Study on the natural radioactivity level of stone coal-bearing strata in East China

Based on γ-radiation dose rate and radon concentration measurements and ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K radionuclide testing, this study identifies the radioactive anomalies of stone coal-bearing strata in East China and evaluates the natural radioactivity levels in the air, solid, water and plant media in the typical area of the regional stone coal-bearing layers. The stone coal-bearing strata in East China occur in the lower Cambrian system along the margin of the Yangtze block; additionally, the radioactive anomaly area is sporadically distributed in the stone coal-bearing layers. The background values of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K are higher in the stone coal-bearing areas, and the spatial distribution of these natural radionuclides shows significant variability. ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra clearly accumulate in the coal, coal gangue and soil and are the main sources of the environmental radiation in coal mines. The γ-radiation shows a higher background value in the stone coal-bearing area, and this radioactive pollution cannot be ignored. Typically, the effective dose of γ-radiation exceeds the limit value of 5 mSv/a, and the total α and total β concentrations of the groundwater are 10–30 times the limit value at some points. The residents near the mining area are subjected to a higher radiation dose, and the groundwater, building materials, and plants have been contaminated by the radioactive pollution sporadically through time. It is necessary to strengthen the monitoring work of radioactive environments and to take appropriate control measures.     

Effect of climate change on water resources in the Yuanshui River Basin: a SWAT model assessment

The Yuanshui River Basin is one of the most important river basins ensuring food production and livelihoods in the Hunan and Guizhou Provinces of China. Based on digital elevation model, land use, soil, and meteorological data, the soil and water assessment tool was used to analyze the response of water resources in the basin to climate change. Specifically, the monthly runoff from the Yuanshui River Basin was simulated. Runoff measurements from the 1961–1990 series were used to calibrate model parameters, and measurements from the 1991–2010 series were used for model validation. The Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient, correlation coefficient, and water balance error were used to evaluate the simulation results; the values obtained for these parameters were 0.925, 0.929, and 2.0%, respectively, indicating that the established model can be applied successfully to runoff simulations. To evaluate the effects of climate change and human activities on runoff, 24 different climate scenarios were modeled. By comparing the model simulation results with the baseline scenario, the effects of climate change were analyzed by year, during the dry season, and during extremely dry conditions. The results showed that runoff decreased with increasing air temperature and decreasing precipitation, and that the effects of rainfall on runoff were greater than those of air temperature. Under the same baseline conditions, the effects of climate change on runoff were most pronounced during extremely dry months.     

Reservoir architecture and fracture characterization of low-permeability sandstone reservoir: a case study of Biandong oilfield,Jinhu depression,northern Jiangsu Basin,China

Fracture is one of the most important factors through the whole process of low-permeability reservoir development. Biandong oilfield is a typical low-permeability fractured sandstone reservoir, and has stepped into high water cut stage; thus, the waterflooding effect is poor. Therefore, many contradictions such as high moisture content, decreasing production speed, and low recovery efficiency are becoming increasingly prominent, which have seriously hindered the sustainable development, and need to be solved urgently. However, few such studies on reservoir characterization in low-permeability fractured sandstone reservoir have been conducted in China. In this study, through comprehensive analysis on reservoir characterization and sedimentary environment, significant results are achieved. Three types of fracture occurrence are identified; they are high-angle fracture, low-angle fracture, and horizontal fracture, respectively. Two types of reservoir pore (primary porosity and secondary porosity) are recognized based on thin-section observation and analysis. The diagenetic stage of Biandong oilfield are divided into three stages, early A, early B, and late A, respectively. Finally, a regional discrete fracture network model is established with Fisher’s algorithm based on three-dimensional geological model. All the research results presented above can make a significant instructing function for making reservoir development plan and improving recovery efficiency.     

Ion chemistry of groundwater and the possible controls within Lhasa River Basin,SW Tibetan Plateau

In order to study the major ion chemistry and controls of groundwater, 65 groundwater samples were collected and their major ions measured from wells within Lhasa River Basin. Groundwater has the characteristics of slightly alkaline and moderate total dissolved solid (TDS). TDS concentration ranged from 122.0 to 489.9 mg/L with a median value of 271.2 mg/L. Almost all the groundwater samples suited for drinking and irrigation. The major cations of groundwater are Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, accounting for 59.6 and 31.3% of the cations, respectively. Meanwhile, HCO₃^? and SO₄^2? constituted about 56.7 and 36.9% of the anions, respectively, in Lhasa River Basin. The hydrochemical type of groundwater is HCO₃-SO₄-Ca-Mg. The chemical composition of groundwater samples located in the middle of Gibbs model, which indicates that the major chemical process of groundwater is controlled by rock weathering. Carbonate weathering was the dominant hydro-geochemical process controlling the concentration of major ions in groundwater within Lhasa River Basin, but silicate weathering also plays an important role.     

Assessment of water inrush risk using the principal component logistic regression model in the Pandao coal mine,China

In order to improve the accuracy of floor water inrush assessment, the risk prediction model of floor water inrush was established by combining the principal component logistic regression analysis (PCLRA) and GIS spatial geographic analysis. In this paper, the geological data of Pandao coal mine was taken as the engineering background. First of all, main controlling factors of floor water inrush were determined and quantified. Next, PCLRA was used to determine the weight of each factor and establish the mathematical model for predicting the floor water inrush. And then, GIS’s spatial analysis and data processing function was used to draw related single factor thematic maps. Related thematic maps were weighted superposed to draw a floor water inrush zoning map based on PCLRA mathematical model. The study areas were divided into five levels by Jenks optimization method and vulnerability index initial model. And the corresponding threshold range was determined. The results show that (1) the high sensitivity factors in floor failure depth were added to evaluate the water inrush, and the fault fractal dimension was used to replace the fault structure related factors, and the main controlling factors of floor water inrush are more comprehensive; (2) the fitting degree of PCLRA model is high and the test accuracy is 83.3%; (3) the prediction results were well fitted to the actual position of water inrush (three water inrush points are located in the dangerous area, and two water inrush points are located in the relatively dangerous area).     

Application of instantaneous amplitude gradient for ground penetrating radar signal analyses

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is an effective geophysical method for environmental and engineering exploration. However, significant background interference occurs around most work sites, which increases the difficulty of analyzing and interpreting GPR profiles. For time-distance profile analyses, more accurate results can be obtained using the instantaneous parameters of the analytic signals. In this study, these instantaneous parameters are extracted and compared using 1D model waveform and 2D model strong interference profiles. The results show that the instantaneous amplitude gradient effectively reflects the model information, even under strong interference. The instantaneous amplitude gradient is applied to GPR survey data from a study site, and the results indicate that the technique reflects the underground structure information of the survey area. Drilling verification further confirms that the instantaneous amplitude gradient accurately reflects the underground structure information.     

Geochemistry of organic matter and elements of black shale during weathering in Northern Guizhou,Southwestern China: Their mobilization and inter-connection

Different from previous studies on effect of weathering upon geochemical variation along a single weathered profile, this paper provides a new methodology validated by comparing a weathered outcrop samples and their stratigraphic counterpart un-weathered core samples in a nearby shallow borehole. This outcrop and borehole penetrated the Ordovician-Silurian Wufeng–Longmaxi shales, located in the same anticline structure in the northern part of Guizhou Province, Southern China. The mineral composition, major, trace and rare earth elements (REEs) composition and Rock-Eval parameters of outcrop and core samples were analyzed and compared. Organic matter (OM) was observed in the microscope and extracted for elements analysis. The results show that short-term weathering still has significant influence on OM, mineral and elemental composition of black shales. The elements composition shows the outcrop profile was moderately weathered. The REEs compositions do not alter much during weathering process and the REEs composition and their relative ratios still are valid for rock origin determination. The OM, mainly composed by graptolite and bitumen, even entering the highly-over thermal maturity, is still sensitive to the weathering with a systematic loss 30–50% of TOC along the outcrop profile, which suggests that the OM consumption is predominantly controlled by weathering duration and the distance from the weathering surface. In turn, OM has significant influence on the trace elements transportation behavior during weathering. Some trace elements associated with the OM such as V, Cr, Th, U, Ni and Co, change significantly in their absolute concentration during weathering, but their relative ratios do not necessarily change too much and might be still reliable proxies for paleo-environmental determination. The mobility of shale minerals during weathering is in the following order: plagioclase?>?potassium feldspar and dolomite >pyrite and OM. Short-term weathering can also result in considerable transportation of elements and significant variation of minerals content in black shale, which may pose potentially high environmental and engineering risk in the regions rich in black shale.     

渝东北城口地区Y1井页岩有机地球化学特征及勘探前景

基于钻井资料,以总有机碳(TOC)、干酪根显微组分、等效镜质体反射率(Ro)及碳同位素等测试数据系统分析了渝东北城口地区Y1井五峰组—龙马溪组页岩的有机地球化学特征,利用页岩流体包裹体的显微特征、均一温度及激光拉曼数据深入分析了Y1井页岩气成藏特征。结果表明:Y1井上奥陶统五峰组—下志留统龙马溪组炭质页岩发育,TOC含量2%的富含有机质页岩厚度达83 m,干酪根类型以Ⅰ型干酪根为主,处于湿气生烃阶段。页岩裂缝脉体中大量烃包裹体和富含甲烷气体的含烃盐水包裹体证实城口地区五峰组—龙马溪组页岩发生了充足页岩气供给,具有高均一温度、高盐度的伴生盐水包裹体表明城口地区页岩气成藏时期的保存条件良好。这些Y1井页岩有机地球化学特征研究成果揭示了城口地区下古生界具备良好的页岩气勘探前景。     

车排子凸起与沙湾凹陷过渡带的构造模型

车排子凸起位于准噶尔盆地扎伊尔山前,是夹持在南部四棵树凹陷和东部沙湾凹陷之间的三角构造带。然而对这个三角构造带是原地掩伏构造,山前推覆构造,还是走滑构造控制形成的认识存在争议。目前对于车排子凸起与沙湾凹陷过渡带的构造变形特征以及变形机制的认识尚不清楚。而过渡带是研究该区构造变形与演化的良好区域,精细研究该区域构造几何学与运动学对于揭示其构造变形机制以及认识盆山之间的关系具有积极作用,并对于该区油气勘探具有重要意义。本文以研究区的连片三维地震资料为基础,运用不整合面识别、轴面分析及平衡剖面等方法,对车排子凸起与沙湾凹陷过渡带进行精细的构造解析、建模与构造复原。研究表明,过渡带发育下二叠统（P₁j-P₁f）,中二叠统（P₂x-P₂w）,上二叠统（P₃w）,三叠系（T）,侏罗系（J）,白垩系（K）与古近系-第四系（E-Q）7个构造变形层序。发育佳木河组底部及石炭系内部滑脱层。深部（前二叠系）构造楔发育于整个过渡带,其个数和几何学形态的变化直接影响了上覆背斜形态。构造楔在早二叠世开始楔入,挤压作用持续至三叠纪末期。晚三叠世发育生长地层,显示了P-T构造层褶皱变形的时间,随后三叠纪末期,过渡带受到来自西北缘造山带方向的逆冲推覆构造的叠加作用,表现在后缘发育一系列叠瓦构造,推覆距离约为8 km,南部逆冲断层上盘二叠系-三叠系被剥蚀完全,北部残余少量下二叠统佳木河组。     

新疆西昆仑汗铁热克一带侏罗纪沉积相与沉积环境分析

新疆西昆仑汗铁热克一带地处塔里木盆地西南缘,构造上属塔里木盆地与西昆仑造山带的结合部位,侏罗纪地层包括积莎里塔什组、康苏组、扬叶组、塔尔尕组和库孜贡苏组。根据岩性、颜色、粒度分析及沉积相标志等方法,将汗铁热克一带侏罗纪沉积环境与沉积相划分为冲积扇、扇三角洲和湖泊相,其沉积特征为侏罗纪早期快速充填,中期稳定沉降,晚期短暂的沉积间断后充填,并系统分析了研究区在整个侏罗纪沉积环境演化规律。