West Siberian Oil Production in the Mid-1990s

A Western specialist on the liquid fuel industries and resources of Russia surveys trends in and factors affecting output in Russia's most important oil-producing region, accounting for nearly 70% of the country's production in 1994 and a similar share of oil reserves. A prolonged decline in oil output in the region, starting in 1988, appears to be bottoming out as a function of efforts to rehabilitate idle wells and liberalized regulations governing oil exports. A focus is on documenting trends in production within a series of regional production associations charged with operation of specific fields (of widely variable age and reserves) in West Siberia and on surveying Western participation in joint ventures involved in field development for deposits characterized by difficult geological conditions. Official projections of West Siberian crude oil output based on various assumptions regarding rates of investment, well rehabilitation, exploratory drilling, secondary recovery, etc. are reviewed and evaluated.     

Aquatic geochemistry of small lakes: Effects of environment changes

This paper reports the results of an extensive investigation of water chemistry in the small lakes of European Russia and Western Siberia along a climatic gradient. It was demonstrated that small lakes unaffected by any direct contamination can be used as indicators of natural geochemical conditions of water formation, as well as global and regional fluxes of airborne pollution and climate warming. A novel concept was developed for within- and between-zone variability in water chemistry over vast areas of tundra, taiga, forest, and steppe, and contributions of natural and anthropogenic factors to its formation under present-day conditions were estimated. A proposed predictive scenario showed that climate warming will result in an increase in water salinity in southern regions and ubiquitous phosphorus enrichment in terrestrial waters; the hydrologic and geochemical conditions of water formation in northern Siberia will change significantly in response to permafrost thawing. Zonal features in the development of anthropogenically-induced processes in terrestrial surface waters (acidification, eutrophication, and metal enrichment) were determined. It was demonstrated that, in addition to naturally acidified lakes with high contents of humic acids, acid lakes of anthropogenic origin occur over the whole humid region discussed here, and acidification processes were characterized for each subregion. The trophic status of lakes and limitation of their bioproductivity with respect to nutrients were estimated. The concentrations and distribution of trace elements were analyzed in terrestrial waters from various climatic zones of European Russia and Western Siberia, and the first estimates were obtained for the mean concentrations and coefficients of migration of a wide range of elements in terrestrial freshwaters. We distinguished a group of metal (Mo, As, U, Bi, Sb, Cd, Ag, Se, Re, Pb, Cd, W, etc.) the enrichment of which in natural waters results from their global dispersion in the environment. Experimental results and natural observations are presented on the processes of metal ion complexation with humus substances, and sequences of their increasing activity in competing for organic ligands were derived. Data are presented on the speciation of metals depending on natural water chemistry in the tundra, taiga, and steppe zones. The pioneering investigations on the geochemistry of natural waters allowed us to substantiate new regional norms for water quality.     

Early Senonian climate reconstruction for southwestern Siberia on the basis of paleobotanical data

On the basis of study of fossil plants, the climate in southwestern Siberia in the Early Senonian was reconstructed to be warm temperate humid with the mean annual temperature of about 13°C. The CLAMP analysis (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) was applied for the first time to Cretaceous floras of Western Siberia. The comparison results of climatic variables estimated show that the climate in Western Siberia in the Early Senonian was more humid and warmer than in Northeast Asia.     

The Main Factors Affecting the Distribution of Oil Fields in the West Siberian Platform

It has been found that the main oil fields in Western Siberia are attributed to Triassic rifts, because the rifts drain the upper mantle, and the deformations of the sedimentary cover are determined by the basement. On average, the thickness of the basement is 14 times greater than that of the sedimentary cover. Taking into account the mean strength (153 ± 10 MPa) of the basement rocks, the basement strength is two orders of magnitude greater than the strength of the sedimentary cover. The sialic blocks, considered as Precambrian, are composed of light granites and metamorphic rocks. They ascend to the level of the upper crust at the time of Triassic rifting and continued to emerge. As a result, antiforms were formed above the sialic blocks in the sedimentary cover; these antiforms were filled with oil.     

Ammonite scale for the Volgian of Western Siberia and its paleontological substantiation

The revision of available identifications of Volgian ammonites from the core of boreholes drilled in Western Siberia allowed for the refining of the list of genera and species established on its territory. The lack of reliable identifications of a series of taxa indicates an imperfectly substantiated subdivision of individual Volgian zones of the Subpolar Urals in Western Siberia. The Volgian zonal scale of Western Siberia is proposed to be put into correspondence with its actual paleontological substantiation. Although the scale leans upon the North Uralian one, it is less detailed as compared to the latter.     

New zonal and infrazonal scales for the Kimmeridgian in Westarn Siberia based on cardioceratid ammonites

It is proposed to use a Boreal scale based on the succession of cardioceratids (with the Bauhini, Kitchini, Sokolovi, and Decipiens zones) for the subdivision of the Kimmeridgian of Western Siberia instead of the aulacospephanid-based Subpolar Urals scale which was traditionally used in this region. It is shown that the use of the Boreal scale allows a finer subdivision and correlation of the Kimmeridgian of Western Siberia. A complete succession of zones and subzones based on cardioceratids and several biohorizons previously established in western Arctic are confirmed. The infrazonal Kimmeridgian scale of Western Siberia is correlated with the scales of Franz Josef Land, Spitsbergen, and northern Central Siberia. The diagnosis and ranges of Plasmatites zieteni (Rouill.), characteristic of the basal part of the Kimmeridgian (zieteni biohorizon), are given. The new species Amoeboceras (?) klimovae Rogov, sp. nov. and Amoebites peregrinator Rogov, sp. nov. (index species of the biohorizons recognized by the present author) are described.     

The International Union of Geological Sciences' Commitment to International Geology Review

A prominent Western specialist on the geology of the oil and gas deposits of Russia provides an interpretation of the genesis of the West Siberian basin, relying, in part, on most recent Russian studies as well as information made available in 1994 evaluating the reserves of Russia's most important producing province. From Late Carboniferous through Middle Jurassic time, the region of West Siberia passed through orogenic, rift, and early platform stages. A domal high was present in the region during the orogenic stage, arising from cratonization of the Ural-Mongolian fold belt. Early Triassic rifting was part of a global rifting event and was a precursor to the subsequent crustal sagging that produced the West Siberian basin. The Early-Middle Jurassic was a time of cyclical marine and continental deposition, the sea moving back and forth from the north. The Talinskoye oil field occurs in Lower-Middle Jurassic sandstones that have the form of a river channel that extends more than 200 km. The Priobskoye field is associated with a Lower Cretaceous clinoform that has been traced N–S for more than 300 km. It is suggested that: (a) the oil in the Lower Cretaceous Neocomian sandstones was sourced by bituminous clays that interfinger with these sandstones on the west; and (b) that Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian gas was sourced in part by deeply buried Paleozoics and by overlying Upper Cretaceous Turonian clays. Predicted discoveries in West Siberia include several thousand small fields with reserves of less than 10 million tons, 250 to 300 medium-sized fields, and several large fields with 30 to 100 million tons.     

Influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on water acidification in humid regions

Anthropogenically induced acidification of waters develops at humid territories in Russia. Acidified lakes with high water transparence, low pH (<6) and predominance of strong-acid anions make up 4.4% lakes in the European part of Russia and 8.2% in the tundra–taiga part of Western Siberia. The major factors responsible for water acidification are sulfur compounds emitted from smelters in the European part of Russia and synthesized when accompanying gas is combusted at oil-producing enterprises in Western Siberia. In combinations with natural factors, these processes result in complicated mechanisms of anthropogenic water acidification. Organic acids, whose concentrations in waters in humid zones are high, are able to enhance anthropogenic acidification.     

鄂尔多斯盆地与国外相似盆地对比及其中生界石油储量预测

选取3个国外克拉通盆地,即西西伯利亚盆地、巴黎盆地和伊利诺斯盆地,与鄂尔多斯盆地进行对比。鄂尔多斯盆地作为发育在坳拉谷基底之上的克拉通盆地,具有含丰富油气资源量的地质基础。鄂尔多斯盆地为中生代陆相沉积,其烃源岩的分布相对于整个盆地较为局限,圈闭类型较为复杂多样,除此之外的其他地质因素均比较相似。根据盆地对比估算得到鄂尔多斯盆地中生界的探明石油储量为17.21 x10⁸t据西西伯利亚盆地)、22.67 x10⁸t据巴黎盆地)和24. 40 x10⁸t (据伊利诺斯盆地),表明鄂尔多斯盆地中生界具有很大的资源潜力和勘探前景。     

The Distribution of Petroleum Resources and Characteristics of Main Petroliferous Basins along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, abbreviated as the Belt and Road Initiative, is a primary development strategy of China’s future international cooperation. Especially, the energy resource cooperation, including oil and gas resources cooperation, is an important part of this initiative. The Belt and Road has undergone complicated geological evolution, and contains abundant mineral resources such as oil, gas, coal, uranium, iron, copper, gold and manganese ore resources. Among these, Africa holds 7.8% of the world’s total proven oil reserves. The oil and gas resources in Africa are relatively concentrated, with an overall low exploration degree and small consumption demand. Nigeria and Libya contain the most abundant oil resources in Africa, accounting for 2.2% and 2.9% of the world’s total reserves, respectively. Nigeria and Algeria hold the richest natural gas resources in Africa, occupying 2.8% and 2.4% of the world’s total reserves, respectively. Africa’s oil and gas resources are mainly concentrated in Egypt, Sultan and Western Sahara regions in the northern Africa, and the Gulf of Guinea, Niger River and Congo River area in the western Africa. The Russia–Central Asia area holds rich petroleum resources in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The potential oil and gas areas include the West Siberia Basin, East Siberia Basin and sea continental shelf in Russia, the northern and central Caspian Basin in Kazakhstan, the right bank of the Amu-Darya Basin, the East Karakum uplift and the South Caspian Basin in Turkmenistan, and the Amu–Daria Basin, Fergana Basin, Afghan–Tajik Basin and North Ustyurt Basin in Uzbekistan. The Middle East oil and gas resources are mainly distributed in the Zagros foreland basin and Arabian continental margin basin, and the main oil-producing countries include Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. The Asia Pacific region is a new oil and gas consumption center, with rapid growth of oil and gas demand. In 2012, this region consumed about 33.6% of the world’s total oil consumption and 18.9% of the world’s total natural gas consumption, which has been ranked the world’s largest oil and gas consumption center. The oil and gas resources are concentrated in China, Indosinian, Malaysia, Australia and India. The abundant European proven crude oil reserves are in Norway, Britain and Denmark and also rich natural gas resources in Norway, Holland and Britain. Norway and Britain contain about 77.5% of European proven oil reserves, which accounts for only 0.9% of the world’s proven reserves. The Europe includes main petroliferous basins of the Voring Basin, Anglo–Dutch Basin, Northwest German Basin, Northeast German–Polish Basin and Carpathian Basin. According to the analysis of source rocks, reservoir rocks, cap rocks and traps for the main petroliferous basins, the potential oil and gas prospecting targets in the Belt and Road are mainly the Zagros Basin and Arabic Platform in the Middle East, the East Barents Sea Basin and the East Siberia Basin in Russia–Central Asia, the Niger Delta Basin, East African rift system and the Australia Northwest Shelf. With the development of oil and gas theory and exploration technology, unconventional petroleum resources will play an increasingly important role in oil and gas industry.     

Origin of gases dissolved in subsurface waters and paragenetic brines associated with saline strata

As a result of examining a large amount of information on stratotype sections of Neogene-Quaternary deposits of the south of Western Siberia, we have compiled a sequence through these deposits in which boundaries between geomagnetic subdivisions are linked with Pliocene-Quaternary biozones.

The Brunhes zone Includes deposits with mammal remains of the Upper Paleolithic, Khazara, and Tiraspol' assemblages. The Gauss-Matuyama inversion has been identified in the upper Pliocene deposits with a Khapry mammal assemblage. The lower boundary of the Gauss zone apparently passes below strata with a Moldavian faunal complex. The data on the biologic linking of the magnetic zones demonstrate the synchronous development of the faunal assemblages of Pliocene-Quaternary time in Western Siberia and in the southwest of European USSR. —Authors.     

Facies zoning of Vendian petroliferous terrigenous strata in central and southern areas of East Siberia

The paper discusses the composition and structure of the Vendian terrigenous petroliferous strata in the central and southern parts of Eastern Siberia and the nature of rock reservoir distribution. Their association with zones of piedmont-alluvial sediments that are promising for oil and gas prospecting has been revealed.     

Callovian foraminiferal assemblages in West Siberia

The paper presents data on Callovian foraminiferal assemblages from several wells in two localities of the West Siberian plain (Shaim oil and gas district, northwestern West Siberia, and Mykhpai field, central West Siberia). The assemblages are compared and studied in terms of space and time changes of their stratigraphy, which can make basis for a more detailed zonal subdivision as more data become available. The taxonomic compositions of the assemblages are summarized in tables for specific wells to highlight their geographic variations.     

河北围场早中新世藓类化石的植物地理学意义

对河北省围场地区广发永剖面藓类植物薄网藓Leptodictyum riparium、似叶镰刀藓Drepanocladus trichophyllus和多姿柳叶藓Amblystegium varium的古地理及其对应的现代植物地理分布研究显示,这些植物最早出现于早中新世的围场地区,可能起源于该时期的古北大陆,东亚为起源中心。之后向东通过白令陆桥扩散到北美,向西沿欧亚大陆扩散至欧洲西部,至全新世时主要分布在北半球。全新世后,薄网藓与多姿柳叶藓进一步向南扩散,分别由北美及亚洲东部扩散到南美洲及澳大利亚地区,逐步形成现在的分布格局;毛叶镰刀藓则在更新世就已形成与现代相近的分布格局。该研究确立了3种藓类植物的地理起源、地史分布及迁移路线。     

New data on stratigraphy (palynomorphs,ostracods, paleomagnetism) of Cenozoic continental deposits of the Ishim plain,Western Siberia

New micropaleontological and paleomagnetic data were obtained by studying core samples of Cenozoic continental deposits from two boreholes drilled in the south of Tyumen oblast (Western Siberia). Palynological assemblages in deposits of the Tavda (upper part), Novomikhailovka, Turtas, Abrosimovka, Tobolsk, Smirnovka, and Suzgun formations were described. Deposits of these formations are enriched in spore-pollen assemblages, which can be correlated with assemblages of regional palynozones of the West Siberian Plain. Ostracods were described in Quaternary deposits. On the basis of biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic data, the Late Eocene (Priabonian)–Holocene age of deposits was substantiated. For the first time, beds with dinocysts of genus Pseudokomewuia were identified in deposits of the Turtas Formation (Upper Oligocene) of the Ishim lithofacial area. In total, nine regional magnetozones were distinguished in the paleomagnetic section. On the basis of palynological and paleomagnetic data, sections of two boreholes were correlated, and hiatuses in sedimentation were revealed. A large hiatus is at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary (Western Siberia): the Lower Oligocene Atlym Horizon and Miocene–Pliocene and Eopleistocene sediments are missing. The Oligocene interval of the section is represented in a reduced volume.     

Seismotectonic investigations of the Chulmakan fault,southern Yakutia,to assess the seismic hazard for the East Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil and power of Siberia gas pipelines

Based on the analysis of space images and maps, the data of laser scanning, trenching, and field geophysical and seismotectonic studies in southern Yakutia, the Chulmakan seismogenic fault is mapped and characterized. The structure and parameters of seismogenic deformations of this fault, which crosses the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, are determined. A preliminary estimate of the Chulmakan seismodislocation age is given, as well as the magnitude of the corresponding paleoearthquake. The level of potential seismic hazard at the site where the Chulmakan Fault crosses the East Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline and Power of Siberia gas pipeline is determined.     

Mineralogical and Geochemical Features of a Peat Deposit in the Eutrophic Obskoye Fen under Anthropogenic Load (Western Siberia)

Doklady Earth Sciences - The chemical composition and mineral inclusions in peats and the underlying soils of the eutrophic Obskoye fen (Western Siberia, Tomsk Region) are studied. The basic...     

Chrome Spinels in Carbonate Veins of the Onguren Complex,Western Baikal Region

Geology of Ore Deposits - Chrome spinels in carbonate veins of the Onguren Complex, East Siberia, Western Baikal region are predominantly ferrichromite and chrommagnetite (MgO ≤ 0.3 wt %, Mg#...     

Future of rail container transport in Eurasia

Conclusions Transport via the Siberian railway in trade between West Europe and Japan is clearly advantageous compared with sea transport. Whether the Siberian transport route is productive for the Soviet Union measured by Western standards is difficult to say. Some Western experts at least have expressed their doubts.It is known that some industrial western market-economy countries have been asked to invest in the construction of the Baikal-Amur railway in return for promised supplies of earth gas and oil. The development of the Siberian transit transport route may also be taken as a sign of an opening up of the Soviet Union to Western countries in a wider sense, and her growing interest in forming trade relations with the West.From the start the Siberian transit transport route was intended, in addition to the Soviet's own transport needs, for goods traffic between West Europe and Japan. Since then connections have been made with Hong Kong and the Philippines. In the future connections via Siberia may be made with Taiwan, South Korea and other East Asian countries and Australia. Thus the international significance of the Trans-Siberian railway in trade between the Far East and Europe will increase considerably. This will mean that the Soviet officials will be faced with what may prove a difficult decision concerning the growing demands of international transit traffic in relation to the increasing domestic transport on the same rail network.It seems likely that the Soviet Union will obtain an increasing proportion of the foreign exchange she needs from this growth in transport. In 1975 this sum was estimated at US $ 150.000.000. With the development in traffic the Soviets are also obtaining and developing new technological know-how. The biggest losers are the shipping lines belonging to the Far-Eastern Freight Conference. They are mainly from Western countries, but there are also members from Poland and East Germany who will lose freights to the Siberian transport route.     

地下水油类污染系统形成机制研究——以某石油化工研究区为例

石油化工是高污染的行业,由于污水的不合理排放以及在生产过程中的跑、冒、滴、漏,大量有毒有害的有机污染物进入地下水系统,造成地下水水质恶化,地下水环境退化,甚至制约着工农业生产的发展,危害人民的身体健康,石油类污染已成为严重的环境问题。本文通过对某石油化工企业地下水油类污染的调查,对地下水石油污染的特征、污染源空间分布规律、地下水石油类污染机理等方面进行了研究。