Regional and structural effects of North Sea oil in Norway

The discovery of oil in the North Sea has had an important impact on Norway. The article presents the development of the oil policy. Of particular interest is the heavy involvement in Norway in products as mobile rigs, supply ships and concrete platforms. The distribution of the oil activities in Norway as related to locational factors is discribed, with examples of the local impacts of oil activities. Of particular concern are the regional effects. Norway will be a high cost country and low-wage industries (e.g. textiles, furniture) may be squeezed. Industrial decay areas like in Britain and Europe are feared. Also some main problems and decisions such as the landing of Statfjord oil by pipeline are considered. The original version received valuable criticism from Prof. J. Chr. Hansen, Bergen, and Dr. W. Tietze, Wolfsburg, Germany. The author would be grateful for further comments from the readers.     

Geographies of security and statehood in Norway’s ‘Battle of the North’

In this paper, we explore how ‘peak oil’ anxieties are woven into the spaces and practices of the state in Norway and the consequences of this for environmental justice and the public sphere more widely. We focus in particular on an ongoing struggle over access to hydrocarbon deposits in the Norwegian Arctic, the so-called ‘Battle of the North’. We use this dispute to highlight three wider theoretical points regarding (i) the continuing relevance of the state in the governing of nature-society relations, (ii) the increasingly fragmented and fluid nature of state space, and (iii) the significance of ‘security’ as a term around which social, economic and environmental tensions pivot. The paper concludes by reflecting on current efforts to prevent new oil activities in the north of Norway.     

Improved assessment of biodegradation extent and prediction of petroleum quality

Biodegradation of crude oil causes volumetrically important compositional changes, which lead to significant deterioration in quality, in particular during the early stages of alteration. To better understand these effects we focussed on a detailed assessment of light to moderate levels of alteration. We investigated a suite of 40 crude oil samples from five different petroleum systems to evaluate the extent of alteration occurring in reservoirs. Based on a comprehensive geochemical characterization, five individual crude oil sequences were defined, where compositional variability is mainly due to microbial activity in the reservoir. In particular, samples from the Gullfaks field (offshore Norway) and from a petroleum system offshore Angola illustrate that conventional molecular biodegradation parameters, such as the Pr/n-C₁₇ and Ph/n-C₁₈ alkane ratios are not suitable for defining the extent of biodegradation in petroleum reservoirs. Here, we suggest a new molecular biodegradation parameter, the degradative loss, that can be used to quantify depletion in individual crude oil constituents. The approach allows improved assessment of the extent of biodegradation in crude oil samples by means of the mean degradative loss. It is demonstrated that crude oil quality, as assessed from API gravity, can be predicted directly from the molecular composition of crude oils. Our data clearly indicate that the degradation patterns of light hydrocarbons and n-alkanes differ in different petroleum systems. This suggests that microbial communities are different and therefore generate different molecular degradation patterns which have to be evaluated individually for each system.     

Simulation of the movement and dispersion of oil slicks in the Arabian Gulf

The extensive oil drilling and transportation activities in the Arabian Gulf increased the possibility of oil spills and the consequent threat of oil pollution to the regional ecology. The available literature concerning the main aspects of the physical oceanographic characteristics affecting the movement and spreading of oil spill in the Gulf are reviewed. It is concluded that evaporation, wind-driven currents, and sandfall are important as weathering processes, while tidal currents cause lateral spreading of the slick. Oil spill modelling has shown some usefulness in estimating the trajectories of few major spills illustrated by reference to three models developed for the Gulf. The performance of these models, their capabilities and limitations are reviewed. Recommendations are made to gather more data on the behavior of oil spills in this particular environment.     

Biodegradation of diesel oil in marine environment by a floating water droplet

Diesel oil is one of the derivatives of crude oil which resistance to biodegradation due to its complex structure and low solubility in water. A novel concept of enhancement of diesel degradation using floating water droplet is proposed and being investigated to address some key challenges encountered in diesel oil spillages in the aqueous area and wetlands. This study aims to increase the floatability of a floating water droplet on oil. A droplet containing a mixed consortium of 60 different hydrocarbon degrading bacteria and sodium dodecyl sulfate as a surfactant was deposited on the diesel oil surface. Contact angle and contact radius were monitored to observe the effect of bacterial activities on the droplet. The behavior of this droplet on diesel oil was different to a previous study with paraffin oil. In particular, the floatability, bacterial growth and biofilm formation demonstrate significant deviation due to the diesel interactions with biological processes. Nevertheless, the results show this method increase microbial activities within the droplet. The result verifies the applicability of the floating water droplet as an environmentally friendly method for diesel oil spillages.     

挪威中部陆架油气地质特征及勘探潜力

以收集到的挪威中部陆架最新地质基础资料和油气田资料为依据,归纳总结该区的烃源岩、储集层、生储盖组合及油气运移特征,分析其勘探潜力,为相关公司介入本区的油气勘探提供依据。综合研究结果认为,挪威中部陆架烃源岩主要为下侏罗统re组三角洲平原相泥页岩及煤层和上侏罗统Spekk组海相泥页岩,其中上侏罗统Spekk组海相泥页岩是主力烃源岩;储层主要为白垩系—新近系浊积砂岩和中侏罗统裂谷期Fangst群滨浅海相砂岩,其中主力储层为中侏罗统裂谷期滨浅海相砂岩;发育裂谷期下生上储(正常)和上生下储两种组合模式;油气通过裂缝、疏导层及断层等作短距离汇聚,通过地层不整合面或连通砂体作长距离运移。该区油气成藏条件优越,资源潜力巨大,储量约为73×108桶油当量,待发现油气田约36个,随着油气勘探的逐步展开,挪威中部陆架必将还有重大油气发现。     

The application of fluid inclusions to migration of oil and diagenesis in petroleum reservoirs

Fluid inclusions can be used to interpret thermal history and petroleum maturation and migration relative to burial history. Temperature, pressure and composition data collected from fluid inclusions are used to determine the environment of diagenesis and the timing of cementation and migration. Cements in petroleum reservoirs contain both oil and aqueous fluid inclusions. Fluorescence spectroscopy is used to identify oil inclusions and to determine the maturity of entrapped oil. The lifetime of fluorescence induced by a pulsed laser is related to the API gravity of entrapped oil. Interpretation of fluid inclusion data depends on knowing the origin of fluid inclusions and the probability that they survive in the burial environment. Those aspects of fluid inclusion study are investigated by synthesizing oil and aqueous inclusions in calcite crystals in laboratory experiments. Examples of how fluid inclusions are used to determine the physico-chemical environments of diagenesis in petroleum reservoirs and the timing of cementation and migration are given for the Wealden Basin, England, the Mishrif Formation, Dubai, the Smackover Formation, Gulf Coast, U.S.A. and Jurassic sandstones, offshore Norway. In the Wealden Basin, temperature data from fluid inclusions are used to determine that oil migration occurred in the Cretaceous and that the reservoir rocks have been uplifted to varying degrees at a time after migration. Distribution of oil inclusions indicates that generation and migration of oil was principally in the western part of the basin. The geochemistry of oil inclusions in calcite cements from the Mishrif Formation, Dubai, are used to determine the type and maturity of entrapped oil. Temperature data from oil and water inclusions are used to relate reservoir diagenesis to burial history and the migration of oil. In deep Smackover reservoirs oil contains H₂S. The origin of the H₂S is examined by study of fluid inclusions containing H₂S. In Jurassic sandstones, offshore Norway, fluid inclusion studies show that silica cementation is related to burial depth whereas a later calcite cementation originated from invasion of a hot fluid.     

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.     

The Nordic Volcanological Institute: understanding volcanoes at spreading centres

The Nordic countries (known as 'Norden') are not immediately associated with volcanoes: Norway with folded mountains cut by fjords and its offshore oil and gas deposits, Sweden and Finland by the western part of the Baltic shield, a huge area of Precambrian rocks, of which gneisses form a large part, and Denmark, a country of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks, where glacial, superficial deposits are of major importance. But Norden also includes Iceland, where everyone immediately thinks of volcanoes and glaciers. Clearly volcanological research would be expected to be a major priority for the Icelandic nation. However, in the other Nordic countries old volcanic and other igneous rocks play a significant role, comprising a large part of the Precambrian and Caledonian terrains and being a key to many of the commercial mineral deposits which play a major role in the economies of Norway, Sweden and Finland. Even Denmark, a country of sedimentary rocks has an impressive sequence of Paleogene volcanic ashes and the Faeroe Islands, made up almost entirely of basalts, are part of Denmark.     

中国参与北极油气资源开发利用前景与方向

北极地区丰富的油气资源近年来引发全世界的广泛关注。评估结果显示,北极油气资源分布不均,主要集中在俄罗斯、美国阿拉斯加、挪威、加拿大和丹麦格陵兰。不同国家和地区北极油气资源勘探开发特点不同,在新形势下可能还会发生变化。中国是油气消费大国和进口大国,俄罗斯北极地区已日渐成为中国重要油气供应地之一。综合分析几个主要北极国家北极油气开发利用现状和未来发展前景,与中国目前参与北极油气开发利用的情况,对未来中国如何参与北极油气资源开发利用提出建议,将俄罗斯作为中国北极油气开发的长期合作伙伴,与其开展项目投资、技术入股、航道建设等多个方面的合作。      

塔里木盆地二叠纪火山-岩浆活动对古生界生储条件的影响--以塔中47井区为例

塔里木盆地古生界地层是油气勘探的重要层段,勘探开发实践证明,古生界地层中的生储盖组合及油气体系受到了二叠纪大量、长期、多阶段火山-岩浆活动的强烈影响,然而,其影响规律尚不清楚。研究选取塔中47井区的三口重点油气探井,对志留系-石炭系油砂样品进行气相色谱-质谱分析,并完成了砂岩的成岩作用及储集空间研究,结合井区三维地震解释,从有机质、储层、成藏等方面研究了二叠纪火山-岩浆活动对古生界生储条件的影响。结果表明,塔中47井所钻遇的大型火山机构,其火山-岩浆活动可以提高下伏地层中有机质的成熟度,增强储层中酸性流体对钙质胶结物的溶蚀作用,促进次生孔隙形成进而发育优质储层。靠近火山机构的油气储层受改造作用更强烈,其储集性能更好,以火山机构为中心,横向上依次分布储层显著改善区域、储层破坏区域和储层基本未受影响区域,储层改善作用的影响范围大约为6 km。储层演化与油气综合成藏与二叠纪火山-岩浆活动有一定的对应性和关联性,火山-岩浆活动直接促进了油气运移和油气藏的形成。     

Morality,mobility and citizenship: Legitimising mobile subjectivities in a contested outdoors

In this article, we examine articulations of mobile citizenship produced through the discursive practices of state agencies, drawing in particular on a study of the contested reconfiguration of outdoor citizenship in Norway. Whilst increased participation and diversity in outdoor activities is highly valued and encouraged because of its social benefits, moral landscapes of the outdoors may be part of settling and reinforcing social differences and existing power relations. The article identifies three discursive normativities through which state officials negotiate mobility and outdoor citizenship; knowledge, skills and socialisation; engaging (with) nature; deserving (in) the outdoors. These normativities serve as a basis for a critical discussion of different aspects of outdoor movement, and how social identities interact with the citizen responsibilities assigned to different forms of mobility, such as mountain biking, skiing and walking. The article demonstrates how and why certain outdoor practices, spaces and boundaries of citizenship are both fluid and critically negotiated by the state officials. By bringing together theories of moral landscapes, mobility and citizenship, the article contributes to understandings of the politics of mobility, and particularly the theorisation of how morality works in relation to different dimensions of mobility. It also highlights how the contestation of mobile citizenship is an issue in rural as well as urban realms.     

欧利坨子火山岩油藏原油特征及成因分析

火山活动可能对烃源岩的演化过程产生重要影响.通过对欧利坨子原油地球化学特征的研究,发现原油性质的差异同储集层与火山口的相对位置有着密切的关系,在火山口附近的粗面岩储集层中,原油的饱和烃及其单体碳同位素值偏轻,类异戊二烯烃的碳同位素负异常基本消失,原油的CPI和OEP值较低(平均为1.21和1.06).虽然火山岩储集层中油气显示良好,有多口井获得工业油流,但油藏的开发效果差别较大.研究表明,火山活动对火山口附近烃源岩的影响不可忽视,在埋藏深度相对较浅的粗面岩储层中,主要富集了未熟或低熟烃源岩因火山作用而快速     

The struggle for fish resources

This article discusses problems of economic readjustment facing the peripheral fishery-dependent communes in Norway. The situation in these communes is analyzed using a theory of territorial production systems, focusing in particular on the role played by principal actors in the fishery system. The principal actors' need to defend the prevalent structures of the territorial production system for cultural reasons, is discussed. This defense inhibit important adaptive processes in peripheral industries. In addition the principal actors must defend the socioeconomic systems controlled by the fishing communities in the central parts of Norway if deemed necessary. The principal actors in the periphery thereby stand forward as defenders of the actual centre-periphery structure in the Norwegian fishery system.     

Cultural sediment analyses and transitions in early fishing activity at Langenesværet,Vesterålen,Northern Norway

The development of specialized and commercial fishing activity in the island archipelago of Lofoten and Vesterålen in northern Norway is a critical foundation from which to understand the subsequent spread of commercial fishing across the north Atlantic region during the medieval and early modern period. One little understood aspect of this development is the relationship between medieval commercial fishing stations (fiskevaer) and earlier fishing activity. In this article, cultural sediment deposits at Langenesværet, Vesterålen, Northern Norway provide an opportunity to examine this relationship and its implications for current historical models of fishing development in northern Norway and the north Atlantic region. Conventional and AMS radiocarbon dating techniques are used to establish a chronology for the deposits, while activities associated with the sediments are characterized using thin‐section micromorphology supported by proton induced X‐ray emission spectrometry (PIXE). The results suggest that the site commenced formation as early as ca. 3000 B.C. and that the site was first used for specialized fishing activity from the early centuries A.D. The medieval commercial fiskevaer settlement at Langenesværet was introduced to an area that had a longstanding tradition of specialised fishing activity. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Spent oil shale use in earthwork construction

Spent oil shale (or blaes) is a potentially valuable engineering material and is present in large quantities in the West Lothian area of Scotland. It can be used successfully as general fill or capping layer. However, due to its high quality it may be more suited to use as selected granular fill or sub-base. In particular, cement stabilisation will reduce frost susceptibility and may be a particularly appropriate outlet for spent oil shale for use as sub-base. However, an increase in control and testing may be required, having an effect on the cost of using such materials. Conditions under which spent oil shale should not be used are also identified.     

The Norwegian oil economy

In a previous issue of Geojournal, Stenstadvold (1977) discussed the regional and structural effects of North Sea oil in Norway. Stenstadvold's article gave a detailed account of the oil-related industries and service bases on the Norwegian coast and their location. Since few changes have taken place in this location pattern since 1977, it is not discussed here. The aim of this article is to discuss the reasoning underlying present Norwegian oil policy and to give an account of the arguments relating to future pipeline systems, exploration and production aims, and their possible regional and structural effects. The development of licencing, exploration and field development since 1977 is discussed, and the effects on employment and foreign economy are analysed.     

Women's status, environmental changes and child health in the riverine area of Ondo State, Nigeria

The viewpoint that most health problems are environmentally related has always been promoted by medical geography. In recent times, concern about environmental degradation has been of high priority for many national and international organizations as ‘we human beings become a threat to our planet’. There is also a need to specifically focus attention on the impact of so-called development efforts on the health of women and children, in particular those living in highly marginalized regions which often contribute substantially to the overall development of their countries. This paper uses the concept of vulnerability as a departure point from which to map the health risks to children in Igbekun area of Ondo State, the ‘transgressive muddy’ oil-rich coastal area of Nigeria. The paper attempts to highlight the poor quality of life and health of children in particular, and how it is becoming much more difficult to practice health intervention programmes, especially oral rehydration therapy (ORT) in the area. The Igbekun area is an unhealthy and harsh environment, complicated by the devastating effects of oil drilling in recent years. The siltation and sedimentation of the creeks and lagoons have serious health dimensions as human faeces float in and around villages because the ‘bush toilets’ can no longer be reached. The on-going environmental crisis has also deprived women of their traditional means of livelihood; fishing. There is a relatively high level of ignorance (compared with other women living in the same local government area (LGA) of causes of the commonest diseases such as diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection (ARI) and measles. A majority of the women have never heard of family planning, immunization against diseases and interventions such as ORT. Promotive health care services, especially those that strive to reduce the high mortality of children have passed the mothers by. It is also becoming impracticable to promote ORT because of the widespread ‘salty and oily’ water supply in the area. The greatest concern of the women now is that oil drilling activities have further amplified their stressful conditions especially their health and that of their children. Unfortunately, their plight is not acknowledged by the Nigerian authorities and the oil companies are least concerned about alleviating the poor health status of the community, in particular the most vulnerable groups, children under the age of five. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

亚太地区油气成藏条件及资源潜力

亚太地区是全球重要的油气产区和最大的油气消费市场。亚太地区155个主要沉积盆地中,已有90多个盆地内发现了油气田或有油气发现,共发现油气田约6 900个。根据地理位置及构造特征等,亚太地区可进一步分为东亚分区、东南亚分区、澳新分区和南亚分区,约有131个主要的含油气系统。本文对亚太地区不同分区的油气成藏条件(包括烃源岩、储集层、盖层、含油气系统等)进行了总体分析与高度概括。在此基础上,以成藏组合为基本评价单元,不同勘探程度盆地采用与之相适应的评价方法,对本地区各盆地的油气资源潜力进行了评价。评价结果表明:亚太地区常规总油气可采资源量为673.7×10⁸ t油当量,占全球的6.1%,非常规油气资源类型以重油、页岩油、油页岩、页岩气、煤层气为主,非常规油气技术总可采资源量390.4×10⁸ t当量,占全球非常规油气技术总可采资源量的6.1%。根据待发现资源结果及盆地勘探程度,近海和深海勘探是将来的勘探热点:主要勘探领域为深海和成熟盆地新层系及岩性-地层圈闭等;海相三角洲体系是寻找天然气田的重要领域;东南亚弧后盆地群新生界湖相是页岩油的有利勘探领域;澳大利亚中部克拉通盆地群泥盆系-石炭系为页岩气的有利勘探领域。     

西藏洞错地堑构造及其对油气的影响

羌塘盆地托纳木地区新生代发育规模较大的洞错地堑构造,走向近南北,长度大于80km,由断隆带和断陷盆地组成,并对研究区地貌和水系格局有明显的控制作用。地堑活动始于中新世,现今仍处于活动之中,其形成可能受深部热动力学机制作用制约。沿地堑正断层存在明显的油气异常,对油气藏具有显著的破坏作用,不利于油气的保存。