Overview of overpressure in Bengal Basin,India

Abnormally high formation pressures are encountered worldwide, ranging in geological age from Cenozoic to Paleozoic, within a depth range of few hundred meters to as deep as six thousand meters while carrying out exploratory drilling by E and P companies. Several causes can increase formation fluid pressure i.e. rapid loading of sediments results compaction disequilibrium, thermal expansion of fluids, compression and/or upliftment of strata by tectonic forces, generation of oil and gas from organic matter and its volume expansion due to high thermal stress within the restricted pore volume in subsurface condition. Few global examples on overpressure occurrences have been compiled in the paper with special reference to Bengal Basin. Emphasis has been given on methodology and interpretation on abnormal pressure detection in Bengal Basin with a compiled data package on generated curves (Geologs), charts, tables in a systematic way to understand the depth/stratigraphic horizons proved/interpreted as proved or likely to be within transition and overpressure regime. The integrated analysis indicates that the wells drilled in the east of Eocene hinge zone in the onshore and offshore parts of Bengal Basin have penetrated overpressure formation within Miocene in the depth range of 2800 m to 5340 m and the mud weight used to control this overpressure zone was more than 2.0 sp gr mud. The generated Geologs can be used as reference to understand the regime of transition and overpressure, as a valuable document for exploration drilling planning and monitoring. The generated model curve (modified using available data after Hottman and Johnson, 1956 curve) using sonic departure (i.e. Δt_ob(sh) −Δt_n(sh)) from drilled wells may be used as an additional tool to find out the expected formation pressure gradient and equivalent mud weight in all future wells. The correlation of wells based on the trend of dcs and σ logs will be useful for predicting transition and overpressure top provided all the parameters required for calculating dcs and σ log recorded smoothly during drilling phase. The study has brought out the detail procedure to generate the pressure profile in the future wells. The generation of pressure profile of a well prior to drilling has got immense importance in oil industry. The drilling of the well should be done by maintaining the optimum mud weight generated from the pressure profile. In case, during drilling, formation pressure is more than the mud pressure, resulted gas kicks or worse, blowouts of the well. Excessively high mud pressure can fracture the formation and cause lost circulation. The oil and gas companies, worldwide, attributed 15% losses due to various problems associated with drilling complications, mostly related to improper pressure prediction of a well. The losses include loss of material as well as drilling process continuity, called non-productive time (NPT). The generation of accurate pressure profile reduces drilling problems, cuts exploration and development costs and allows billions of dollars now spent on losses to be better spent-building and replacing reserves.     

Antarctic lunar meteorites Yamato-793169, Asuka-881757, MIL 05035, and MET 01210 (YAMM): Launch pairing and possible cryptomare origin

The Antarctic lunar meteorite Meteorite Hills (MET) 01210 is a polymict regolith breccia, dominantly composed of mare basalt components. One relatively large (2.7 × 4.7 mm) basalt clast in MET 01210 (MET basalt) shows remarkable mineralogical similarities to the lunar-meteorite crystalline mare basalts Yamato (Y)-793169, Asuka (A)-881757, and Miller Range (MIL) 05035. All four basalts have similar rock texture, mineral assemblage, mineral composition, pyroxene crystallization trend, and pyroxene exsolution lamellae. The estimated TiO₂ contents (∼2.0 wt%) of the MET basalt and MIL 05035 are close to the bulk-rock TiO₂ contents of Y-793169 and A-881757. These similarities suggest that Y-793169, A-881757, MIL 05035, and the MET basalt came from the same basalt flow, which we designate the YAMM basalt. The source-basalt pairing of the YAMM is also supported by their similar REE abundances, crystallization ages (approx. 3.8-3.9 Ga), and isotopic compositions (low U/Pb, low Rb/Sr, and high Sm/Nd). The pyroxene exsolution lamellae, which are unusually coarse (up to a few microns) by mare standards, imply a relatively slow cooling in an unusually thick lava and/or subsequent annealing within a cryptomare. Reported noble gas and CRE data with close launch ages (∼1 Ma) and ejection depths (deeper than several meters) among the four meteorites further indicate their simultaneous ejection from the moon. Despite the marginally close terrestrial ages, pairing in the conventional Earth-entry sense seems unlikely because of the remote recovery sites among the YAMM meteorites.The high abundance (68%) of mare components in MET 01210 estimated from a two-component mixing model calculation could have resulted from either lateral mixing at a mare-highland boundary or vertical mixing in a cryptomare. The proportion of mare materials in MET 01210 is greater than in Apollo core samples at the mare-highland boundary. The burial depth (>several meters deep) inferred from the lack of surface irradiation of MET 01210 exceeds the typical mare regolith thickness (a few meters). Thus, the source of the YAMM meteorites is likely a terrain of locally high mare-highland mixing within a cryptomare. We searched for a possible source crater of the YAMM meteorites within the well-defined cryptomare, based on the multiple constraints obtained from this study and published data. An unnamed 1.4 km-diameter crater (53°W, 44.5°S) on the floor of the Schickard crater is the most suitable source for the YAMM meteorites.The ²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb (μ) value of the YAMM basalts is extremely low, relative to those of the Apollo mare basalts, but comparable to those of the Luna 24 very low-Ti basalts. The low-μ source indicates a derivation from a less differentiated mantle with a lack of KREEP components. Although the chemical sources of materials and heat source of melting might be independent, the heat source that generated the source magma of the YAMM and Luna 24 basalts may not be related to KREEP, unlike the case of the Apollo basalts. The distinct chemical and isotopic compositions of mantle sources between the Apollo basalts and the YAMM/Lunar 24 basalts imply differences in mantle composition and thermal evolution between the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT) and non-PKT regions of the nearside.     

Shift in detrital sedimentation in the eastern Bay of Bengal during the late Quaternary

Down-core variations of granulometric, geochemical and mineral magnetism of a 70-cm long sediment core retrieved from the eastern Bay of Bengal abyssal region were studied to understand sedimentation pattern and sediment provenance during the last ～12 kyr BP. Based on down-core physical and elemental variations, three units were identified: unit 3 (70–43 cm) is a ～30 cm thick clayey silt organic carbon-rich (0.5–0.92%) turbidite probably delivered by the Brahmaputra River during the late Quaternary period. Units 2 (43–24 cm) and 1 (24–0 cm) represent enhanced and reduced supply of coarse-grained detrital sediments from the Ganges River during early and late Holocene period, respectively. Increased terrigenous supply dilutes calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and biogenic elements (P, Ba and Cu) in units 3 and 2. On the contrary, a reduction in detrital input enhances CaCO₃ and biogenic elements in unit 1. Lithogenic elements (Ti, Al, K and Rb) and shale-normalized REE patterns in all three units suggest terrigenous source. The shift in provenance from the Brahmaputra to the Ganges derived sediments is evident by a sharp increase in sediment grain size, increased concentration and grain size assemblages of magnetic minerals, lithogenic elements concentration and La_n/Yb_n ratio. This study highlights terrigenous dilution on biogenic sedimentation in the eastern Bay of Bengal sediments.     

Carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of Newania Dolomite Carbonatites, Rajasthan, India: implications for source of carbonatites

The Newania carbonatite complex of Rajasthan, India is one of the few dolomite carbonatites of the world, and oddly, does not contain alkaline silicate rocks thus providing a unique opportunity to study the origin and evolution of a primary carbonatite magma. In an attempt to characterize the mantle source, the source of carbon, and the magmatic and post-magmatic evolution of Newania carbonatites, we have carried out a detailed stable carbon and oxygen isotopic study of the complex. Our results reveal that, in spite of being located in a metamorphic terrain, these rocks remarkably have preserved their magmatic signatures in stable C and O isotopic compositions. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O variations in the complex are found to be results of fractional crystallization and low temperature post-magmatic alteration suggesting that like other carbonatites, dolomite carbonatites too fractionate isotopes of both elements in a similar fashion. The major difference is that the fractional crystallization of dolomite carbonatites fractionates oxygen isotopes to a larger extent. The modes of δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O variations in the complex, ?4.5?±?1‰ and 7?±?1‰, respectively, clearly indicate its mantle origin. Application of a multi-component Rayleigh isotopic fractionation model to the correlated δ¹³C versus δ¹⁸O variations in unaltered carbonatites suggests that these rocks have crystallized from a CO₂ + H₂O fluid rich magma, and that the primary magma comes from a mantle source that had isotopic compositions of δ¹³C ~ ?4.6‰ and δ¹⁸O ~ 6.3‰. Such a mantle source appears to be a common peridotite mantle (δ¹³C = ?5.0?±?1‰) whose carbon reservoir has insignificant contribution from recycled crustal carbon. Other Indian carbonatites, except for Amba Dongar and Sung Valley that are genetically linked to Reunion and Kerguelen plumes respectively, also appear to have been derived from similar mantle sources. Through this study we establish that dolomite carbonatites are generated from similar mantle source like other carbonatites, have comparable evolutionary history irrespective of their association with alkaline silicate rocks, and may remain resistant to metamorphism.     

Tectonics of the ophiolite belt from Naga Hills and Andaman Islands,India

The ophiolitic rocks of Naga Hills-Andaman belt occur as rootless slices, gently dipping over the Paleogene flyschoid sediments, the presence of blue-schists in ophiolite melange indicates an involvement of the subduction process. Subduction was initiated prior to mid-Eocene as proved by the contemporaneous lower age limit of ophiolite-derived cover sediment as against the accreted ophiolites and olistostromal trench sediment. During the late Oligocene terminal collision between the Indian and Sino-Burmese blocks, basement slivers from the Sino-Burmese block, accreted ophiolites and trench sediments from the subduction zone were thrust westward as nappe and emplaced over the down-going Indian plate. The geometry of the ophiolites and the presence of a narrow negative gravity anomaly flanking their map extent, run counter to the conventional view that the Naga-Andaman belt marks the location of the suture. The root-zone of the ophiolite nappe representing the suture is marked by a partially-exposed eastern ophiolite belt of the same age and gravity-high zone, passing through central Burma-Sumatra-Java. The ophiolites of the Andaman and Naga Hills are also conventionally linked with the subduction activity, west of Andaman islands. This activity began only in late Miocene, much later than onland emplacement of the ophiolites; it further developed west of the suture in its southern part. Post-collisional northward movement of the Indian plate subparallel to the suture, also developed leaky dextral transcurrent faults close to the suture and caused Neogene-Quatemary volcanism in central Burma and elsewhere.     

Variability in dissolved organic matter fluorescence and reduced sulfur concentration in coastal marine and estuarine environments

Fluorescence characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and measurements of Cr-reducible sulfide (CRS) are presented for 72 coastal marine and estuarine water samples obtained from the USA and Canada. Each sample is identified according to source: terrigenous, autochthonous, wastewater or mixed. Fluorescence data are resolved into contributions from humic, fulvic, tyrosine and tryptophan-like fluorophores. Humic and fulvic-like fluorophores correlate well with dissolved organic C (DOC) (r² = 0.73 and 0.71, respectively) but tyrosine and tryptophan-like fluorophores show no correlation with DOC. Quality factors are identified by normalization of fluorescence contributions to DOC. Humic and fulvic components show no statistical differences between sources but the amino acid-like fluorescence quality factors show significant variations between source, with highest values for autochthonous sources (0.07 ± 0.01 arbitrary fluorescence units per mg of C) versus low values (0.015 ± 0.005) for terrigenous source waters. CRS concentrations are highly variable from 0.07 ± 0.01 to 7703 ± 98 nM and do no correlate with DOC except when terrigenous source waters (n = 13) are separated out from the total sample set (r² = 0.55). There is an open question in the literature; does DOC source matter in terms of protective effects towards metal toxicity? Here is shown that DOC molecular-level quality does vary and that this variation is mostly in terms of the contributions of amino acids to total fluorescence.     

The impact of Arctic sea ice on the Arctic energy budget and on the climate of the Northern mid-latitudes

The atmospheric general circulation model EC-EARTH-IFS has been applied to investigate the influence of both a reduced and a removed Arctic sea ice cover on the Arctic energy budget and on the climate of the Northern mid-latitudes. Three 40-year simulations driven by original and modified ERA-40 sea surface temperatures and sea ice concentrations have been performed at T255L62 resolution, corresponding to 79?km horizontal resolution. Simulated changes between sensitivity and reference experiments are most pronounced over the Arctic itself where the reduced or removed sea ice leads to strongly increased upward heat and longwave radiation fluxes and precipitation in winter. In summer, the most pronounced change is the stronger absorption of shortwave radiation which is enhanced by optically thinner clouds. Averaged over the year and over the area north of 70° N, the negative energy imbalance at the top of the atmosphere decreases by about 10?W/m² in both sensitivity experiments. The energy transport across 70° N is reduced. Changes are not restricted to the Arctic. Less extreme cold events and less precipitation are simulated in sub-Arctic and Northern mid-latitude regions in winter.