Effect of Shale Distribution on Hydrocarbon Sands Integrated with Anisotropic Rock Physics for AVA Modelling: A Case Study

Shales can be distributed in sand through four different ways; laminated, structural, dispersed and any combination of these aforementioned styles. A careful analysis of well log data is required for the determination of shale distribution in sand affecting its reservoir quality. The objective of this study is to characterize the effect of shale distribution on reservoir quality of sands using well log data. The correlation of well data in terms of lithology has revealed four sand and three shale layers in Lower Goru Formation acting as a major reservoir in the study area. Our results indicate that the laminated type of shale distribution prevails at the Basal sand level, which does not affect its reservoir quality greatly. The remaining layers of variable vertical extent show a variety of shale distribution models affecting their reservoir quality adversely. We also present anisotropic rock physics modelling for AVA analysis at Basal sand level.     

Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Mesoscale Eddies on Seismic Imaging

The influence of the mesoscale eddy on seismic wave propagation and seismic imaging in deep sea is investigated. Based on fundamental fluid equations, an appropriate partial differential equation is derived for the acoustic pressure field in water with eddies, including current effects. Seismic wavefields and synthetic seismograms in the center of the eddy are simulated. Numerical experiments demonstrate that velocity variations caused by the eddy can lead to traveltime perturbations. Further, in seismic images, the reflectors below the water layer are positioned incorrectly due to the perturbation of the eddy and this image perturbation depends linearly on the migration velocity of the layer below the corresponding reflector. The zero-offset seismic profiling throughout the affected area of the eddy shows that the maximum traveltime perturbation appears at the center of the eddy and the structure of horizontal reflectors below the water layer are distorted.     

The Impact of Geology of Recharge Areas on Groundwater Quality: A Case Study of Zhob River Basin,Pakistan

Groundwater is a major source of water supply for domestic and irrigation uses in semiarid, remote but rapidly developing Kilasaifullah district part of Zhob River Basin, located at Pakistan–Afghanistan Border. Zhob River is among few major rivers of perennial nature in Balochistan, which flows from WSW to ENE and falls in Gomal River, a tributary of Indus River. Keeping in view the important geopolitical position and rapid development of the region, this study is primarily focused on groundwater chemistry for contamination sources as well as agriculture development. Water samples from open and tube wells are analyzed and calculated for electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, pH, K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, HCO, Cl^?, NO, SO, PO, sodium percent (Na%), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Kelly's index (KI), and heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb, and Mn). On the basis of the chemical constituents two zones within the study area are identified and possible causes of the contaminants are pointed out. Two recharge areas were responsible for the different chemical results in groundwater, e.g., zone A was recharged from NNW saline geological formations (Nisai, Khojak, Multana, Bostan formations, and Muslim Bagh ophiolites), which are concentrated with high sodium and chloride. On the other hand Zone B was sourced from SSW from carbonate rich rocks (Alozai, Loralai, Parh formations, and Muslim Bagh ophiolites). The groundwater is classified as C2–S1, C3–S1, C3–S2, C4–S2 on the basis of EC and SAR values which indicate that most of the water of both zones can be used for irrigation safely except the samples plotted in C3–S2 and C4–S2 categories which could be dangerous for soil and crops. Groundwater samples are plotted in good to permissible limits with some samples excellent to good and few samples belong to doubtful category based on sodium percent. Groundwater of zone A is unsuitable for irrigation use due to higher values of KI (more than one) but water of zone B are good for irrigation based on KI. In general, water of both zones is suitable for irrigation but care should be taken during the selection of crops which are sensitive to alkalinity or sodium hazards particularly in zone A.     

Validation of Chlorophyll-a Algorithms in the Coastal Waters of Bay of Bengal Initial Validation Results from OCM-2

In this paper we report chlorophyll measurements made during an ocean colour validation cruise in April 2011 of the research vessel, Sagar Paschimi in the coastal waters of Northern Bay of Bengal. The chlorophyll-a concentration in these waters range from 0.2 to 4.0 mg/m³. Chlorophyll-a concentration from OCM-2 was estimated using the global ocean colour algorithms namely, OC2, OC3, OC4 and Chl-a algorithms respectively. OCM data was processed using the global SeaWiFS Data Analysis System (SeaDAS) in which all the above mentioned algorithms are embedded for estimating the chlorophyll-a concentration. A comparative study was made between and in-situ and satellite derived chlorophyll-a concentration. Although the matchups between in-situ and satellite data from OCM-2 were sparse, it indicates that direct application of the standard SeaWiFS algorithm-the OC4-V4 algorithm—in the coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal will underestimate chlorophyll-a by up to 30%. The results show a good correlation with an R value of 0.61 using OC2 algorithm. However, all the other global algorithms over estimate the chlorophyll-a concentration even in low chlorophyll concentration range. The comparison between in-situ and all the existing chlorophyll algorithms shows the efficiency of these algorithms for quantification of chlorophyll in coastal waters and hence the need to develop regional algorithms and fluorescence based algorithms for better quantification.     

Analysis and farmers’ perception of climate change in the Kashmir Valley,India

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Analysis of climatic variables is important for the detection and attribution of climate change trends and has received considerable attention from researchers...     

Spatiotemporal drought variability in northwestern Africa over the last nine centuries

Changes in precipitation patterns and the frequency and duration of drought are likely to be the feature of anthropogenic climate change that will have the most direct and most immediate consequences for human populations. The latest generation of state-of-the-art climate models project future widespread drying in the subtropics. Here, we reconstruct spatially-complete gridded Palmer drought severity index values back to A.D. 1179 over Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The reconstructions provide long-term context for northwest African hydroclimatology, revealing large-scale regional droughts prior to the sixteenth century, as well as more heterogeneous patterns in sixteenth, eighteenth, and twentieth century. Over the most recent decades a shift toward dry conditions over the region is observed, which is consistent with general circulation model projections of greenhouse gas forced enhanced regional subtropical drought.     

Indirect Effects of Salinity and Temperature on Kuwait’s Shrimp Stocks

Discharge of the Shatt Al-Arab is believed to be a dominating component of the northern Arabian Gulf’s ecology and largely responsible for productivity of Kuwait’s fisheries. With major construction of dams on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Turkey, river discharge has been substantially reduced, and flooding essentially eliminated. We attempted to relate river flow and shrimp landings indirectly by correlating 19 years of salinity and temperature data from Kuwait’s waters with corresponding annual shrimp landings. For green tiger prawns (Penaeus semisulcatus), the combination of October salinities and January temperatures provided the best correlation (r = 0.67) with landings in the following shrimping season. For the combined landings of jinga and kiddi shrimps (Metapenaeus affinis and Parapenaeopsis stylifera, respectively), December salinity during season and May temperature prior to season resulted in the best correlation (r = 0.87). Landings of these two species also correlated well with spring and summer temperatures. Under normal conditions, late winter or early spring temperatures prior to fishing season influence recruitment of the green tiger prawn, whereas December salinities during harvest season influence the abundance of jinga–kiddi shrimps. With further reductions in the Shatt Al-Arab discharge and the elimination of flood events, Kuwait’s shrimp landings will most likely decrease over time.     

Herbaceous layer development during spring does not deplete soil nitrogen in the Portuguese montado

Nitrogen (N) content in the soil and in the herbaceous biomass were monitored during spring of 2004-2006 to determine how the herbaceous layer development influences soil N availability in the montado ecosystem of southern Portugal. Highest (246.6 ± 52.7 g m⁻²) and lowest (123.2 ± 89.5 g m⁻²) peak biomass occurred in 2006 and 2005 respectively. Total soil N within the top 20 cm soil profile ranged between 0.2 ± 0.1% in February and 0.41 ± 0.2% in May, while available soil N was lowest (5 ± 2 μg g⁻¹soil) in February but increased three-to-five fold in March and was >17.5 μg g⁻¹soil at senescence in May. Significant (p < 0.001) increase in total N in the aboveground pool occurred between February and May. There was however, no decay in soil N content. Instead, the herbaceous vegetation enhanced soil N input and N retention in the ecosystem. Most of the herbaceous plants were annuals with large reserves of organic N at senescence, which returned to the soil as detritus. The herbaceous vegetation is a critical component of the montado that contributes to N recharge and cycling within the ecosystem.