Acoustic and petrophysical relationships in low-shale sandstone reservoir rocks

This paper describes the measurements of the acoustic and petrophysical properties of two suites of low‐shale sandstone samples from North Sea hydrocarbon reservoirs, under simulated reservoir conditions. The acoustic velocities and quality factors of the samples, saturated with different pore fluids (brine, dead oil and kerosene), were measured at a frequency of about 0.8 MHz and over a range of pressures from 5 MPa to 40 MPa. The compressional‐wave velocity is strongly correlated with the shear‐wave velocity in this suite of rocks. The ratio V_P/V_S varies significantly with change of both pore‐fluid type and differential pressure, confirming the usefulness of this parameter for seismic monitoring of producing reservoirs. The results of quality factor measurements were compared with predictions from Biot‐flow and squirt‐flow loss mechanisms. The results suggested that the dominating loss in these samples is due to squirt‐flow of fluid between the pores of various geometries. The contribution of the Biot‐flow loss mechanism to the total loss is negligible. The compressional‐wave quality factor was shown to be inversely correlated with rock permeability, suggesting the possibility of using attenuation as a permeability indicator tool in low‐shale, high‐porosity sandstone reservoirs.     

Structural controls and genesis of epithermal gold-bearing breccias at the Lebong Tandai mine, Western Sumatra, Indonesia

Lebong Tandai is a low-sulphidation, volcanic-hosted epithermal gold deposit of Neogene age, located within the foothills of the Barisan Mountains, Sumatra. To date, the mine has produced approximately 40 tonnes of gold and 400 tonnes of silver. The mineralisation is exclusively in the form of tabular quartz-cemented breccias bodies which are localised along faults. The breccias comprise angular to sub-rounded clasts of the wallrocks and earlier barren breccias cemented by banded or massive quartz, and in many instances, the clasts are supported within the quartz cement.The sulphide minerals occur as either a single cockade band around the clasts in the breccia, or as polymineralic aggregates disseminated throughout the breccia cement. The main precious-metal-bearing phase is electrum, with silver-sulphosalts and silver-tellurides also present. Highly variable concentrations of pyrite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite are associated with the precious-metal phases.With the exception of two minor lodes, the mineralised breccias are localised along strike-slip faults which display changes in orientation indicative of D-, R- and P-shears and T-fractures, with individual segments ranging from a few metres to a few hundred metres in length. Two strike-slip fault systems are recognised, one sinistral, trending east-west and the other dextral, trending northwest, the latter of which is parallel to the Sumatran Fault System. The majority of gold and silver production is from breccias localised along faults formed during the sinistral tectonism. The breccias are believed to have been generated during compressional reactivation of the east-west sinistral strike-slip faults in response to the subduction of the Indian-Australian plate beneath Sumatra. Supralithostatic fluid pressures are a necessary pre-requisite for such reactivation, and the sudden drop in fluid pressure during reactivation is thought to have resulted in both the formation of the breccias by hydraulic fracturing, and the deposition of amorphous silica, precious metals and base metal sulphides. High rates of fluid flow subsequent to fracturing are thought to have led to fluidisation of the breccia clasts and abrasion to their current morphologies.Microthermometry of fluid inclusions in sphalerite indicates that the mineralising fluids were of low salinity, less than 3 wt% NaCl_equivalent, and that mineralisation took place at temperatures of 260–280°C. Variations of salinity and homogenisation temperature due to boiling are poorly developed, although if boiling occurred, the metalliferous minerals would have been deposited early in the boiling process before the fluid had cooled appreciably.     

BrO formation in volcanic plumes

Volcanoes have only recently been recognized as a potentially major source of reactive bromine species to the atmosphere, following from the detection of bromine monoxide (BrO) in the plume emitted by Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat. However, BrO is not expected to be emitted in significant quantity from magma, presenting a puzzle regarding its formation. We report here new field measurements of the tropospheric plume emitted by Mt. Etna, Italy, which provide the first direct evidence of fast oxidation of halogen species in a volcanic plume, and lead to an explanation of how BrO is generated from magmatic HBr emissions. We show that the timescale of BrO formation (a few minutes after emission into the atmosphere) is consistent with rapid heterogeneous halogen chemistry involving sulphate aerosol in the plume. The model highlights considerable complexity to the oxidative chemistry of volcanic plumes.     

Nature, diversity of deposit types and metallogenic relations of South China

The South China Region is rich in mineral resources and has a wide diversity of deposit types. The region has undergone multiple tectonic and magmatic events and related metallogenic processes throughout the earth history. These tectonic and metallogenic processes were responsible for the formation of the diverse styles of base and precious metal deposits in South China making it one of the resource-rich regions in the world. During the Proterozoic, the South China Craton was characterised by rifting of continental margin before eruption of submarine volcanics and development of platform carbonate rocks, and the formation of VHMS, stratabound copper and MVT deposits. The Phanerozoic metallogeny of South China was related to opening and closing of the Tethyan Ocean involving multiple orogenies by subduction, back-arc rifting, arc–continent collision and post-collisional extension during the Indosinian (Triassic), Yanshanian (Jurassic to Cretaceous) and Himalayan (Tertiary) Orogenies. The Late Palaeozoic was a productive metallogenic period for South China resulting from break-up and rifting of Gondwana. Significant stratabound base and precious metal deposits were formed during the Devonian and Carboniferous (e.g., Fankou and Dabaoshan deposits). These Late Palaeozoic SEDEX-style deposits have been often overprinted by skarn systems associated with Yanshanian magmatism (e.g., Chengmenshan, Dongguashan and Qixiashan). A number of Late Palaeozoic to Early Mesozoic VHMS deposits also developed in the Sanjiang fold belt in the western part of South China (e.g., Laochang and Gacun).South China has significant sedimentary rock-hosted Carlin-like deposits, which occur in the Devonian- to Triassic-aged accretionary wedge or rift basins at the margin of the South China Craton. They are present in a region at the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces called the ‘Southern Golden Triangle’, and are also present in NW Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi, in an area known as the ‘Northern Golden Triangle’ of China. These deposits are mostly epigenetic hydrothermal micron-disseminated gold deposits with associated As, Hg, Sb + Tl mineralisation similar to Carlin-type deposits in USA. The important deposits in the Southern Golden Triangle are Jinfeng (Lannigou), Zimudang, Getang, Yata and Banqi in Guizhou Province, and the Jinya and Gaolong deposits in Guangxi District. The most important deposits in the Northern Golden Triangle are the Dongbeizhai and Qiaoqiaoshang deposits.Many porphyry-related polymetallic copper–lead–zinc and gold skarn deposits occur in South China. These deposits are related to Indosinian (Triassic) and Yanshanian (Jurassic to Cretaceous) magmatism associated with collision of the South China and North China Cratons and westward subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific Plate. Most of these deposits are distributed along the Lower to Middle Yangtze River metallogenic belt. The most significant deposits are Tonglushan, Jilongshan, Fengshandong, Shitouzui and Jiguanzui. Au–(Ag–Mo)-rich porphyry-related Cu–Fe skarn deposits are also present (Chengmenshan and Wushan in Jiangxi Province and Xinqiao, Mashan-Tianmashan, Shizishan and Huangshilaoshan in Anhui Province). The South China fold belt extending from Fujian to Zhejiang Provinces is characterised by well-developed Yanshanian intrusive to subvolcanic rocks associated with porphyry to epithermal type mineralisation and mesothermal vein deposits. The largest porphyry copper deposit in China, Dexing, occurs in Jiangxi Province and is hosted by Yanshanian granodiorite. The high-sulphidation epithermal system occurs at the Zijinshan district in Fujian Province and epithermal to mesothermal vein-type deposits are also found in the Zhejiang Province (e.g., Zhilingtou). Part of Shandong Province is located at the northern margin of the South China Craton and the province has unique world class granite-hosted orogenic gold deposits. Occurrences of Pt–Pd–Ni–Cu–Co are found in Permian-aged Emeishan continental flood basalt (ECFB) in South China (Jinbaoshan and Baimazhai in Yunnan Province and Yangliuping in Sichuan Province). South China also has major vein-type tungsten–tin–bismuth–beryllium–sulphide and REE deposits associated with Yanshanian magmatism (e.g., Shizhuyuan and Xihuashan), important world class stratabound base metal–tin deposits (Dachang deposit), and the large antimony deposits (Xikuangshan and Woxi). During the Himalayan Orogeny, many giant deposits were formed in South China including the recently emerging Yulong and Gangdese porphyry copper belts in Tibet and the Ailaoshan orogenic gold deposits in Yunnan.     

Sulfur dioxide emissions and degassing behavior of Erebus volcano,Antarctica

Emission rates of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) were measured at Erebus volcano, Antarctica in December between 1992 and 2005. Since 1992 SO₂ emissions rates are normally distributed with a mean of 61 ± 27 Mg d^− 1 (0.7 ± 0.3 kg s^− 1) (n = 8064). The emission rates vary over minutes, hours, days and years. Hourly and daily variations often show systematic and cyclic trends. Long-wavelength, large amplitude trends appear related to lava lake area and both are likely controlled by processes occurring at depth. Time series analysis of continuous sequences of measurements obtained over periods of several hours reveals periodicity in SO₂ output ranging from 10 to 360 min, with a 10 min cycle being the most dominant. Closed and open-system degassing models are considered to explain observed variable degassing rates. Closed-system degassing is possible as rheological stiffening and stick/slip may occur within the system. However, the timescales represented in these models do not fit observations made on Erebus. Open-system degassing and convection fits the observations collected as the presented models were developed for a system similar to Erebus in terms of degassing, eruptive activity and process repose time. We show that with the observed emission rate (0.71 kg s^− 1) and a crystal content of 30%, magma will cool 65 °C to match observed heat fluxes; this cooling is sufficient enough to drive convection.     

A hybrid measurement approach for close-range photogrammetry

Full automation in close-range photogrammetric measurement has long been a practical reality. However, constraints apply to the process such that automated 3D measurement is generally confined to targeted points in an environment of controlled illumination. The ready availability of consumer-grade digital cameras has made photogrammetric measurement accessible and more widely employed for a host of new applications, the majority of which call for 3D measurement of other than signalized object features. Process automation is therefore typically precluded. This paper discusses a hybrid measurement approach which involves fully automatic network orientation with targets, while at the same time supporting follow-up semi-automatic and manual operations such as feature point and line extraction and surface measurement via image matching. The topics discussed include camera calibration, the metric exploitation of colour attributes, issues related to image point correspondence determination, operator assisted feature measurement and surface extraction. All are important to the practical realisation of the hybrid measurement approach.     

A refined model for spinning dust radiation

We present a comprehensive treatment of the spectrum of electric dipole emission from spinning dust grains, updating the commonly used model of Draine & Lazarian. Grain angular velocity distributions are computed using the Fokker–Planck equation; we revisit the drift and diffusion coefficients for the major torques on the grain, including collisions, grain-plasma interactions and infrared emission. We use updated grain optical properties and size distributions. The theoretical formalism is implemented in the companion code, spdust , which is publicly available. The effect of some environmental and grain parameters on the emissivity is shown and analysed.