Evaluation of Interactions Between Oilfield Chemicals and Reservoir Rocks

Natural Resources Research - Sand failure and production occurs when the formation stress exceeds the strength of the formation, which is derived majorly from the natural material that cements the...     

巴丹吉林沙漠周边地区降水量的时空变化特征

分析了巴丹吉林沙漠周边17个常规气象测站1951—2005年的逐月降水量及沙尘暴频次和东亚夏季风指数。(1)沙漠周边地区降水量的空间分布明显受地形影响:紧靠沙漠的区域地势低、干旱,各季降水量都小;沙漠外围较远处(特别是受祁连山影响的西南边)地势高、湿润,各季降水量都大;地形增高会使降水量增多1个量级以上,但对其季节配额无明显影响。夏季降水量配额最大,平均高达61.6%。(2)依据各站降水量年际变化间的相关系数及测站间的地域关系和地貌相似程度,可将该区域划为4个分区:一为地势较低、紧挨沙漠、极为干旱的沙漠西北缘区,二为气候较湿、受祁连山影响的沙漠西南缘区(或称祁连山影响区),三为位于巴丹吉林沙漠和腾格里沙漠之间的民勤区,四为远离沙漠、但与其周边地区地貌相似的沙漠东侧区。(3)1951—2005年的各个年代,4个分区各季降水量由大到小的顺序均为:祁连山影响区、沙漠东侧区、民勤区和沙漠西北缘区,与其平均海拔由高到低的顺序一致;就各季降水量及其配额的年代际演变位相而言,祁连山影响区可以代表整个区域。(4)1971—2005年各分区年降水量呈增大趋势,春季降水量增加尤为显著(增幅约为0.41mm·a-1),夏季降水量有减小趋势;随海拔增高,春季及年降水量增幅加大,夏季降水量减幅减小;祁连山影响区对全区年降水量增大的贡献最大。(5)各季及年降水量与东亚夏季风的强弱间均呈复相关;其中冬、夏季及年降水量与夏季风间的负相关随海拔升高而加大,说明夏季风对沙漠以南高海拔处的降水影响更为显著。(6)各季沙尘暴与降水量间以负相关为主,各分区冬、春季降水量偏多时,其冬、春季及夏季沙尘暴的发生频次一般偏少。     

Rock warming and drying under simulated intertidal conditions,part II: weathering and biological influences on evaporative cooling and near‐surface micro‐climatic conditions as an example of biogeomorphic ecosystem engineering

The way in which rocks and engineering materials heat‐up and dry‐out in the intertidal zone is of relevance to both weathering and ecology. These behaviours can be measured in the laboratory under controlled conditions designed to replicate those occurring in the field. Previous studies have demonstrated differences in thermal behaviours between rock types and through time as a result of soiling in terrestrial environments, but the influence of weathering and colonization on rock behaviours in the intertidal zone has not been previously assessed. We measured the warming and drying of blocks of rock (limestone and granite) and marine concrete during ‘low‐tide’ events simulated in the laboratory, before and after a period of exposure (eight months) on rock platforms in Cornwall, UK. As well as differences between the material types, temperatures of control (unexposed) and field‐exposed blocks differed in the order of 1 to 2 °C. Drying behaviours were also different after field exposure. Differences during the first few hours of exposure to air and heat were attributed to discolouration and albedo effects. Over longer periods of time, changes in the availability of near‐surface pore water as a result of micro‐scale bioerosion of limestone and the development of bio‐chemical crusts on marine concrete [observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)] are suggested as mechanisms enhancing and reducing, respectively, the efficiency of evaporative cooling. The retention of moisture by epilithic biofilms may also influence thermal and drying behaviours of granite. These observations represent one of the first examples of cross‐scalar biogeomorphic linkages in the intertidal zone. The significance of the results for the subsequent efficiency of weathering, and near‐surface micro‐climatic conditions experienced by colonizing organisms is discussed. The involvement of microorganisms in the creation of more (or less) ecologically stressful conditions through the alteration of substratum geomorphic properties and behaviours is suggested as an example of ‘biogeomorphic ecosystem engineering’. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence for focused hot fluid flow within the Britannia Field, offshore Scotland, UK

Fluid inclusion and scanning electron microscope‐cathodoluminescence evidence indicates focused hot, saline, diagenetic fluid flow within the Eastern Flank of the Britannia Field, offshore Scotland, UK. The fluid was sourced from the Andrew Salt Dome, 10 km to the east. The fluids, which promoted quartz cementation of the upper zones within the field, were up to ～30°C hotter and had salinities up to ～10 wt% NaCl equivalent higher than fluids from lower in the reservoir section. During diagenesis hot saline fluids migrated westwards as part of a radiating ‘diagenetic front’ from the Andrew Salt Dome. Structural dip associated with the Eastern Flank of the Fladen Ground Spur impeded the westward movement of the diagenetic fluid. The quartz cements from the upper and lower reservoir zones can be distinguished by morphology. In the upper zones the quartz cements have well‐developed macro‐crystalline zoning and heterogeneous luminescence across the grain. In the lower zones, the cements are much less developed, unzoned and very weakly luminescent. The diagenetic fluids were primarily focused into Zone 45 within the upper reservoir. Furthermore, within the Main Platform Area the most prolific producing zone is Zone 45, indicating the importance of this interval as a permeable flow unit during both diagenetic and production timescales. Within the Eastern Flank, the quartz overgrowths have a major impact on reservoir permeability and thus well productivity. The overgrowths are most extensive in the originally clean sandstones with low clay content. Clay in optimum volumes (5–10%) can inhibit nucleation of the damaging quartz overgrowths without having a detrimental effect on pore connectivity. These observations provide a predictive concept for use in the search for relative reservoir sweetspots within the degraded Eastern Flank.     

Meteorological and synoptic aspects of the formation and evolution of the Novorossiysk Bora

The genetic and synoptic classifications of the Novorossiysk Bora are created using the data of daily observations at the Novorossiysk meteorological station and other available synoptic information. Obtained are the quantitative criteria of these classifications, and on this base worked out are the basic scenarios of the generation and evolution of this dangerous phenomenon on the Black Sea coast of Russia. According to the genetic classification, the Bora was divided into four types: frontal, air-mass, monsoon, and gravity. Quantitative criteria worked out for each type can be used for the more accurate forecast of this destructive phenomenon near Novorossiysk. According to the synoptic classification, four classes were distinguished: Azores, North Atlantic, Siberian, and Arctic.