Heavy Oil and Oil (Tar) Sands in North America: An Overview & Summary of Contributions

As conventional oil and gas reservoirs become depleted other unconventional energy sources have to be recovered and produced. Four of the major unconventional resources that are strategic for North American interests are heavy oil, oil sands, oil shales, and coal-bed methane. Recent interest and activity in Canada’s vast oil sands are progressing rapidly as soaring oil prices are fueling a ‘gold rush’ in oil sands development in Alberta. This interest is evident by the record-number of oil sands and heavy oil presentations at Energy Minerals Division (EMD)-sponsored sessions at the 2004 and 2005 Annual Conventions of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), held in Dallas, TX and Calgary, AB.     

Contrasting behaviour of trace metals in the Scheldt estuary in 1978 compared to recent years

Dissolved and particulate trace metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe and Mn) measured at six stations along the Scheldt estuary in October/November 1978 are compared with more recent data. Based on Ca content in the suspended matter, three distinct geochemical regions could be distinguished: the upper estuary (salinity 1–7) dominated by fluvial mud, mid-estuary (salinity 7–17) where the composition of the suspended matter remained relatively constant, and the lower estuary where marine mud prevailed. Re-suspension of sediments is the major factor controlling the composition of the particles in the upstream region. Anoxic conditions prevailed in the upper part of the estuary extending to a salinity of 15 in 1978, while at present the seaward boundary of the anoxic water body is located at less saline waters. Furthermore, the present-day metal load is much lower than in 1978. As a consequence of the changed situation, maxima in dissolved concentrations of redox-sensitive metals in the mid/lower estuary have moved as well, which affects the trace metal re-distribution pattern. In the anoxic zone, exchange processes between dissolved and particulate metal fractions were strongly redox regulated, with Fe and Mn as excellent examples. Iron was removed from the dissolved phase in the early stages of mixing resulting in an increase in the suspended particulate matter of the leachable ‘non-residual' Fe fraction from 2 to 3.5%. Due to its slower kinetics, removal of Mn from solution occurred in mid-estuary where oxygen concentrations increased. Cu, Cd and Zn on the contrary were mobilised from the suspended particles during estuarine mixing. External inputs of Pb, and to a lesser extent of Cu, in the lower estuary resulted in the increase of their particulate and the dissolved concentrations. Calculated K_d (distribution coefficient) values were used to assess the redistribution between the dissolved and particulate phase of the investigated metals. Due to the existence of the anoxic water body in the upper estuary, the importance of redox processes in determining the K_d values could be demonstrated. The sequence of K_d values in the upper estuary (Fe, Cd, Zn, Pb > Cu > Ni, Mn) is significantly different from that in the lower estuary (Fe > Mn > Pb, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd). Thus, in such a dynamic estuary single metal-specific K_d values cannot be used to describe redistribution processes.     

Contrasting morphological trends of islands in Central Philippines: Speculation on their origin

Abstract The Palawan microcontinental block collided with the Philippine Mobile Belt in the Central Philippine region resulting in the counterclockwise rotation of Mindoro– Marinduque and clockwise rotation of Panay. The collision also brought about the clockwise rotation of north-east Negros, Cebu, north-west Masbate and Bohol (collectively called the Western Visayan block), resulting into their present-day northeast–southwest trend. This suggests a far more dramatic role of the collision than was previously recognized. Furthermore, the south-east Sulu Sea sub-basin is inferred to have also undergone collision-related clockwise rotation which can account for the observed east-west trending magnetic lineations in the basin. Aside from explaining the contrasting morphological trends of the different islands in Central Philippines, the rotation can also explain, albeit in a different way, how the belts of sedimentary basins, ophiolites and arcs in Panay and Negros can extend to Northern Luzon. Published paleomagnetic data suggest that the collision-related rotation commenced during the early to middle Miocene and had ceased by the late Miocene.     

腾格里沙漠区盐湖物质成分研究

腾格里沙漠面积广阔 ,区内分布着数十个盐湖 ,盐湖面积大的为十余平方千米 ,小的仅为 0 .0 18km2 。盐湖卤水主要为湖表卤水 ,其矿化度较高 ,大部分盐湖卤水含盐量已达饱和 ,因而进入了自析盐阶段。盐湖卤水化学成分以 Na+ 、K+ 、Cl-、SO4 2 -、HCO3 -、CO3 2 -为主 ,占卤水总含盐量的 99% ,卤水中还有 B2 O3 、L i、I、Br等微量元素。盐湖盐类沉积有碳酸盐类、硫酸盐类和氯化物型盐类、主要盐类矿物为芒硝、钾芒硝、天然碱、泡碱、碳钾钠矾、石盐等。盐湖粘土矿物组合以蒙脱石的普遍存在为特征 ,含有少量的伊利石和水云母。     

甘露醇对石墨存在下Cs2BO2^＋离子热电离质谱法测定硼同位素的影响

对石墨涂样检测Ｃｓ２ＢＯ２＾＋离子条件下甘露醇对硼同位素测定的影响进行了研究,结果表明在甘露醇存在下＾１１Ｂ／＾１０Ｂ比值明显高于只有石墨存在时的比值。硼－甘露醇络合物的形成可能改变了Ｃｓ２Ｂ０２＾＋－石墨方法的电离和蒸发条件。     

Statistics of mesoscale cyclonic Eddies over the Black Sea

On the basis of the results obtained by using the PRECIS regional climate model with high space resolution (25 km), we study the mesoscale specific features of the atmospheric circulation in the Black-Sea region for a period of 30 yr. To separate and trace the subsynoptic eddies, we use a method based on the Okubo–Weiss criterion. Several types of cyclonic eddies are selected and described: winter Caucasian coastal eddies, summer Caucasian separated eddies, cyclonic eddies of the open sea, and seldom quasitropical cyclones. For various types of eddies, we present the statistics of their lifetime and intensity and the histograms of diurnal and seasonal cycles.     

Behaviour of rare earth elements during hydrothermal alteration at the Buena Esperanza copper-silver deposit, northern Chile

A study of the REE behaviour in alteration zones of the Buena Esperanza subvolcanic CuAg deposit, located in the Coastal Range of northern Chile, reveals that the elements are mobile in the rocks during alteration. The ore-forming process developed in three different stages of alteration-mineralization.

The hydrothermal alteration of the early and middle stages affected basaltic fragments of a breccia pipe. La and Ce were leached from the rock fragments located at the bottom and at the middle part of the breccia pipe and partly redeposited at the top during alteration. Sm, Eu and Tb were released selectively and the heavy REE behaved as relatively immobile elements. Sericite is the most important alteration mineral for fixing the REE during this stage. The incoming fluids had low REE contents.

The late stage of hydrothermal alteration happened simultaneously with the intrusion of a gabbroic volcanic neck, affecting mainly these subvolcanic rocks. REE patterns of samples from the top and bottom of the alteration zone exhibit roughly parallel trends, but are systematically enriched in REE in comparison to unaltered samples. This enrichment seems to be more intensive at the top of the altered area coinciding with the enrichment of Rb, K and Cu in these rocks. Epidote plays the most important role for fixing this hydrothermal input of REE during the latest stage of alteration.     

Geographical information systems and planning in the USA: selected municipal adoption trends and educational concerns

Abstract

Practitioners and academics from many fields of study are currently facing numerous issues involving the diffusion of technologies from geographical information systems within their respective professions. This paper has two aims. The first is to report the partial results of a postal survey of selected municipal planning departments in the U.S.A. In measuring trends related to the adoption of computer and geographical information system technologies, the survey focuses on the availability of trained geographical information system and computer literate staff and on alternative means of training existing staff, as well as on the adequacy of collegiate education. The presentation of survey results is used to establish a framework for the principal discussion of this paper. The second part examines the relationship between planning and education in geographical information systems. Parallels within other disciplines and professions are derived. Curricula and training considerations within academic programmes and professional practice are suggested.