Faulting, fracturing and in situ stress prediction in the Ahnet Basin, Algeria — a finite element approach

Many low-efficiency hydrocarbon reservoirs are productive largely because effective reservoir permeability is controlled by faults and natural fractures. Accurate and low-cost information on basic fault and fracture properties, orientation in particular, is critical in reducing well costs and increasing well recoveries. This paper describes how we used an advanced numerical modelling technique, the finite element method (FEM), to compute site-specific in situ stresses and rock deformation and to predict fracture attributes as a function of material properties, structural position and tectonic stress. Presented are the numerical results of two-dimensional, plane-strain end-member FEM models of a hydrocarbon-bearing fault-propagation-fold structure. Interpretation of the modelling results remains qualitative because of the intrinsic limitations of numerical modelling; however, it still allows comparisons with (the little available) geological and geophysical data.

In all models, the weak mechanical strength and flow properties of a thick shale layer (the main seal) leads to a decoupling of the structural deformation of the shallower sediments from the underlying sediments and basement, and results in flexural slip across the shale layer. All models predict rock fracturing to initiate at the surface and to expand with depth under increasing horizontal tectonic compression. The stress regime for the formation of new fractures changes from compressional to shear with depth. If pre-existing fractures exist, only (sub)horizontal fractures are predicted to open, thus defining the principal orientation of effective reservoir permeability. In models that do not include a blind thrust fault in the basement, flexural amplification of the initial fold structure generates additional fracturing in the crest of the anticline controlled by the material properties of the rocks. The folding-induced fracturing expands laterally along the stratigraphic boundaries under enhanced tectonic loading. Models incorporating a blind thrust fault correctly predict the formation of secondary syn- and anti-thetic mesoscale faults in the basement and sediments of the hanging wall. Some of these faults cut reservoir and/or seal layers, and thus may influence effective reservoir permeability and affect seal integrity. The predicted faults divide the sediments across the anticline in several compartments with different stress levels and different rock failure (and proximity to failure). These numerical model outcomes can assist classic interpretation of seismic and well bore data in search of fractured and overpressured hydrocarbon reservoirs.     

大别山双河和碧溪岭超高压变质岩流体包裹体研究

对大别山双河和碧溪岭含柯石英榴岩和硬玉石英岩进行了详细的流体包裹体研究。根据流体包裹体的成分和盐度的不同,可以划分出至少五种类型不同的气液包裹体;（１）Ｎ２包裹体;（３）高盐度流体包裹体;（３）ＣＯ２包裹体;（４）ＣＯ２－Ｈ２Ｏ包裹体;（５）低盐度流体包裹体。本仅见于含柯石英榴辉岩,而高盐度流体包裹体则几乎存在于所有的榴辉岩和硬玉石英岩中。ＣＯ２包裹体沿榴辉岩中微剪切带分布,或存在于强变形的硬玉石     

Comparative petrology and metamorphic evolution of the Limpopo (South Africa) and Lapland (Fennoscandia) high-grade terrains

Summary ?Detailed studies of rocks from the Limpopo (South Africa) and Lapland (Kola-Fennoscandia) high-grade terrains were carried out in order to reveal similar geological and thermodynamic conditions in their formation. Both complexes (1) are situated between Archean greenstone belts, (2) are younger than the belts, (3) are bounded by crustal-scale shear zones, (4) have a similar intrusive-like (harpolith) geometry, and (5) show similar reaction textures that reflect both breakdown and growth of garnet in each high-grade terrain. Local mineral equilibria within the textures indicate their successive formation with cooling of the granulite facies rocks. Some of the textures in the metapelites must have resulted from the following reverse reactions: Grt + Qtz ⇌Opx + Crd and/or Grt + Sil + Qtz ⇌ Crd. Based on these data, both the decompression cooling P-T path and the near-isobaric cooling P-T path were deduced for each HGT. However the near-isobaric cooling P-T path is not a characteristic of the central zones of both complexes studied. Similar structural framework of the high-grade terrains, similar morphologies (shapes of granulitic bodies), similar reaction textures developed in metapelites, and similar shapes of P-T paths suggest similarity in geodynamic history of both complexes.

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Zusammenfassung ?Vergleichende Petrologie und metamorphe Entwicklung der hochgradig metamorphen Terrains von Limpopo (Südafrika) und Lappland (Fennoscandia) Eingehende Untersuchungen an Gesteinen aus den hochgradig metamorphen Terrains von Limpopo (Südafrika) und Lappland (Kola-Fennoscania) sollen m?gliche ?hnlichkeiten in den geologischen und thermodynamischen Bildungsbedingungen aufzeigen. Beide Komplexe sind Lokale Mineralgleichgewichte innerhalb der Texturen weisen auf ihre schrittweise Bildung w?hrend der Abkühlung der granulitfaziellen Gesteine hin. Einige der Texturen in den Metapeliten gehen auf folgende reversible Reaktionen zurück: Grt + Qtz ⇌Opx + Crd und/oder Grt + Sil + Qtz ⇌ Crd. Diese Daten erm?glichten es, sowohl den P-T Pfad der Abkühlung bei Druckentlastung sowie den fast-isobaren P-T Pfad der Abkühlung für jedes HGT zu ermitteln. Der fast-isobare P-T Pfad der Abkühlung ist jedoch kein Charakteristikum der Zentralzonen beider Komplexe. Ein ?hnlicher struktureller Rahmen der hochgradigen Terrains, ?hnliche Morphologien (Ausbildung der Granulitk?rper), ?hnliche Reaktionstexturen in Metapeliten und ?hnliche P-T Pfade weisen auf ?hnlichkeiten der geodynamischen Entwicklungsgeschichte beider Komplexe hin.

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Received March 8, 1999; revised version accepted September 17, 1999     

In situ bioremediation of 1,2-dichloroethane under anaerobic conditions

Historic spillages of chlorinated hydrocarbons at a vinyl chloride plant in the Rotterdam–Botlek area in The Netherlands has lead to deep-seated pollution of the underlying aquifer. The principal pollutant is 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA). As a temporary measure, the contamination is being contained using a pump and treat system. In the long term, in-situ bioremediation has been proposed using a biologically active zone where pollutants would be dechlorinated by microorganisms that simultaneously degrade other carbon sources. In order to investigate the suitability of this new technology, a programme of laboratory tests was carried out. The laboratory programme involved a series of anaerobic soil column tests, where the selection and delivery of different carbon substrates that stimulated 1,2-DCA dechlorination were investigated. The soil columns were prepared using soil and groundwater samples from boreholes. Groundwater was flushed through the columns under anaerobic conditions. A comparison was made between the transformation of 1,2-DCA without a carbon substrate and in the presence of sugars (molasses) and alcohol (methanol) respectively. In addition, different modes of delivery were investigated. In the case of molasses, the material was injected into the column as a plug to simulate grout injection in the field, whereas methanol was delivered as a constant flow dissolved in the influent. Both carbon substrates resulted in the biotransformation of 1,2-DCA. However, fermentation of molasses produced secondary effects that led to a drop in pH and an excessive production of carbon dioxide, which temporarily blocked the flow of groundwater.     

Recent Climate Warming: Surface Air Temperature Series and Geothermal Evidence

Long-term (1961 – 1996) meteorological air temperature series together with the reconstructed ground surface temperature histories, obtained by inverting borehole temperature-depth profiles, were used to project regional patterns of the recent (climate) warming rate on the territory of the Czech Republic. The characteristic magnitude of the warming rate of 0.02 –0.03 K/yr was confirmed by the results of several years of monitoring the temperature in two experimental boreholes. The monitoring of shallow temperatures at depths of about 30 –40 m, i.e. below the reach of the seasonal surface temperature variations, can serve as an alternative tool of direct quantitative assessment of the present warming rate. The data also seem to sustain a potential man-made component contributing to the more pronounced recent warming rate observed in the areas of large agglomeration.     

Contribution of Local Seismic Networks To The Regional Velocity Model of The Bohemian Massif

The routine location of regional seismic events using data from the Czech National Seismological Network (CNSN) is based on Pn, Pg, Sn, Sg phases. A simple velocity model derived from Kárník's (1953) interpretation of an earthquake in Northern Hungary in 1951 has hitherto been used. At present, numerous local seismic networks record and locate local events, which are occasionally recorded at regional distances as well. Due to the relatively small dimensions of local networks, hypocenters (and origin times) determined by a local network might be considered as nearly exact from the point of view of regional-scale CNSN. The comparison of common locations performed by CNSN and by a local network enables us to estimate the accuracy of CNSN locations, as well as to optimize a simple velocity model. The joint interpretation of the CNSN bulletin and the catalogues of four local seismic networks WEBNET, OSTRAVA, KLADNO and LUBIN produced a new ID velocity model. The most frequent epicentral error in this model is less than 5 km, and most foci lie up to 15 km from the true position. The performed analysis indicates bimodal distribution of Sn residuals.     

An inventory of factors that affect polysaccharide production by Phaeocystis globosa

Phaeocystis material contains polysaccharides that are built from at least eight different monosaccharides. Differences have been reported between the carbohydrate composition of different Phaeocystis species, and also between samples taken from Phaeocystis globosa blooms in different areas. In order to elucidate factors that could play a role in determining variation in carbohydrate composition and production, a number of Phaeocystis globosa strains were studied under laboratory conditions. Although there was a clear distinction of a northern and a southern cluster in the Phaeocystis globosa strains based on RAPD analysis, the differences in the composition of the mucopolysaccharides were relatively small. The contribution of glucose, however, ranged from 7–85% of total sugars. A strain that was cultured in seawaters of diverse origin produced polysaccharides of a different composition, suggesting the effect of environmental factors. The presence of bacteria affected neither the amount, nor the composition of the carbohydrates that were produced by Phaeocystis globosa. Glucose is part of both the intracellular polysaccharide pool and of the mucopolysaccharides in the colony matrix. Using specific digestion of the intracellular chrysolaminaran by laminarinase, the distribution of polysaccharides over different pools could be assessed. During growth of an axenic, mucus-producing strain, the portion of glucose present as chrysolaminaran appeared to increase. The polyglucose that was not digested by laminarinase remains unidentified. This study shows that environmental factors rather than strain differences determine differences in the sugar composition of Phaeocystis globosa, especially with respect to the glucose content of the material. A difference in the contribution of glucose could be correlated to the portion of cells in the culture that are not in the colonies. Our study emphasises that for studying polysaccharide dynamics in Phaeocystis globosa it is important to be able to discriminate between the different polysaccharide pools. Preliminary results of an enzymatic approach were promising     

The evolution of the Dutch and Belgian coasts and the role of sand supply from the North Sea

During the Holocene, the Dutch and Belgian coasts evolved, controlled by post-glacial eustatic sea-level rise, spatially varying vertical subsurface motions (glacio-isostatic crustal rebound, compaction, tectonics) and spatially varying sediment supply (mainly marine sand). The marine sand supply changed as the tidal dynamics and the wave climate changed due to the changing geometry and depth of the North Sea during the Holocene transgression. These changes influenced the coastal evolution. This study compares the results of separate numerical model calculations of the large-scale Holocene tide- and wave-induced sand transport in the southern North Sea with existing geological data of the Dutch and Belgian large-scale coastal evolution, resulting in a qualitatively good correlation. The large-scale coastal evolution is interpreted in terms of the oceanographical forcing, and an integrated conceptual model of the Holocene evolution of the Dutch and Belgian coasts is proposed. The large-scale wave-driven bed-load transport was an order of magnitude smaller than the tidal transports. The modelled tidal transport direction changed from onshore before 6 ka BP to along shore at present for the Zeeland and Holland coasts; the influence that waves may have had on the tidal transport by suspending sand gradually decreased. This change in direction caused the modelled tidal sand supply to the coast to decrease for the Belgian, Zeeland and Holland coasts. While the offshore area of the Holland coast remained a zone of (small) deposition due to decreasing northward sand transports, the offshore area of the Zeeland coast became increasingly erosional after 6 ka BP due to the encroaching divergence of the tidal transports. Due to uncertainty in the magnitude of the modelled sand transports, but robustness in the transport patterns, the focus is on the qualitative rather than the quantitative model results. When compared with the trend of closure, expansion and later erosion and reopening of the coast, the above decrease in sand supply must have been slow enough compared with the decrease in sea-level rise to cause a temporary sand surplus which decayed to a slight deficit as the decrease in supply and the rise in sea level continued. The Wadden Sea coast exchanged little or no sand with the adjacent deeper North Sea throughout the Holocene.     

Surface motion in the pulsating DA white dwarf G29‐38

We present time-resolved spectrophotometry of the pulsating DA white dwarf G29-38. As in previous broad-band photometry, the light curve shows the presence of a large number of periodicities. Many of these are combination frequencies, i.e. periodicities occurring at frequencies that are sums or differences of frequencies of stronger, real modes. We identify at least six real modes, and at least five combination frequencies. We measure line-of-sight velocities for our spectra and detect periodic variations at the frequencies of five of the six real modes, with amplitudes of up to 5 km s⁻¹. We argue that these variations reflect the horizontal surface motion associated with the g-mode pulsations. No velocity signals are detected at any of the combination frequencies, confirming that the flux variations at these frequencies do not reflect physical pulsation, but rather reflect mixing of frequencies owing to a non-linear transformation in the outer layers of the star. We discuss the amplitude ratios and phase differences found for the velocity and light variations, as well as those found for the real modes and their combination frequencies, both in a model-independent way and in the context of models based on the convective-driving mechanism. In a companion paper, we use the wavelength dependence of the amplitudes of the modes to infer their spherical degree.