Gas accumulation from oil cracking in the eastern Tarim Basin: A case study of the YN2 gas field

Oil and gas exploration in eastern Tarim Basin, NW China has been successful in recent years, with several commercial gas accumulations being discovered in a thermally mature to over-mature region. The Yingnan2 (YN2) gas field, situated in the Yingnan structure of the Yingjisu Depression, produces gases that are relatively enriched in nitrogen and C₂₊ alkanes. The δ¹³C₁ (−38.6‰ to −36.2‰) and δ¹³C₂ values (−30.9‰ to −34.7‰) of these gases are characteristic of marine sourced gases with relatively high maturity levels. The distributions of biomarkers in the associated condensates suggest close affinities with the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician source rocks which, in the Yingjisu Sag, are currently over-mature (with 3–4%Ro). Burial and thermal maturity modeling results indicate that paleo-temperatures of the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician source rocks had increased from 90 to 210 °C during the late Caledonian orogeny (458–438 Ma), due to rapid subsidence and sediment loading. By the end of Ordovician, hydrocarbon potential in these source rocks had been largely exhausted. The homogenization temperatures of hydrocarbon fluid inclusions identified from the Jurassic reservoirs of the YN2 gas field suggest a hydrocarbon emplacement time as recent as about 10 Ma, when the maturity levels of Middle–Lower Jurassic source rocks in the study area were too low (<0.7%Ro) to form a large quantity of oil and gas. The presence of abundant diamondoid hydrocarbons in the associated condensates and the relatively heavy isotopic values of the oils indicate that the gases were derived from thermal cracking of early-formed oils. Estimation from the stable carbon isotope ratios of gaseous alkanes suggests that the gases may have been formed at temperatures well above 190 °C. Thus, the oil and gas accumulation history in the study area can be reconstructed as follows: (1) during the late Caledonian orogeny, the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician marine source rocks had gone through the peak oil, wet gas and dry gas generation stages, with the generated oil and gas migrating upwards along faults and fractures to form early oil and gas accumulations in the Middle–Upper Ordovician and Silurian sandstone reservoirs; (2) since the late Yanshanian orogeny, the early oil accumulations have been buried deeper and oil has undergone thermal cracking to form gas; (3) during the late Himalayan orogeny, the seals for the deep reservoirs were breached; and the gas and condensates migrated upward and eventually accumulating in the relatively shallow Jurassic reservoirs.     

Landscape change and sandy desertification in arid areas: a case study in the Zhangye Region of Gansu Province, China

The Zhangye Region of Gansu Province is an important agricultural base in arid northwestern China. During the twentieth century, especially in the last five decades, the region has experienced sandy desertification. To document the status and causes of this deterioration, satellite images, meteorological and socioeconomic data to assess landscape change from 1993 to 2002 were interpreted and analyzed. The results show that during the intervening 9-year period the area of sandy lands has increased by 642.2 km², which consist of aeolian sand dune (357.1 km²) and potential sandy land (216.3 km²). Although the development and reversion of sandy desertification co-exist, the sandy desertification in this area seems serious and is attributable to the irrational use of water and land.     

三江并流世界自然遗产地旅游地质景观成景地质作用初步分析

三江并流世界自然遗产地丰富独特的旅游地质景观是多种地质作用与不同成景岩组交互叠加作用的结果。其发育的地层基础主要为碳酸盐成景岩组、变质岩成景岩组、碎屑岩成景岩组以及岩浆岩成景岩组等,典型内力成景地质作用为板块缝合作用、断裂成景作用、变质成景作用,外力作用则主要有河流、冰川、丹霞、地热、喀斯特作用等。     

高真空击密法在软地基处理中的应用

姑合工程实践,介绍快速“高真空击密法”软地基处理方法的施工原理、施工工艺及质量控制等,并简单阐述“高真空击密法”在进行软地基处理中的优点。     

黔东北地区钒矿物质组分研究

钒矿石的主要化学成份为SiO2和Al2O3,有机质总量一般为3.24%~10%,其次为TFe1.85%~3.25%,绝大部分V2O5含量均在1%左右,少部分大于2%;伴生元素以Mo、Ag、Cu、TiO2、P2O5、Ni、Co为主。     

四川盆地东缘寒武系盐下油气勘探领域探讨

地球物理资料显示四川盆地东缘齐岳山附近寒武系高台组膏盐岩层下深部存在逆冲构造,其形成过程以及油气地质意义未见深入研究。笔者等综合四川盆地东部石柱地区线束三维和建南地区二维地震反射资料,并结合钻井资料以及区域地质研究成果,从构造继承性的角度探讨四川盆地震旦系灯影组台缘带类型,并分析了川东地区寒武系盐下油气圈闭特征。研究获得如下认识：①川东齐岳山北段构造变形强烈,普遍发育基底卷入构造,构造样式受青白口纪—南华纪裂谷与转换带构造位置的控制。②依据构造继承关系将盆内灯影组台缘带划分为德阳—安岳地区原生型台缘带、万源—达州地区继承型台缘带以及石柱地区继承—改造型台缘带。③依据青白口纪—南华纪裂谷的分布和后期构造作用影响大小,认为沿齐岳山向南至南川一带存在与石柱地区相似的灯影组继承—改造型台缘带,忠县、南川以西存在灯影组继承型台缘带。④研究区新元古界—下寒武统烃源岩、灯影组—龙王庙组滩相白云岩储层与寒武系膏盐岩层系构成完整的生储盖组合。⑤寒武系盐下基底逆冲可形成成排、成带的构造,与灯影组继承—改造型台缘带、龙王庙组滩相白云岩储层配置,形成断层相关的构造—岩性圈闭带,成为川东地区油气规模聚集有利区。研究认为四川盆地东部石柱地区震旦纪—早寒武世早期继承了青白口纪—南华纪裂谷构造特征,燕山期构造反转,高台组盐下形成基底卷入逆冲构造,具备生储盖等基本石油地质条件,具有重要的油气勘探现实意义。     

乌兹别克斯坦铀资源勘查开发现状及投资环境分析

乌兹别克斯坦是中亚铀资源最具勘查开发潜力的地区之一,因此了解并分析乌兹别克斯坦境内铀资源基本情况以及铀资源的投资环境,可为我国天然铀长期可持续发展提供基础和信息支撑。本文在调研权威网站及报告、跟踪最新资讯基础之上,对乌兹别克斯坦铀矿资源的分布、资源量、勘查开发利用现状和对外合作政策等各类数据信息进行了深入的综合分析,并提出了“实时关注乌兹别克斯坦矿业政策,利用先进的核工业技术,与其建立铀资源的互利合作关系,寻求项目合作开发”的建议。本文介绍、综述了乌兹别克斯坦铀资源分布规律及开发现状,希能为我国天然铀企业“走出去”提供重要的基础数据及信息支撑。