Controls on reservoir heterogeneity of tight sand oil reservoirs in Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation in Longdong Area,southwest Ordos Basin,China: Implications for reservoir quality prediction and oil accumulation

Compared to conventional reservoirs, pore structure and diagenetic alterations of unconventional tight sand oil reservoirs are highly heterogeneous. The Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation is a major tight-oil-bearing formation in the Ordos Basin, providing an opportunity to study the factors that control reservoir heterogeneity and the heterogeneity of oil accumulation in tight oil sandstones.The Chang 8 tight oil sandstone in the study area is comprised of fine-to medium-grained, moderately to well-sorted lithic arkose and feldspathic litharenite. The reservoir quality is extremely heterogeneous due to large heterogeneities in the depositional facies, pore structures and diagenetic alterations. Small throat size is believed to be responsible for the ultra-low permeability in tight oil reservoirs. Most reservoirs with good reservoir quality, larger pore-throat size, lower pore-throat radius ratio and well pore connectivity were deposited in high-energy environments, such as distributary channels and mouth bars. For a given depositional facies, reservoir quality varies with the bedding structures. Massive- or parallel-bedded sandstones are more favorable for the development of porosity and permeability sweet zones for oil charging and accumulation than cross-bedded sandstones.Authigenic chlorite rim cementation and dissolution of unstable detrital grains are two major diagenetic processes that preserve porosity and permeability sweet zones in oil-bearing intervals. Nevertheless, chlorite rims cannot effectively preserve porosity-permeability when the chlorite content is greater than a threshold value of 7%, and compaction played a minor role in porosity destruction in the situation. Intensive cementation of pore-lining chlorites significantly reduces reservoir permeability by obstructing the pore-throats and reducing their connectivity. Stratigraphically, sandstones within 1 m from adjacent sandstone-mudstone contacts are usually tightly cemented (carbonate cement > 10%) with low porosity and permeability (lower than 10% and 0.1 mD, respectively). The carbonate cement most likely originates from external sources, probably derived from the surrounding mudstone. Most late carbonate cements filled the previously dissolved intra-feldspar pores and the residual intergranular pores, and finally formed the tight reservoirs.The petrophysical properties significantly control the fluid flow capability and the oil charging/accumulation capability of the Chang 8 tight sandstones. Oil layers usually have oil saturation greater than 40%. A pore-throat radius of less than 0.4 μm is not effective for producible oil to flow, and the cut off of porosity and permeability for the net pay are 7% and 0.1 mD, respectively.     

A late Holocene winter monsoon record inferred from the palaeo-aeolian sand dune in the southeastern Mu Us Desert, northern China

The variation of the Asian winter monsoonal strength has seriously affected the climate and environmental conditions in the Asian monsoonal region, and even in marginal islands and the ocean in the East Asian region. However, relevant understanding remains unclear due to the lack of suitable geological materials and effective proxies in the key study areas. Here, we present a grain-size record derived from the palaeo-aeolian sand dune in the southeastern Mu Us Desert, together with other proxies and OSL dating, which reflect a relatively detailed history of the winter monsoon and abrupt environmental events during the past 4.2 ka. Our grain-size standard deviation model indicated that >224 μm content can be considered as an indicator of the intensity of Asian winter monsoon, and it shows declined around 4.2-2.1 ka, enhanced but unstable in 2.1-0.9 ka, and obviously stronger since then. In addition, several typical climate events were also documented, forced by the periodic variation of winter monsoonal intensity. These include the cold intervals of 4.2, 2.8, 1.4 ka, and the Little Ice Age (LIA), and relatively warm sub-phases around 3.0, 2.1, 1.8 ka, and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), which were roughly accordant with the records of the aeolian materials, peat, stalagmites, ice cores, and sea sediments in various latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Combined with the previous progresses of the Asian summer monsoon, we preliminarily confirmed a millennial-scale anti-correlation of Asian winter and summer monsoons in the Late Holocene epoch. This study suggests that the evolution of the palaeo-aeolian sand dune has the potential for comprehending the history of Asian monsoon across the desert regions of the modern Asian monsoonal margin in northern China.     

Effects of Mudstone Particle Content on Shear Strength of a Crushed Sandstone–Mudstone Particle Mixture

The present study focuses on the shear strength, deformation, and particle crushing of sand which is mixed by crushed sandstone and mudstone particles. Two triaxial tests—one for unsaturated specimens and the other for saturated specimens—were performed, along with sieve analysis tests. Results obtained from the triaxial tests indicate that, with the increment of the mudstone particle content by weight, the angle of internal friction decreases, the cohesion increases and then decreases, and both the initial angle of shearing resistance at the atmospheric pressure and decremental angle increase and then decrease. Compared to the unsaturated specimens, the deviator stress or normalized deviator stress of the saturated specimens at the same axial stress may decrease due to the wetting action. Thus, the shear strength of the tested materials may be reduced by the wetting action. Results of sieve analysis tests indicate that the mixing of some mudstone particles into the sandstone particle mixture may reduce the amount of particle crushing, but the wetting action may increase the amount. The amount of the crushed particle may arrive at a minimum of 40% of mudstone particle content by weight.     

Laboratory Study for Influence of Clay Content (CC) on Wave-Induced Liquefaction in Marine Sediments

In this artice, the influence of clay content on the wave-induced liquefaction in marine sediments was reported. The one-dimensional (1-D) equipment was setup with a vertical cylinder and 1.8–m–thick clayey sandy deposit and 0.2–m–thick water above the deposit. Unlike the previous experimental study for a single soil layer, this study used sand-kaolin mixtures, sand-illite mixtures, and sand-bentonite mixtures as the experimental samples. A series of experiments with 3,000 wave cycles in each test were conducted under numerous wave and soil conditions, which allowed us to examine the influence of clay content (CC) on wave-induced liquefaction in marine sediments. The experimental results showed that the clayey sandy deposit will become prone to liquefaction with the increase of CC when CC is less than a critical value, which depends on the type of clay. However, when CC is greater than the critical value, liquefaction depth will decrease as CC increases. Furthermore, when the CC value reaches a certain level, liquefaction will not occur. For example, no liquefaction occurs when CC ≥ 33% for both kaolin-sand and illite-sand mixtures and CC ≥ 16.36% for bentonite-sand mixtures.     

Unconsolidated sediment distribution patterns in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight,South Africa: the role of wave ravinement in separating relict versus active sediment populations

This paper examines the distribution of unconsolidated sediment in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight located along the east coast of South Africa. Results show that there is a general shelf-wide sediment distribution of coarser grain sizes between depths of 60 and 100?m, punctuated by a broad swathe of mud offshore of the Thukela River. Seasonal changes in sediment distribution patterns are small, being restricted to seaward fining on the inner shelf off the fluvial sources. Sediment distribution reflects a partitioning between sediment populations that are current- influenced and relict (palimpsest) populations associated with submerged shorelines. Wave ravinement during the deglacial transgression, the reworking of submerged shorelines during sea-level stillstands and, to a lesser extent, the Agulhas Current system, are the dominant controls on sediment distribution.     

Magnetic measurements in electrical prospecting by resistivity methods

The electrical resistivity and induced polarization (IP) methods are widely used in geological mapping, prospecting and exploration of mineral deposits, engineering geology, hydrogeology, archaeology, and geotechnical and environmental applications. Historically, these methods have formed the basis of the electrical prospecting technique. In these methods, a DC or low-frequency AC electrical current is introduced into the earth through a grounded transmitter line. The measured quantity is the electric field. However, if the earth’s resistivity or chargeability changes horizontally, this change gives rise to an anomalous magnetic field, which is studied by the magnetometric resistivity (MMR) and magnetic induced polarization (MIP) methods, respectively. Along with advantages, some shortcomings are inherent in the MMR and MIP techniques. Apparently, the main drawback of these methods is that the magnetic fields of both the transmitter line wire and ground electrodes on the surface are several orders of magnitude greater than the anomalous magnetic field response. This introduces a significant “noise” to magnetic-resistivity data. We investigate the potential of using a circular electric dipole (CED) in magnetometric resistivity techniques. It has been found that the application of a CED, instead of a conventional transmitter line, dramatically enhances the signal-to-noise ratio.     

Foundations of petroleum prediction based on the activation of geochemical processes by direct current

Petroleum prediction in local objects and the applicability of geologic environment parameters in this regard are considered. The proposed guidelines for petroleum potential prediction are based on the analysis of the distribution of typomorphic epigenetic multivalent elements loosely fixed in rocks before and after electric current treatment. The advantage of geoelectrochemical methods providing data on the chemical composition of above-productive deposits is demonstrated.     

风积沙环境下高等级公路冻土块石路基降温性能分析

青藏高原脆弱的生态系统以及人类工程活动,加剧了青藏工程走廊线性工程两侧沙漠化、荒漠化发展趋势,尤其冻土块石路基面临日益严重的风积沙灾害问题。以多年冻土区高等级公路块石路基为研究对象,采用数值模拟分析风积沙环境下封闭块石路基的降温性能和长期热稳定性。结果表明：风积沙堆积对封闭块石路基下部土层冻土温度的影响程度高于冻土上限,1.0 m湿沙工况降低冻土温度,0.2 m干沙则增大冻土温度。升温背景下,随年平均气温增加风沙堆积对路基冻土上限影响程度增强,干沙增大冻土融化深度,湿沙抬升冻土上限。随冻土含冰量减小,路基中心冻土上限对气候升温敏感性增加,风沙堆积影响减弱。气候升温和风沙堆积条件下,在年平均气温低于-5.5℃时,宽幅沥青路面封闭块石路基能够满足降温要求,使人为冻土上限保持在块石层内。研究成果可为风沙危害区多年冻土块石路基的病害治理和拟建青藏高速公路块石路基设计提供科学依据。     

三峡库区四方碑滑坡稳定性与变形趋势预测

三峡水库建成后,库水位周期性涨落和暴雨产生的渗流作用导致大量古滑坡的复活或新滑坡的发生。以库区近水平层状结构的四方碑滑坡为例,依据库水位实际调动,将水位从175 m至145 m不同降速与50年一遇暴雨进行工况组合,计算4种工况下滑坡的稳定性及破坏概率。然后采用Geo-studio软件的Sigma模块对滑坡进行变形模拟,运用R/S分析方法判断滑坡的变形持续性,并结合野外调查情况,综合评价分析四方碑滑坡的稳定性。结果表明:滑坡在各工况下整体均处于基本稳定状态,具有低危险性;变形模拟结果显示滑坡前缘位移最大,与野外调查情况一致;各监测点Hurst指数均介于0.5~1,表明时间序列具有正持续性,在研究的时间限度内滑坡的局部破坏增强,应在汛期加强对滑坡前缘的巡查和预警。     

六种成膜封堵剂的室内实验优选与评价

为更好地服务深部钻探工程,准确了解冲洗液封堵性能,对6种成膜封堵剂开展了砂床实验、API静失水量实验、流变性能实验及抗温实验等室内实验进行优选与评价。实验结果表明,2号和4号成膜封堵剂在6种成膜封堵剂中封堵性能最好,它们在基浆中的最优加量均为2%,100 ℃温度条件下加入这2种封堵剂的冲洗液具有较好的抗温性能;冲洗液中膨润土含量和处理剂是影响冲洗液封堵性能的2个重要因素：膨润土含量越高,冲洗液封堵性能越好,加入聚合物、降滤失剂等处理剂可以提高冲洗液的封堵性能。砂床实验是评价冲洗液封堵性能好坏的重要依据。