters are related to classes of physical characteristics, such as soil type, land use, geology and vegetation. The model uses two basin space units: square grids for flow direction along the basin and GRU—group response units—which are hydrological classes of the basin physical characteristics for water balance. Expected ranges of parameter values are associated with each of these classes during the model calibration. Results are presented of the model fitting in the Taquari-Antas River basin in Brazil (26 000 km² and 11 flow gauges). Based on this fitting, the model was then applied to the Upper Uruguay River basin (52 000 km²), having similar physical conditions, without any further calibration, in order to test the transferability of the model. The results in the Uruguay basin were compared with recorded flow data and showed relatively small errors, although a tendency to underestimate mean flows was found.     

准噶尔盆地腹部隐蔽油气藏物理模拟及地震响应特征

准噶尔盆地腹部侏罗系以隐蔽油气藏为主,地震资料在目的层分辨率较低、地震反射特征不清晰,制约了对该区的低幅构造、岩性圈闭的识别和评价.本文根据侏罗系的沉积特点,建立河流、（扇）三角洲沉积体系地质模型,制作尖灭体、透镜体、河道砂、浊积体等地质体的三维物理模型,通过实验测试方法,研究地层条件下岩石物理性质的变化特征,系统研究储层地球物理参数变化的总体规律,并结合测井资料,采用波场物理模拟方法,研究波场响应特征与储层参数变化之间的规律,分析各种情况下的波场特征、属性特征.     

大型复杂构造地震物理模型设计制作及实验精度分析(英文)

大型、构造复杂的三维物理模型可用于模拟油气勘探。构造逼近实际地质状况的模拟具有制作技术难度大、质量控制严格等特点,可用于采集宽方位、多方位和全方位的地震数据,从而进行多种三维处理、解释方法验证。本文针对中国西部前陆盆地地表条件复杂地下构造复杂,导致成像不理想等问题,基于复杂的地下构造,设计制作了目前世界上模拟施工面积最大、构造最复杂的KS(塔里木盆地克深勘探工区)物理模型。本文的模型技术的进步主要涉及3个方面:模型的设计方法、模型的浇铸流程和数据采集,首次给出了物理模型的三维真实速度模型,定量分析了物理模型的制作精度,绝对误差小于3mm,可以满足方法试验的需要。该模型基于三维形态测量技术建立了三维真实速度模型,可作为方法试验的基础数据。因此,该模型可作为地震物理模拟技术的标准。     

构造应力超压机制的定量分析

构造应力一直被认为是超压形成的重要机制,但对其研究还处于定性的分析阶段．本文利用以有限元方法为基础的盆地数值模型,在一维的剖面上考虑构造应力强度、构造作用时间及方式、地层的物理成岩特征及其岩石渗透率等因素的变化,对构造应力在地层压力演化中的作用进行了模拟分析．获得了一些构造应力作为超压形成机制的新认识：（1）构造应力在水平方向上增加了地层的压实作用;（2）在极端条件下,构造应力所引起的超压增量可达构造应力的一半;（3）上覆地层因构造应力的作用而发生的更为强烈的压实结果对其下伏地层内压力的演化也很重要,其增加的超压增量可达构造应力的15%～20％．     

Characteristics of saw-tooth bars on the ebb-tidal deltas of the Wadden Islands

Saw-tooth bars are shore-oblique sand bars that are found along most ebb-tidal deltas of the Frisian Wadden Islands. Although they might significantly affect sediment transport pathways and volumes on the deltas, their general characteristics and dynamics are largely unknown. The main aim of this paper is to determine the typical saw-tooth bar heights, wave lengths, widths, orientations, migration rates and depths of occurrence. To this end, we analysed bathymetries from the Dutch and German Frisian Wadden Islands between 1970 and 2015. Bar heights range between 0.5 and 2 m, and wave lengths range between 300 and 900 m, with an average of 670 m, and the bar crests have a down contour orientation of approximately 25°. The bars are between 800 and 2200 m wide. Saw-tooth bars are located at depths from 3 to 12 m, depending on the slope of the area. Migration speeds of up to 112 m/year were found, using a spatial correlation method. Bar height and migration speed are positively linearly correlated, as well as bar wave length and bar width, bar height and the orientation of the depth contours and migration speed and the orientation of the area. The derived characteristics are compared to those of other bar types to evaluate hypotheses regarding the formation mechanism of the bars.

     

Parametric study of a physically-based,plot-scale hillslope hydrological model through virtual experiments

Abstract

A physically-based hillslope hydrological model with shallow overland flow and rapid subsurface stormflow components was developed and calibrated using field experiments conducted on a preferential path nested hillslope in northeast India. Virtual experiments were carried out to perform sensitivity analysis of the model using the automated parameter estimation (PEST) algorithm. Different physical parameters of the model were varied to study the resulting effects on overland flow and subsurface stormflow responses from the theoretical hillslopes. It was observed that topographical shapes had significant effects on overland flow hydrographs. The slope profiles, surface storage, relief, rainfall intensity and infiltration rates primarily controlled the overland flow response of the hillslopes. Prompt subsurface stormflow responses were mainly dominated by lateral preferential flow, as soil matrix flow rates were very slow. Rainfall intensity and soil macropore structures were the most influential parameters on subsurface stormflow. The number of connected soil macropores was a more sensitive parameter than the size of macropores. In hillslopes with highly active vertical and lateral preferential pathways, saturation excess overland flow was not evident. However, saturation excess overland flow was generated if the lateral macropores were disconnected. Under such conditions, rainfall intensity, duration and preferential flow rate governed the process of saturation excess overland flow generation from hillslopes.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Perrin     

INTERNATIONALE GLAZIOLOGISCHE GRÖNLANDEXPEDITION, 1957–1959

Abstract

Equations are derived for vapor transport within a constant flux layer of the atmosphere. The physical model is based on the Reynolds analogy for fully turbulent flow, so that vapor and momentum flux are assumed similar. The shear stress is deduced from analysis of the wind profile by means of equations available for non-neutral conditions. Empirical expressions are proposed using the friction velocity rather than the wind velocity at a given level in order to take account of the stability of the air.