Microstructural characteristics of the Whitby Mudstone Formation (UK)

When trying to improve gas productivity from unconventional sources a first aim is to understand gas storage and gas flow potential through the rock by investigating the microstructure, mineralogy and matrix porosity of unfractured shale. The porosity and mineralogy of the Mulgrave Shale member of the Whitby Mudstone Formation (UK) were characterized using a combination of microscopy, X-ray diffraction and gas adsorption methods on samples collected from outcrops. The Whitby Mudstone is an analogue for the Dutch Posidonia Shale which is a possible unconventional source for gas. The Mulgrave shale member of the Whitby Mudstone Formation can microstructurally be subdivided into a fossil rich (>15%) upper half and a sub-mm mineralogically laminated lower half. All clasts are embedded within a fine-grained matrix (all grains < 2 μm) implying that any possible flow of gas will depend on the porosity and the pore network present within this matrix. The visible SEM porosity (pore diameter > 100 nm) is in the order of 0.5–2.5% and shows a non-connected pore network in 2D. Gas adsorption (N2, Ar, He) porosity (pore diameters down to 2 nm) has been measured to be 0.3–7%. Overall more than 40% of the visible porosity is present within the matrix. Comparing the Whitby Mudstone Formation to other (producing) gas shales shows that the rock plots in the low porosity and high clay mineral content range, which could imply that Whitby Mudstone shales could be less favourable to mechanical fracturing than other gas shales. Estimated permeability indicates values in the micro-to nano-darcy range.     

Investigation of gas content of organic-rich shale:A case study from Lower Permian shale in southern North China Basin,central China

Measuring gas content is an essential step in estimating the commerciality of gas reserves. In this study,eight shale core samples from the Mouye-1 well were measured using a homemade patented gas desorption apparatus to determine their gas contents. Due to the air contamination that is introduced into the desorption canister, a mathematical method was devised to correct the gas quantity and quality.Compared to the chemical compositions of desorbed gas, the chemical compositions of residual gas are somewhat different. In residual gas, carbon dioxide and nitrogen record a slight increase, and propane is first observed. This phenomenon may be related to the exposure time during the transportation of shale samples from the drilling site to the laboratory, as well as the differences in the mass, size and adsorptivity of different gas molecules. In addition to a series of conventional methods, including the USBM direct method and the Amoco Curve Fit(ACF) method, which were used here for lost gas content estimation, a Modified Curve Fit(MCF) method, based on the 'bidisperse' diffusion model, was established to estimate lost gas content. By fitting the ACF and MCF models to gas desorption data, we determined that the MCF method could reasonably describe the gas desorption data over the entire time period, whereas the ACF method failed. The failure of the ACF method to describe the gas desorption process may be related to its restrictive assumption of a single pore size within shale samples. In comparison to the indirect method, this study demonstrates that none of the three methods studied in this investigation(USBM, ACF and MCF) could individually estimate the lost gas contents of all shale samples and that the proportion of free gas relative to total gas has a significant effect on the estimation accuracy of the selected method. When the ratio of free gas to total gas is lower than 45%, the USBM method is the best for estimating the lost gas content, whereas when the ratio ranges from 45% to 75% or is more than 75%, the ACF and MCF methods, are the best options respectively.     

Multi-factor sensitivity analysis on the stability of submarine hydrate-bearing slope

There are many factors affecting the instability of the submarine hydrate-bearing slope (SHBS), and the interaction with hydrate is very complicated. In this paper, the mechanical mechanism of the static liquefaction and instability of submarine slope caused by the dissociation of natural gas hydrate (NGH) resulting in the rapid increase of pore pressure of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) and the decrease of effective stress are analyzed based on the time series and type of SHBS. Then, taking the typical submarine slope in the northern South China Sea as an example, four important factors affecting the stability of SHBS are selected, such as the degree of hydrate dissociation, the depth of hydrate burial, the thickness of hydrate, and the depth of seawater. According to the principle of orthogonal method, 25 orthogonal test schemes with 4 factors and 5 levels are designed and the safety factors of submarine slope stability of each scheme are calculated by using the strength reduction finite element method. By means of the orthogonal design range analysis and the variance analysis, sensitivity of influential factors on stability of SHBS are obtained. The results show that the degree of hydrate dissociation is the most sensitive, followed by hydrate burial depth, the thickness of hydrate and the depth of seawater. Finally, the concept of gas hydrate critical burial depth is put forward according to the influence law of gas hydrate burial depth, and the numerical simulation for specific submarine slope is carried out, which indicates the existence of critical burial depth.     

川东南丁山地区龙马溪组页岩裂缝特征及对含气性的影响

川东南丁山地区是近年来四川盆地页岩气勘探开发的热点区域,裂缝的发育对页岩含气性及保存条件有重要的影响。综合运用野外露头、岩心、测井资料,结合岩石脆性矿物含量、岩石力学参数等数据,深入分析龙马溪组页岩裂缝发育特征和控制因素,并探讨了裂缝发育对含气性的影响。结果表明,丁山地区龙马溪组页岩裂缝主要以构造成因的剪切缝为主,裂缝优势方位共6组,主要包括4组平面剪切缝和2组剖面剪切缝,其发育主要受2个方向、3个阶段的构造应力场影响而成;裂缝延伸稳定,平均密度小,宽度小,充填程度高,主要被方解石和黄铁矿等充填。裂缝受控因素主要包括古构造应力场、构造部位、脆性矿物组分、岩石力学性质等;断层对裂缝发育具有明显的控制作用,其中断层两盘均存在裂缝发育程度急剧下降的临界范围,临界范围内裂缝发育程度高,超过此临界范围,裂缝发育程度变差且变化趋于平缓;不同期次的裂缝中,形成时间晚、规模过大、充填程度不高、与现今地应力方向一致或呈低角度相交的裂缝易造成页岩气的散失,对提高页岩含气性不利;龙马溪组岩石脆性矿物含量高,脆性指数属中等偏上程度,有利于构造缝发育且可压性较好。随着距齐岳山断裂距离的适当增加,龙马溪组页岩埋藏深度适中,地层压力增大,抗压强度增强高,脆性指数适中,构造保存条件变好,有利于不同方位的裂缝发育和页岩含气量的增加,位于该区域的DY2井与DY4井均位于该有利区域,含气性良好。研究结果对下一步深化页岩气勘探开发具有重要指导作用。     

柱色谱分离-分子筛络合洗脱过程中正构烷烃单体碳同位素分馏研究

应用气相色谱-气体同位素质谱(GC-C-IRMS)分析正构烷烃单体碳同位素之前,需要对饱和烃样品中正构烷烃和异构烷烃进行预分离、富集,在预分离和富集过程中正构烷烃单体碳同位素是否发生分馏是高精度分析正构烷烃单体碳同位素比值(δ~(13)C)的关键。本文以正构烷烃混合溶液为对象,利用柱色谱、5■分子筛络合、环己烷-正戊烷混合溶剂两次洗脱,GC-C-IRMS分析正构烷烃单体碳同位素,研究前处理过程中正构烷烃单体碳同位素是否发生分馏。结果表明:使用柱色谱分离前后,多数正构烷烃单体碳同位素比值相差-0.2‰～0.2‰;当5■分子筛不完全络合时,未络合的正构烷烃单体碳同位素比值偏重约0.7‰,可能发生了微弱的碳同位素分馏,但并未影响洗脱后的正构烷烃单体碳同位素比值;使用环己烷-正戊烷混合溶剂洗脱前后,碳同位素比值相差-0.2‰～0.5‰,以同样方式洗脱第二次,获得的正构烷烃单体碳同位素比值与模拟样品相差-0.3‰～0.2‰。分析不同回收率(20%)正构烷烃的单体碳同位素比值,处理前后的差值基本在0.3‰以内,可见当正构烷烃回收率低至20%左右时,其单体碳同位素仍未发生明显分馏。柱色谱分离-5■分子筛络合-混合溶剂洗脱方法适用于回收率大于20%的正构烷烃单体碳同位素分析。     

2010—2020年黄河下游河南典型灌区浅层地下水中砷和氟的演化特征及变化机制

黄河下游典型灌区河南段是豫北平原重要的农业种植区。该地区浅层水质整体较差,因常用于作物灌溉或家畜饮用,会对人体健康产生风险,因此对该地区地下水中砷与氟浓度变化特征和机制的研究将有助于提高对该地区地下水污染的认识水平。本文基于2010年和2020年在灌区范围内采集的327组浅层地下水样品,研究区内地下水砷和氟分布情况,并在此基础上对比研究十年间灌区浅层地下水中砷、氟的演化特征,探索分析砷与氟浓度及空间变化机制。研究结果表明：该地区浅层地下水中存在砷与氟超标问题,2020年浅层地下水中高砷（砷浓度大于10μg/L）和高氟（氟浓度大于1mg/L）的样品数量分别占总数的26.1%和26.06%。高砷水分布在太行山前洼地与黄河冲积平原等泥沙互层结构的沉积环境中,还原性较强,同时地下水径流不畅,较强的阳离子交换作用使得其所处环境中Ca²⁺浓度较高。近十年间砷浓度增加的水样占总数31.8%,砷浓度减少的水样占36.7%。砷浓度的增长（减少）是地下水还原性增强（减弱）使得锰氧化物溶解释放（吸附）导致。近十年间不同地区农业灌溉和水源置换等用水方式导致水位变化是引起砷浓度变化的潜在因素。高氟水主要分布在河南新乡与濮阳的黄河沿线,氟离子浓度受到沉积物中萤石等钙质矿物溶解影响,使得高氟地下水出现在低钙环境中。近十年间研究区中氟离子浓度减少的占总数60.2%,氟离子浓度增加的占32.1%,整体变化趋势向好,但是高氟区中氟离子浓度继续增加。氟浓度的变化同样受到Ca²⁺变化影响,在Ca²⁺浓度降低（升高）时氟浓度进一步升高（降低）。地下水中氟升高地区分布在黄河沿线,因此受到黄河水补给影响较大,地下水径流条件较好,阳离子交换作用减弱,使得Ca²⁺浓度降低,此时地下水中砷浓度受到环境影响而降低,因此研究区氟增加地区中砷与氟的分布和演化呈现反向关系。     

塔里木盆地喀什凹陷克拉托天然气来源分析及聚气特征

塔里木西南喀什凹陷的克拉托天然气主要表现为原油的溶解气或者湿气,甲烷含量为74.59%~85.58%,克4井和克30井天然气则为较干的湿气。克拉托天然气的δ¹³C₁值为-41.2‰~-40.6‰,δ¹³C₂值为-30.0‰~-27.4‰。气源对比表明克拉托天然气主要源自具有混源母质特征的中侏罗统湖相烃源岩,不同于源自石炭系烃源岩的阿克莫木天然气。喀什凹陷的中-下侏罗统烃源岩主要是由于新近系的巨厚沉积才从未成熟—低成熟阶段进入成熟—高成熟阶段,生成的油气在克拉托背斜圈闭中聚集,虽也属晚期成藏,却具有连续聚气的特征。上新世末期,喀什凹陷的周缘开始抬升,早期油气藏受到破坏,形成了现今的地表油气苗或油砂。     

西气东输管道工程中卫黄河穿越隧道场地工程地质条件评价

西气东输工程中卫黄河穿越隧道长1197.77m,高4.3m,宽5.6m。隧道入口高于黄河水位28m,出口高于黄河水位45m。隧道顶板高程为1130m。位于黄河水下100m。隧道场地围岩为寒武系磨盘井组灰绿色、银灰色浅变质中厚层细粒长石石英砂岩、千枚状板岩、绢云母化千枚岩。围岩为弱风化Ⅲ～Ⅳ类岩石。透水率为4～67Lu,纵波波速为500～3300m.s-1。BQ为300～400。变形模量为6.11～9.22GPa。泊松比（）0.14～0.24。内摩擦角（）为42.1～44.7。地下水为基岩裂隙水。含水层为寒武系浅变质岩,受大气降水渗入补给,单井涌水量为1.0～50m3.d-1。隧道轴线穿越区岩体较完整较破碎,未有全新活动断层。隧道位置选择和开挖深度设计是可行的。施工和长期运营是安全的。     

Effective medium modeling to assess gas hydrate and free-gas evident from the velocity structure in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan

Seismic properties of sediments are strongly influenced by pore fluids. Stiffness of unconsolidated marine sediment increases with the presence of gas hydrate and decreases with the presence of gas. A strong bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) observed on a seismic profile in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan, indicates the presence of gas hydrate and free-gas across the BSR. Elastic properties of gas depend largely on pressure and temperature. We, therefore, first determine the elastic modulus of gas at pressure and temperature calculated at the BSR depth in the study region. The interval velocities derived from the seismic data are interpreted by the effective medium theory, which is a combination of self-consistent approximation and differential effective medium theories, together with a smoothing approximation, for assessment of gas hydrate and free-gas. The results show the saturations of gas hydrate and free-gas as 22 and 2.4% of pore space, respectively, across the BSR.     

Geochemistry of pore waters from the Xisha Trough, northern South China Sea and their implications for gas hydrates

This paper reports all available geochemical data on sediments and pore waters from the Xisha Trough on the northern continental margin of the South China Sea. The methane concentrations in marine sediments display a downhole increasing trend and their carbon isotopic compositions (δ ¹³C = −25 to −51‰) indicate a thermogenic origin. Pore water Cl⁻ concentrations show a range from 537 to 730 mM, and the high Cl⁻ samples also have higher concentrations of Br⁻, Na⁺, K⁺, and Mg²⁺, implying mixing between normal seawater and brine in the basin. The SO₄ ²⁻ concentrations of pore waters vary from 19.9 to 36.8 mM, and show a downhole decreasing trend. Calculated SMI (sulfate-methane interfaces) depths and sulfate gradients are between 21 and 47 mbsf, and between −0.7 and −1.7 mM/m, respectively, which are similar to values in gas hydrate locations worldwide and suggest a high methane flux in the basin. Overall, the geochemical data, together with geological and geophysical evidence, such as the high sedimentation rates, high organic carbon contents, thick sediment piles, salt and mud diapirs, active faulting, abundant thermogenic gases, and occurrence of huge bottom simulating reflector (BSR), are suggestive of a favorable condition for occurrence of gas hydrates in this region.