Coalification history of the Stephanian Ciñera-Matallana pull-apart basin,NW Spain: Combining anisotropy of vitrinite reflectance and thermal modelling

The Stephanian Ciñera-Matallana Basin of NW Spain comprises 1,500 m of alluvial to lacustrine coal-bearing sediments, which were deposited in a late Variscan transtensional/transpressional pull-apart setting. The relationship between coalification pattern and rock deformation was evaluated by measurements of the anisotropy of vitrinite reflectance (AVR). The AVR ellipsoids reveal both pre-tectonic elements related to the bedding fabric and syn-tectonic elements related to folding, producing biaxial ellipsoid shapes with the maximum reflectance parallel to fold axes. The mean coalification gradient for the Stephanian succession is about 0.62 %Rr/km. Calculations of the mean palaeo-geothermal gradient are presented on the basis of three different empirical equations. A palaeo-geothermal gradient of 85 °C/km is considered the most realistic, with an overburden of about 1,000 m. 1-D numerical modelling of the burial history results in two possible scenarios, the most preferable involving a palaeo-heat flow of 150 mW/m² and an overburden of ca. 1,050 m. These results indicate that maximum coalification was related to a localised but high palaeo-heat flow/-geothermal gradient. The anisotropy of vitrinite reflectance highlights the interactive and transitional nature of sedimentary compaction and rock deformation on the maturation of organic material within strike-slip fault zones.     

煤层流变及其与煤矿瓦斯突出的关系—以淮北海孜煤矿为例

复杂地质条件下煤层受层间滑动作用容易发生流变。本文以淮北海孜煤矿为例，详细分析了煤层流变所引起的煤层形变宏观、微观及构造煤特征，总结了煤层流变构造发育的规律。煤层流变引起煤层形态、煤厚及煤体结构的变化，并形成各种构造煤。利用煤镜质组光率体各向异性进行了应力、有限应变分析，探讨了煤层流变机制是以剪切为主，伴有挤压的后期构造作用。海孜煤矿构造活动具有多期性，但煤层受力的主要方向始终为NW－SE向，这与煤层发生流变形成总体NE－SW向增厚变薄带的展布方向是一致的。已采区的煤层流变有：韧性流变、脆性流变及韧脆性流变。煤层流变引起的厚度变化和煤体结构的破坏是造成煤矿瓦斯突出的主要因素。     

Ellipsoid estimation in coal reflectance anisotropy

The procedure of fitting an ellipsoid to vitrinite reflectance anisotropy is described. Several authors on this subject use incorrect fitting formulae. The correct formulae are given and a least- squares procedure is developed to give confidence regions for the principal reflectances and their orientations. A FORTRAN program is offered that computes the principal reflectances using the correct formulae. A test is constructed for whether the principal reflectance orientations are the same at two locations. Because of the ellipsoid shape, the reflectance anisotropy can be compared to the strain ellipsoid. As an example, the methods are used to compare two coal blocks from an openpit mine in Alberta, Canada. The test shows that the principal reflectances of the two blocks have different orientations, indicating that the orientation of the principal strain axes is different at the two sites.     

Thermal maturity in the Central European Basin system (Schleswig-Holstein area): results of 1D basin modelling and new maturity maps

Thermal maturity information has been compiled for one of the deepest parts of the Central European Basin system, the Schleswig-Holstein area in northern Germany. New vitrinite reflectance data were obtained and old data were evaluated from a total of 31 wells. Furthermore, numerical 1D basin modelling was performed in order to interpolate/extrapolate vitrinite reflectance data to base Zechstein and base Keuper. For these two horizons, maturity maps were finally compiled revealing large differences in present-day thermal maturity within the basin. For example, vitrinite reflectance at base Zechstein ranges from greater than 4.5% in the Glueckstadt Graben to less than 1% in the northern part of the study area. Highest thermal maturity of base Keuper occurs in the West Holstein Trough and in the northern part of the Glueckstadt Graben. The timing of maturation is greatly affected by the complex tectonic evolution of the area. For six key wells distributed over the entire study area, burial and temperature histories as well as evolution of maturity were evaluated using 1D basin modelling. Deepest burial and maximum temperatures occurred either during Jurassic, Upper Cretaceous or Neogene times in these wells. Only some parts of the sedimentary package in Schleswig-Holstein show a significant increase in maturity during the Tertiary leading to additional hydrocarbon generation and entrapment.     

煤镜质组反射率光性组构变形实验研究

不同煤级煤的高温高压实验表明，在温、压和差异应力作用下，煤镜质组反射率值和各向异性都有一定程度增加，变形越强烈，增加越明显，尤其在中煤级中、晚期阶段更是如此。在变形过程中，反射率主轴将发生有规律的偏转，变形越强烈，最小反射率主轴越接近于最大挤压应力方向。随着变形的增强，镜质组反射率椭球由单向伸长同压缩型转化。     

Estimation of relative depth of burial using vitrinite reflectance: Implications for a sedimentary basin formation by basement tilting

The kinetics of coalification are still debatable; the role of time has not been conclusively assigned. If accepting the importance of time, we have not reached consensus in formulation of the kinetics.Here we show that estimation of burial depth is possible under some conditions using vitrinite reflectance neither with computation of a specific kinetic equation of organic metamorphism nor with postulating plausible geothermal gradients of the past. The present technique is based only on empirical linear relations between vitrinite reflectance and burial depth, and is demonstrated to be effective for investigation of syn-depositional tectonics. The authors applied the technique to Miocene coals of the Chichibu Basin, Central Japan, and this study indicates that the sedimentary basin was formed by tilting of the basement rocks.     

豫西煤田构造煤反射率及其与古构造应力场的关系

为研究构造应力对煤反射率的影响,以豫西煤田不同构造区的构造煤和原生结构煤为对象,采用定向标本及反射率测定的方法作对比研究,发现构造煤的反射率比原生结构煤的反射率普遍偏高。根据反射率与构造应力的关系,求得各构造区的古构造应力场,通过与聚煤期后多次构造运动的主应力方向进行对比,可推知:影响嵩箕区二1煤变形和镜煤反射率的主要构造,是在前期断裂基础上喜山早期掀斜运动诱发的重力滑动构造,而影响崤熊区的则为燕山晚期的逆冲推覆作用。     

新疆准噶尔盆地南缘深层有利储层发育的影响因素

准噶尔盆地南缘油气资源十分丰富,但是目前仅在浅层发现有十分有限的储量.深层的勘探一直没有突破.前人在构造模式方面开展过大量的研究,但成效甚微.通过深层储层发育特征及其对有利储层发育的影响因素研究,进行铸体薄片、扫描电镜、孔渗分析、包裹体测温、方解石C和O同位素分析、Ro测定等分析测试.综合分析认为,准噶尔南缘地区:①深层清水河组有效储层的勘探,应该以远砂坝相为主,齐古组有效储层发育在水下分流河道微相的上段.深层有利储层的发育受有利的沉积相带控制,同时受成岩作用的影响;②较低的古地温梯度;③早期浅埋、晚期快速深埋的地层埋藏方式;④区域构造应力发育较弱的区域.以上因素都对准噶尔盆地南缘地区深层储层起到了明显的改善作用.     

Detecting the stepwise propagation of the Eastern Sicily thrust belt (Italy): insight from thermal and thermochronological constraints

An extensive dataset of vitrinite reflectance, FTIR parameters on organic matter, illite content in mixed layers illite‐smectite, apatite fission tracks and U‐Th/He dating has been used to reconstruct the stepwise propagation of the Eastern Sicily fold‐and‐thrust belt during Late Palaeogene and Neogene times. The results indicate that the fold‐and‐thrust belt is divisible into two levels of thermal maturity. These levels consist of a less evolved level of thermal maturity that records limited sedimentary burial and minor heating, and a more evolved level of thermal maturity that indicates tectonic burial and exhumation at different times. Deformation and exhumation of shallowly buried units are linked to wedge forward propagation by low‐angle thrusts, whereas the evolution of deeply buried units is associated with tectonic imbrications by duplex formation and steep thrusts. The two tectonic styles alternate during evolution of the fold‐and‐thrust belt under low erosion rates.     

Analysis of large thermal maturity datasets: Examples from the Canadian Arctic Islands

This paper describes an approach for verifying thermal maturity data in a large historical dataset from the Canadian Arctic Islands. A compilation of more than 6000 maturity measurements (vitrinite reflectance and Rock-Eval Tmax) collected over the span of three decades involved a rigorous assessment of data quality. Some common anomalies in interpreting thermal maturity dataset include: (i) elevated thermal maturity due to Cretaceous igneous intrusion in the region, (ii) reworking of refractory material from older rocks into younger strata during the Triassic period, (iii) suppression of vitrinite reflectance and Tmax in hydrogen-rich samples, (iv) low maturity values due to cross-contamination by the younger sediments during drilling process (caving), and (v) offset maturity values obtained from different maturity measurements. The study discusses various independent checks to verify the obtained maturity parameters. The comparison between thermal maturity data with the sonic velocity of shale resulted in a satisfactory correlation. While such a correlation may vary in different sedimentary basins, it produces a useful independent assessment of thermal maturity. The results indicate that increased heat flow during the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous rifting of the Canada Basin may have caused the elevated maturity beyond the expected burial level as suggested by the discrepancy between thermal maturity and sonic velocity data. Given the fact that vitrinite reflectance records only the maximum temperature to which the enclosing rocks were exposed, deviation of the collected reflectance values from the current depth of burial serves as an indicator for the amount of geological uplift.     

The lateral and vertical reflectance and petrological variation of a heat-affected bituminous coal seam from southeastern British Columbia, Canada

Thermally altered pods of coal of very high rank have been observed in a high-volatile-bituminous coal seam in the eastern side of Eagle Mountain, Elk Valley Coalfield, British Columbia. Rank changes have been measured over a strike distance of 7.5 m from 1.24% to 7.1% R_{o max}, corresponding to a rank gradient of 0.78% R_om⁻¹.Petrologically, unaltered to extremely altered vitrinite showing nongranular (basic) anisotropy, mosaic-textured liptinite and pyrolytic carbon are the most abundant components. The limited presence of mosaic on vitrinite is an indication that the coal seam may have been weathered prior to being heat-affected.Evidence points to localized temperatures as high as 1,000°C, which could have been caused by a lightning strike. The eastern side of Eagle Mountain has experienced higher temperatures than the western side, and it appears that the heat ‘front’ and zone of alteration have an irregular pattern, pointing to saturation of parts of the coal seam by water.Four types of pyrolytic carbon having distinct morphology, anisotrophy and optical path with increasing temperature were observed. Reflectance of pyrolytic carbon falls within the zone of heat-affected coals, whereas the optical path of heat-affected Seam 15 samples is different from that of fresh coal with increasing rank.Finally, the reflectance of vitrinite in heat-affected coal is higher than the reflectance of vitrinite in carbonaceous shale in the Seam 15 section.     

Tectonic incorporation of the upper part of oceanic crust to overriding plate of a convergent margin: An example from the Cretaceous–early Tertiary Mugi Mélange, the Shimanto Belt, Japan

A tectonic mélange exposed on land is examined to reveal relationships between mélange formation, underplating, and deformation mechanisms, focusing on the deformation of basaltic rocks. The studied Mugi Mélange of the Shimanto Belt is composed of a shale matrix surrounding various blocks of sandstone, pelagic sediments, and basalts. The mélange was formed during Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary times in a subduction zone under P–T conditions of 150–200 °C and 6–7 km depth as estimated from vitrinite reflectance and quartz veins fluid inclusions. The mélange represents a range of deformation mechanisms; pressure solution with micro-scale cataclasis in the shale matrix, brittle tension cracking in the blocks, and ubiquitous strong cataclasis in the basal portion of basaltic layers. The cataclastic deformation in the basalts suggests a breakage of a topographic high in the seismogenic depth.     

Evolution of optical properties of vitrinite, sporinite and semifusinite in response to heating under inert conditions

The objective of the study was to characterize changes of reflectance, reflectance anisotropy and reflectance indicating surface (RIS) shape of vitrinite, sporinite and semifusinite subjected to thermal treatment under inert conditions. Examination was performed on vitrinite, liptinite and inertinite concentrates prepared from channel samples of steam coal (R_r = 0.70%) and coking coal (R_r = 1.25%), collected from seam 405 of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The concentrates were heated at temperatures of 400–1200 °C for 1 h time in an argon atmosphere.All components examined in this study: vitrinite, sporinite and semifusinite as well as matrix of vitrinite and liptinite cokes, despite of rank of their parent coal, show, in general, the most important changes of reflectance value and optical anisotropy when heated at 500 °C, 800 °C (with the exception of bireflectance value of sporinite) and 1200 °C.After heating the steam coal at 1200 °C, the vitrinite and the semifusinite reveal similar reflectances, whereas the latter a slightly stronger anisotropy. Sporinite and matrix of liptinite coke have lower reflectances but anisotropy (R_bi and R_am values) similar to those observed for vitrinite and semifusinite. However, at 1000 °C sporinite and matrix of liptinite coke have the highest reflectivity of the studied components. The RIS at 1200 °C is the same for all components.The optical properties of the three macerals in the coking coal become similar after heating at 1000 °C. Coke obtained at 1200 °C did not contain distinguishable vitrinite grains. At 1200 °C semifusinite and vitrinite coke matrix have highest R_r values among the examined components. Maximum reflectance (R_max) reach similar values for vitrinite and sporinite, slightly lower for semifusinite. Matrix of liptinite coke and matrix of vitrinite coke have considerably stronger anisotropy (R_bi and R_am values) than other components. RIS at 1200 °C is also similar for all components.     

峰峰矿区通二井田煤镜质组有限应变特征及其应用

利用MPV—COMPACT型显微光度计对峰峰矿区通二井田煤镜质组反射率进行较系统的测试,发现井田内煤 3个光轴体主轴互相垂直,最大反射率轴倾角多数集中在 68°～69°之间,倾伏向有 3个方向,即近 280°、近 90°和近 180°。测区内煤的镜质组反射率椭球体的变形特征属于拉长型应变和压扁型应变。该井田煤镜质组反射率椭球体有限应变特征分析结果表明在煤系地层中,煤的最大镜质组反射率的方位除与区域构造应力场的作用有关外,还与其所处的局部构造位置有关。在断层附近,反射率Ro_max和Ro_min的差值随着距断层的距离增加而减小,且在断层面的两盘发生突变。这一特征有助于煤矿井下构造的预测。     

柴达木盆地德令哈坳陷石炭系烃源岩成熟度演化史

德令哈坳陷是柴达木盆地石炭系具有勘探前景的地区。综合区域调查、平衡剖面反演、镜质体反射率等分析,获取了柴达木盆地主要构造运动期次,并结合盆地模拟技术,重建了石炭系埋藏史;结合石炭系烃源岩油气地化指标,研究了德令哈坳陷石炭系烃源岩热演化史。研究表明,德令哈坳陷内石炭系烃源岩广泛发育,有机质丰度较高,埋深较大,但未发生变质,处于成熟-高成熟阶段。德令哈坳陷石炭系埋藏史主要表现为晚石炭世、中侏罗世早期-晚白垩世、渐新世晚期-中新世为快速埋藏期,早二叠世-晚三叠世、早白垩世-始新世为稳定期,晚三叠世末-晚侏罗世、始新世末-中新世、中新世末以来为强烈抬升剥蚀期,沉降史与抬升剥蚀史新生代以来存在着差异;石炭系烃源岩热演化史主要表现为"二次生烃、晚期生烃为主"的特点,主要受控于区域构造运动。晚古生代以来柴达木盆地热演化总体表现为缓慢降低的特征,主要受控于柴达木盆地岩浆热事件与构造活动特征。      

Petrographic characteristics of coal from Mailaram coalfield,Godavari valley,Andhra Pradesh

The quantitative maceral study of the Queen seam from Mailaram coalfield of Godavari valley has displayed alternate coal bands rich in vitrinite/liptinite or inertinite. The random vitrinite reflectance (R_o max. %) of these coals, from top part ranges from 0.50 to 0.64%. However, the bottom part of the seam has indicated lower reflectance, between 0.49 and 0.52%. Thus, the Queen seam, in general, has attained high volatile bituminous C rank. The study indicates that the depositional site has been a slowly sinking basin that witnessed alternate dry (oxidizing) and wet (reducing) spells. This subsequently caused fluctuation in water table of the basin and the formation of oxic and anaoxic moor condition, where accumulated vegetal resource transformed into mixed and fusic coal types in due course of time. Being high in liptinite and vitrinite contents and low mineral matter, the Queen seam of Mailaram coalfield has high economic potential.     

The Late Triassic Callide Coal Measures, Queensland, Australia: Coal petrology and depositional environment

The Late Triassic (Carnian-Rhaetian) Callide Coal Measures are preserved in a partly fault-bounded basin remnant in east-central Queensland, Australia. The sequence comprises up to 150 m of interbedded clastic sedimentary rocks and at least four major coal seams, including one coal body up to 23 m thick. The sequence was deposited initially in high-gradient alluvial fan systems which gave way through time to sandy, low-sinuosity rivers. The restricted, intermontane and entirely alluvial nature of sediment accumulation is here considered to have influence the petrographic characteristics of Callide coals, and their external geometry.The main coal seam from the Callide Measures shows variation in the predominance of some macerals, indicating successions of environmental changes. The application of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to the study of the Callide coal has enabled a better understanding of the nature and origin of some of the less understood macerals such as micrinite and vitrinite B. Two forms of vitrinite have been observed, each with a distinct reflectance range. The wood-sourced vitrinite A displays an average reflectance of 0.56%, implying a higher rank than the 0.49% Ro total vitrinite reflectance recorded in previous publications. Vitrinite B and A together represent the most commonly occurring macerals in the Callide coal samples of the present study. The lower-reflecting vitrinite B which forms bands, often several hundred μm in thickness, in TEM shows sub-micron electron transparent laminae of lipid-rich material alternating with a more conventional vitrinite material. The vitrinite B is interpreted to represent accumulations of leaves.The Callide coal has entered the oil window, and oil has been generated from some exinite, cutinite, and resinite, as evident from change in fluorescence and the presence of exsudatinite in cell cavities and cleats. Vitrinite B is seen under the microscope to also be generating oil. Micrinite, the origin of which has been much debated, occurs in selected horizons only, as lenticular bodies suggesting cell filling or filling of spaces between laminations in vitrinite B. TEM shows micrinite to consist predominantly of sub-micron pyrite and possibly other mineral particles adsorbed on humic acids.     

Vitrinite recycling: diagnostic criteria and reflectance changes during weathering and reburial

The aim of this study was first to review or even identify reliable diagnostic criteria to distinguish recycled and autochthonous vitrinite particles and, second, to examine and try to explain the impact of weathering and reburial on optical changes (reflectance) of recycled material. The work was based on indigenous and recycled particles of two sample sets from two wells drilled in the Senegalese margin basin and the Ardèche paleomargin (SE France), respectively. In addition to reflectance measurements, the studied samples have also been analysed by Rock-Eval pyrolysis. For both sample sets, hydrogen index (HI) and oxygen index (OI) values suggest a type III organic matter of dominant terrestrial origin.Two main diagnostic criteria appear particularly useful to identify indigenous and recycled vitrinite particles: the first is the clear genetic relationship between telinite and collotelinite; the second is the presence of pyrite framboid inclusions in indigenous vitrinite. The pyrite–vitrinite association illustrates the relationship between sulphate reduction, pyritisation, and in situ organic matter transformation through gelification process. However, application of both diagnostic criteria requires some additional information about depositional conditions (i.e., anoxicity) and thermal maturity of the studied samples. Weathering has no or only very limited effect on vitrinite reflectance. During their new burial history, recycled vitrinites follow a reflectance evolution path close to that of inertinites and thus appear as transitional materials between vitrinite and inertinite macerals. Consistently, this behaviour implies that recycled vitrinite reflectance changes during burial diagenesis do not solely depend on their chemical composition but, most probably too, on combined chemical and structural changes inherited from their past burial history and from the impact of weathering during their recycling stage.     

雪峰山西侧北缘五峰组-龙马溪组含笔石页岩热成熟度特征

五峰组-龙马溪组含笔石富有机质页岩是中国目前最成功和最重要的页岩气勘探目标.由于缺乏镜质体,该地层的成熟度一直存在争议.以雪峰山西侧北缘富含笔石的五峰组-龙马溪组页岩为例,采用笔石表皮体反射率来表征其成熟度特征.该套页岩笔石含量丰富,以非粒状笔石表皮体为主,其具有二轴晶光性特征,最大反射率（GR_max）和双反射率之间表现出正相关关系,成熟度越高的笔石表皮体表现出更强的各向异性.同时,该套地层中也含有丰富的沥青颗粒,其随机反射率与笔石表皮体的最大和随机反射率也呈现了正相关性,其各向异性更弱,但其成因复杂,且颗粒细小,测定较困难,因此,相对而言,作为热成熟指标,笔石表皮体反射率更占优势.雪峰山西侧北缘五峰组-龙马溪组含笔石页岩的成熟度较高,EqVR_o值均为3.10%以上,达到了过成熟阶段,是页岩气勘探的有利区.      

潞安矿区构造－热演化特征

通过对潞安矿区区域地质背景研究,在镜质体反射率测试分析的基础上,对研究区多个井田含煤地层的埋藏史及其热史进行了恢复。结果表明,早三叠世-侏罗纪,研究区构造运动强烈,埋深增大至3 500 m左右,经历较高古地温（120~135℃）,热流达到第一个峰值（76~89 mW/m²）;侏罗纪晚期-早白垩世,受燕山期火山运动及深层侵入岩影响,研究区含煤地层温度骤升至160~180℃并伴随出第二个古热流峰值（90~99 mW/m²）。通过比对,认为沁水盆地东南缘潞安矿区所处构造-热演化程度较沁水盆地中部偏高。