Measurement of platform conductor preload in streamlining the life extensions of ageing offshore wells

The life extension of ageing oil wells is becoming an ever more crucial part of an operator's activities in recent years, mainly due to slumping oil price which discourages new exploration and the potential extended operation of some older fields with sufficient producing capacity still remaining. The conductor forms one of the primary structural components of wells and its deterioration over time warrants immediate integrity assessment and rehabilitation plans. The construction residual loading or preloads on the conductor are calculated as per standard guidelines and by analytical means during its design and installation phase, but may not be realistic when assessing aged conductors, due to the high levels of over-conservatism built in to address the various uncertainties during the well drilling phase, hence a more practical means of evaluating this residual load is required in carrying out the integrity assessments. This article presents the novel use of ultrasonic based non-destructive technique (NDT) to measure the conductor preload by observing the travel time of the longitudinal critical refracted (LCR) waves and employing the acoustoelastic method to determine the structural stresses. The measurement of the time of flight (TOF) of this wave component is evaluated from the signals measurement under a range of preload stresses induced into the specimen, and the acoustoelastic calibration curve is obtained as a result, for various section geometries and dimensions. Numerical analyses are also carried out to correlate and validate the magnitude order of the acoustoelastic constant of typical conductor steel grade (grade-B). These are in good agreement with each other and can be a very reliable tool for the on-site preload measurements during oil well integrity assessment. This measurement of conductor preload results in minimising any associated uncertainties, assumptions and the corresponding over-conservatisms carried over from the design stage, hence streamlining the repair and rehabilitation strategies to the most critical well-conductor groups in the field, thus significantly reducing the costs and resources for operators in extending life of aged wells.     

Evolution history of transtensional pull-apart,oblique rift basin and its implication on hydrocarbon exploration: A case study from Sufyan Sub-basin,Muglad Basin,Sudan

Sufyan Sub-basin is an East-West trending Sub-basin located in the northwestern part of the Muglad Basin (Sudan), in the eastern extension of the West and Central Africa Rift System (WCARS). The trend of the Sufyan Sub-basin (E-W) is different from the general trend of Muglad Basin (NW-SE) and similar to Baggara basin in the west of Sudan and other basins in east Chad. The unique E-W trend, suggests that this Sub-basin originated by a mechanism different from Muglad Basin that is considered more extensional in origin. Five regional seismic lines are included to illustrate the structural and stratigraphic variation across the Sub-basin. Fault polygons maps for six horizons, four isopach maps, five cross-sections, and two associated kinematic models are presented in this study. Sufyan Sub-basin is characterized by rhombic geometry with three boundary faults; two of those faults exhibit dextral strike slip movement, with two depocenters at the western and eastern segments of the southern fault. Structural interpretation of Sufyan Sub-basin based on 2D seismic data highlights the style of strike-slip related structure. Negative flower structures, en-echelon faults, and rhombic geometry all suggest a significant component of a pull-apart transtensional movement in Sufyan Sub-basin. Other alternative scenarios for evolutionary history and the forming mechanism were introduced such as the oblique extension model. The Sufyan Sub-basin is believed to be highly affected by the Central African Shear Zone (CASZ). In this study, several transtension and oblique rift related features interpreted from Bouguer gravity map and seismic data are briefly described and illustrated. Based on this study, the favorable areas for hydrocarbon accumulation are the areas of flower structure and the areas that near to the two depocenters that controlled by the southern boundary fault.     

西南三江成矿带中段羊拉铜矿体南延问题研究与找矿预测

羊拉铜矿是金沙江成矿带内规模最大的铜矿床。文章在大量分析研究前人在该区已有工作成果的基础上,综合分析羊拉铜矿区及其南部地区已有地表工程及深部工程成果,从地层、构造、岩浆岩、地球物理、地球化学特征及遥感影像特征等方面对羊拉铜矿及其南部通吉格-虽丁-加仁地区铜矿床(点)成矿地质特征进行对比研究,认为羊拉铜矿体往南进行了延伸。同时通过对羊拉铜矿以南地区铜矿床(点)成矿条件、控矿因素和矿化分布特征等进行总结,初步建立了羊拉铜矿以南地区铜矿体成矿模式,并依据成矿模式和地质条件进行了找矿预测,提出了格日-通吉格找矿靶区及虽丁-加仁找矿靶区。     

反馈地震计低频扩展方法研究

根据反馈地震计的反馈模型推导传递函数,并将其频率特征分解为低频端和高频端两部分。基于反馈模型中低频端频率特性的二阶高通滤波器传递函数,提出低频截止频率扩展的方法,包括降低机械固有角频率ω0、增加摆的质量m、降低灵敏度Sv、增大反馈线圈阻值或减少线径、选用更高电阻率的线圈材料、使用更弱的磁场。通过井下反馈地震计实验,验证了其低频端扩展与理论推导的一致性。     

华北克拉通北缘及邻区印支期岩浆活动与钼和金成矿作用

对华北克拉通北缘及邻区19处钼矿床和5处金矿床的产出环境、形成时代和成矿机理及其与印支期侵入岩的关系进行了讨论。尽管各个矿床所处的地理位置不同,但是它们大都在前寒武纪或早古生代地层中产出,并且与印支期侵入岩具有密切的时空分布关系。印支期钼矿床的形成作用可以从早三叠世一直持续到晚三叠世,大规模成矿作用高峰期为230~220 Ma。相比之下,金矿床的形成时间明显早于钼矿床,同位素年龄数据集中分布在245~239 Ma。研究结果表明,自早三叠世开始,华北克拉通北缘及邻区曾发生过多期大规模伸展构造作用,并且形成若干条近东西向展布的裂陷带。张裂构造作用所诱发的富碱性岩浆作用及相关流体活动为钼或金矿床的形成提供了动力和物质来源,因此,印支期侵入岩发育区是寻找隐伏钼或金矿床的有利地区。     

一种去除地震背景噪音的新方法

结合希尔伯特-黄变换方法,根据信号背景噪音时间延续性假设,提出了一种自适应地震信号去噪算法。利用该算法实现了台站地震监测信号的去噪分析。分析表明：1）该去噪算法能根据背景信号特性有效去除信号的低频干扰;2）该算法可自适应完成信号分解去噪,计算效率高,无时间分辨率和频率分辨率问题;3）该算法处理高频干扰存在缺陷,有待进一步完善。     

基于城市扩张的土地储备数量预测研究——以南京市区为例

土地储备数量是土地储备制度运行中的主要问题,受到国内业界的广泛关注。新增土地储备与城市扩张有着密切的联系,通过SLEUTH元胞自动机模型,用1947年, 1978年, 1990年, 2000年和2005年5个年度城市土地利用变化的遥感影像图,模拟南京未来城市扩张,并结合历年来南京新增储备土地占城市扩张总量经验值比例,得出了新增储备量的测算结果,为测算南京市区土地储备量提供了借鉴方案。该方法不仅在量上可得出增量储备的结果,而且通过GIS空间分析的方法,与未来城市规划的土地利用规划图进行空间叠合,可以初步明确储备的增量分布方案,对土地储备工作具有现实的指导意义。     

多效唑对多年生黑麦草扩展性和根系特性的影响

在盆栽条件下研究了多效唑对多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne.L)单株扩展性和根系特性的影响,以期为多效唑在多年生黑麦草草坪的养护管理中提供依据。结果表明,在100～1 900 mg·L-1质量浓度范围内,多效唑能有效抑制多年生黑麦草植株的生长、地上枝叶的水平扩展、地上植物量的积累和根系的垂直生长,促进分蘖。质量浓度大于400 mg·L-1时对地上植物量积累的抑制趋缓,大于700 mg·L-1时对最大扩展距离和根系生长的抑制作用减缓,大于1 000 mg·L-1时对株高的抑制趋缓,大于1 300 mg·L-1时覆盖面积的减小趋缓。分蘖数、根系表面积和体积、地下植物量随多效唑质量浓度的增加呈先增加后减小的趋势,1 300 mg·L-1质量浓度处理均达最大值。从扩展性评价结果看,地上枝叶扩展性随多效唑质量浓度的增加而减弱,但质量浓度大于700 mg·L-1时减弱趋缓;地下根系扩展性随多效唑质量浓度的增加呈先增强后减弱的趋势,1 300 mg·L-1质量浓度对地下扩展最为有利;综合扩展性总体呈随多效唑质量浓度的增加而减弱的趋势。     

北京西山东狼沟组钾质火山岩成因及其动力学机制

北京西山东狼沟组火山岩为钾质系列岩石(K2O=3.40%～4.70%,K20/Na20＞1),由玄武质粗安岩和粗安岩组成.它们表现出LREE富集[(La/Yb)N=31.4～44.6]和HREE弱分馏[(Dy/Yb)N=1.64～2.01]的REE分布模式,Eu表现出弱的负异常(Eu/Eu*=0.81～0.86),富集Ba、K、LREE和相对亏损Nb-Ta、Th-U.较高的Sr[(87Sr/86Sr)i=0.705 7～0.705 9]和低Nd[δNd(t)=-14.7～-12.4],类似于辽西义县组和华北陆内同时代的EM I型基性火成岩.其Th-U相对Ba、La的强烈亏损,暗示早期可能有华北古老的下地壳再循环进入源区.结合区域构造研究,东狼沟组火山岩可能为陆内伸展拉张环境下早期交代富集的岩石圈地幔部分熔融作用的产物,并在岩浆演化过程中经历了橄榄石 辉石 斜长石的分离结晶作用.     

K-Ar Geochronology of Mesozoic Mafic Dikes in Shandong Province, Eastern China: Implications for Crustal Extension

Based on K-Ar isotope analyses, Mesozoic mafic (and alkali ultramafic) dikes from western and eastern Shandong Province, China, are dated at 88.2±1.70 Ma to 169.5±3.7 Ma with the majority of ages ranging from 90 Ma to 140 Ma. The emplacement of the dikes suggests a major Yanshanian (Cretaceous) crustal extension in Shandong province. Together with other available age data, this study suggests four periods of crustal extension at about 80 Ma, 100 Ma, 120 Ma and 140 Ma, respectively. Besides the effect of collapse of the Yanshanian orogenic belt on the emplacement of the mafic dikes in Shandong in the Cretaceous, the mantle plume and the extensive left-lateral advection and extension of the Tanlu fault also have controlled the crustal extension and the emplacement of the mafic dikes in eastern Shandong and western Shandong, respectively.