Maturity studies and source-rock potential in the southern Sverdrup Basin, Arctic Canada

The purpose of the study is to better understand the relationship between organic matter optical properties and the presence of potentially large oil and gas accumulations in Arctic Canada. The type and thermal maturity of the dispersed organic matter of the Mesozoic formations in the southern Sverdrup Basin, Melville Island, have been studied using organic petrology and Rock-Eval pyrolysis.All types of organic matter are present in the strata of Mesozoic age. Hydrogen-rich liptinite is dominated by alginite (Botryococcus and Tasmanites), dinoflagellate cysts and amorphous fluorescing matrix. Sporinite, cutinite, resinite and liptodetrinite made up the lesser hydrogen-rich exinite. Vitrinite reflectance in Cretaceous sediments ranges from 0.36 to 0.65% R_o; in Jurassic sediments it ranges from 0.40 to 1.0% R_o and in the Triassic from 0.45 to 1.30% R_o, showing an overall increase with depth of burial.Cretaceous sediments of the Deer Bay Formation are thermally immature and contain organic matter of terrestrial origin. The Upper Jurassic shales of the Ringnes Formation contain predominantly organic matter of liptinitic and exinitic origin with a considerable vitrinitic input. At optimum maturation levels, potential source beds of this formation would have a good hydrocarbon-generating potential. The hydrocarbon potential, however, would be limited to the generation of gases due to the leanness of the source rocks. Parts of the Lower Jurassic Jameson Bay Formation are organic-rich and contain a mixed exinitic/vitrinitic organic matter, Botryococcus colonial algae but visible organic matter is dominated by high plant remains (mainly spores). The Schei Point Group shales and siltstones contain organic matter of almost purely marine origin, whereas the predominantly higher plant-derived organic matter found in the Deer Bay, Jameson Bay and partly in the Ringnes formations have higher TOC. Among the Schei Point Group samples, the Cape Richards and Eden Bay members of the Hoyle Bay Formation are richer in TOC (>2.0%) than the Murray Harbour Formation (Cape Caledonia Member). This may reflect differences in the level of maturity or in the depositional environment (more anoxic conditions for the former).Regional variations in the level of thermal maturity of Mesozoic sediments in Sverdrup Basin appear to be a function of burial depth. The Mesozoic formations thicken towards the basin centre (NNE direction), reflecting the general pattern of increasing thermal maturity north of Sabine Peninsula. However, the regional thermal-maturation pattern of the Mesozoic is not solely a reflection of the present-day geothermal gradient, which indicates that anomalous zones of high geothermal gradient may have existed in the past, at least since when the Mesozoic sediments attained maximum burial depth. The contour pattern of the regional variation of maturity at the base of numerous Triassic formations is similar to that of the structural contours of the Sverdrup Basin, indicating that present-day maturation levels are largely controlled by basin subsidence.     

New data on the age of dolerites and basalts of Mendeleev Rise (Arctic Ocean)

We present results of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar isotopic investigations concerning the dating of dolerites and basalts that were sampled during the Arctica-2012 polar expedition. Basalts were sampled by means of deep underwater drilling with wells up to 2 m in outcrops on the seafloor (basalts), and dolerite samples were obtained from the bottom of an escarp of Mendeleev Rise using a manipulator on the research submarine. The analysis results of the obtained mono-mineral fractions (amphibole, plagioclase, pyroxene) from the studied rocks yielded an Early Paleozoic age of the dolerites and basalts from Mendeleev Rise. The oldest ages obtained for amphibole reach 471.5 ± 18.1 and 466.9 ± 3.3 Ma, which corresponds to the Early-Middle Ordovician. The isotopic composition of argon was measured on two mass spectrometers: the Micromass Noble Gas 5400 (UK) and the Thermo Scientific Argus (Germany). The determined Early Paleozoic age of igneous rocks of Mendeleev Rise and seismic data obtained during the last Russian expedition Arctica-2012 [2] let us suppose that this continental block of the Earth’s crust has a Precambrian basement similar to the basement identified for the New Siberian islands including the De Long archipelago.     

西北冰洋加拿大海盆MIS 8期以来的物源变化及其指示的北极冰盖和洋流的演化

基于对中国第七次北极考察在西北冰洋获得的ARC7-LIC岩芯上部1 m（加拿大海盆近阿尔法脊一侧）自MIS 8期（约300 ka）以来的粘土矿物和全样Sr-Nd-Pb同位素的分析,判断北冰洋中心沉积物源的变化及其所反映的冰盖和表层洋流的演化。结果显示：在MIS 8、MIS5.4、MIS5.1、MIS3期中期冰筏事件以及末次冰消期,北美劳伦冰盖生长规模较大,研究区域的沉积被北美物源主导;相对地,MIS 6、MIS4期的沉积由西伯利亚物源-穿极流模式主导,反映了欧亚大陆冰盖的大规模发育。同时,研究区域在MIS 7、MIS5期的间冰期/间冰阶的沉积也与MIS 3、MIS1期的沉积有所区别。MIS 7、MIS5期的间冰期/间冰阶表现为西伯利亚物源以及穿极流控制下的沉积,而MIS 3期和全新世则表现为北美物源以及波弗特环流作用下的沉积特征,这一差异说明中-晚第四纪间冰阶段北冰洋表层洋流的位置在晚更新世前后发生了变迁。

     

New data on change in ice thickness in the Arctic Ocean

Doklady Earth Sciences -     

New data on the rock composition of the Bahia Seamounts (Brazil Basin,South Atlantic Ocean)

During the 28th cruise of R/V Akademik Sergei Vavilov in 2009, five different mountains belonging to the northern chain of the Baia Seamounts, located in the Brazil Basin, were dredged. Igneous rocks, limestones, and Fe-Mn crusts were collected. Igneous rocks are greatly altered resulting from halmyrolithic and/or low-temperature hydrothermal processes; the main secondary minerals are smectite, iron hydroxide, and phillipsite. Igneous rocks are subdivided into two groups, namely, trachybasalts and trachyandesites. Trachybasalts are aphyric rocks, consisting of basal plagioclase microlites, Fe-Ti ore mineral, olivine, and clinopyroxene. Trachyandesites are rarely porphyre rocks. Inclusions in trachyandesite are represented by acidic plagioclase, olivine, biotite, and zircon. The main mass is formed by acidic plagioclase and a small quantity of clinopyroxene.     

Structure and tectonic evolution of the Southern Eurasia Basin, Arctic Ocean

Multichannel seismic reflection data acquired by Marine Arctic Geological Expedition (MAGE) of Murmansk, Russia in 1990 provide the first view of the geological structure of the Arctic region between 77–80°N and 115–133°E, where the Eurasia Basin of the Arctic Ocean adjoins the passive-transform continental margin of the Laptev Sea. South of 80°N, the oceanic basement of the Eurasia Basin and continental basement of the Laptev Sea outer margin are covered by 1.5 to 8 km of sediments. Two structural sequences are distinguished in the sedimentary cover within the Laptev Sea outer margin and at the continent/ocean crust transition: the lower rift sequence, including mostly Upper Cretaceous to Lower Paleocene deposits, and the upper post-rift sequence, consisting of Cenozoic sediments. In the adjoining Eurasia Basin of the Arctic Ocean, the Cenozoic post-rift sequence consists of a few sedimentary successions deposited by several submarine fans. Based on the multichannel seismic reflection data, the structural pattern was determined and an isopach map of the sedimentary cover and tectonic zoning map were constructed. A location of the continent/ocean crust transition is tentatively defined. A buried continuation of the mid-ocean Gakkel Ridge is also detected. This study suggests that south of 78.5°N there was the cessation in the tectonic activity of the Gakkel Ridge Rift from 33–30 until 3–1 Ma and there was no sea-floor spreading in the southernmost part of the Eurasia Basin during the last 30–33 m.y. South of 78.5°N all oceanic crust of the Eurasia Basin near the continental margin of the Laptev Sea was formed from 56 to 33–30 Ma.     

New data on the geological structure of the southwestern Mendeleev Rise,Arctic Ocean

This communication considers the ideas about the geological structure of the southwestern Mendeleev Rise belonging to the East Arctic rises of the Arctic Ocean. These ideas have resulted from analyzing the data obtained from bathymetric surveys, visual observations, and bottom coring using the technical tools of a research submarine. We distinguished the lower sequence of quartzite sandstones and dolomites, which has a visible thickness of about 230 m and occurs in the lowermost visible section, at depths between 1500 and 1270 m. This sequence is superimposed with stratigraphic and angular unconformity by the upper sequence of limestones and sandstones having a visible thickness of 40 m. The lower sequence is pierced by subvolcanic rocks of basaltic to andesitic composition, and in the lowermost part of the slope, a tuffaceous sequence having a visible thickness of 50 m adjoins it.     

Thermosteresis and Transportation of Atlantic Water Along Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean

It is summarized based on previous studies that warm and salty Atlantic Water (AW) brings huge amount of heat into Arctic Ocean and influences oceanic heat distribution and climate. Both heat transportation and heat release of AW are key factors affecting the thermal process in Eurasian Basin. The Arctic circumpolar boundary current is the carrier of AW, whose flow velocity varies to influence the efficiency of the warm advection. Because the depth of AW in Eurasian Basin is much shallower than that in Canadian Basin, the upward heat release of AW is an important heat source to supply sea ice melting. Turbulent mixing, winter convention and double-diffusion convention constitute the main physical mechanism for AW upward heat release, which results in the decrease of the Atlantic water core temperature during its spreading along the boundary current. St. Anna Trough, a relatively narrow and long trough in northern continental shelf of Kara Sea, plays a key role in remodeling temperature and salinity characteristics of AW, in which the AW from Fram Strait enters the trough and mixes with the AW from Barents Sea. Since the 21^st Century, AW in the Arctic Ocean has experienced obvious warming and had the influence on the physical processes in downstream Canada Basin, which is attributed to the anomalous warming events of AW inflowing from the Fram Strait. It is inferred that the warming AW is dominated by a long-term warming trend superimposed on low frequency oscillation occurring in the Nordic Seas and North Atlantic Ocean. As the Arctic Ocean is experiencing sea ice decline and Arctic amplification, the role of AW heat release in response to the rapid change needs further investigation.     

Chemical evolution of groundwater in the River Danube deposits in the southern part of the Pannonian Basin (Hungary)

Processes controlling the groundwater chemical composition were studied in the River Danube deposits, in the southeastern part of Hungary. PHREEQM, a combined geochemical and one-dimensional transport model and PHREEQE, NETPATH and WATEQF geochemical computer codes were used to simulate these processes. The main processes controlling water chemistry are equilibrium with calcite, undersaturation in dolomite and albite weathering in the recharge area, ion exchange along the flow path, and ion exchange and mixing with old water at the end of the flow path. Ion exchange seems to be the most important process controlling groundwater chemistry along the flowpath in the fluvial sediments studied. Isotopic data support the geochemical model. The groundwater ages, adjusted for the modeled C mass transfer range from 3300 to 20 200 a B.P. Cation exchange suggests that displacement of a former aqueous solution by the present groundwater occurred. This displacement is attributed to tectonic and paleoclimatic events at the end of the Pleistocene.     

Model of Formation of the Sedimentary System of the Eurasian Basin,the Arctic Ocean,as a Basis for Reconstructing Its Tectonic Evolution

Geotectonics - For the first time tectonic reconstructions was carried out along the entire seismic dataset, including both Russian and international seismic lines. Based on the analysis of the...     

北极地区区域地质及美亚海盆的演化

北冰洋是世界四大洋之一,受自然条件的限制,其地质调查和研究程度还很低。美亚海盆的形成演化,更是众说纷纭,且很少得到地质地球物理资料的支持。笔者在充分调研的基础上,试图对北极地区区域地质及美亚海盆的扩张进行综述。北冰洋张开之前,北极地区主体是北极克拉通,周边为不同时期形成的造山带,包括晚新元古代贝加尔造山带、中古生代加里东造山带、二叠纪—三叠纪海西造山带及早白垩世晚基末利造山带。美亚海盆中的阿尔法海岭、门捷列夫海岭以及楚科奇高地、Northwind脊均为陆壳,是北极克拉通的一部分。美亚海盆应是中—晚侏罗世伴随着泛大陆的裂解开始形成,但海盆的扩张方式及时间有多种不同的观点,包括晚侏罗世门捷列夫海岭从加拿大陆缘裂离及门捷列夫海岭从罗蒙诺索夫海岭裂离等。这些观点均难以解释美亚海盆的外形与地理特征。平行四边形模式,虽能较好地解释美亚海盆演化的外形特征,但其地球动力系统复杂,尚需地质地球物理资料的支持。     

First data on the age of rocks from the central part of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge (Brazil Basin, South Atlantic)

Micropaleontological and isotope-geochronological investigations of calcareous sedimentary rocks and volcanites dredged out from the central portion of the submarine Vitoria-Trindade Ridge during the 24th cruise of R/V Akademik Vavilov have been conducted. It has been established based on micropaleontological analysis, which included determination of the species composition of foraminifera and nannoplankton, that the sequence of sedimentary rocks having a pelagic nature formed on the slopes of the volcanic seamounts in the central portion of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge from the Early to Mid-Miocene to the Holocene; a good correlation between the degree of lithification of these rocks and their age is observed. It has also been established that the carbonate platforms on the abraded tops of the Davis Seamount and the Dogaressa Bank, which are located in the east-central portion of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge, started forming in the Early Miocene (19–24 Ma). It has been determined using local U-Pb dating of zircon grains with a SHRIMP-II high resolution secondary ion mass spectrometer that the volcanites forming the upper portion of the volcanic rock sequence of the Jaseur Seamount (29.8 ± 6.6 Ma) located in the west-central portion of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge date to the Oligocene. The investigations conducted have confirmed the opinion that the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge formed in general because of the activity of the hot spot located under the volcanic Trindade and Martin Vaz Islands. However, separate extended lenticular segments of this ridge existed for a long time as single structures, within which the age of the seamounts was not linearly dependent on the distance from the location of the hot spot. Lenses of hot mantle matter that form at the sublithospheric level as a result of impulses of plume activity and move along with the lithospheric plate play a defining role in the development of individual segments forming the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge.     

松辽盆地南部深部含气性预测研究

预测松辽盆地南部深部的含油气层,应采用"两部分离法",首先根据测井响应特征,对地震资料进行自然伽马、电阻率、中子孔隙度、密度及波阻抗等属性体反演,确定出地层中的砂岩层,然后,针对这些砂岩层,利用声波测井和中子测井合成ACNL曲线等,并与GR曲线交汇的油气水层识别等技术,准确地识别出含油气砂岩层。     

Advances on Studies of Methane in the Arctic Ocean

Methane(CH₄) is an important greenhouse gas, CH₄ concentrations in atmosphere hve increased by 2-3 times since the Industrial Revolution. Considering the huge CH₄ storage in the Arctic Ocean, the fast increasing flux and their consequences are attracting more and more attention. This paper summarized the advances in the study of CH₄ in the Arctic Ocean, especially the distribution pattern and air-sea flux and its biogeochemical cycle in the Arctic Ocean. It also presented the research prospect for the future.