Jurassic source rocks in the Vienna Basin (Austria): Assessment of conventional and unconventional petroleum potential

The Upper Jurassic marlstones (Mikulov Fm.) and marly limestones (Falkenstein Fm.) are the main source rocks for conventional hydrocarbons in the Vienna Basin in Austria. In addition, the Mikulov Formation has been considered a potential shale gas play. In this paper, organic geochemical, petrographical and mineralogical data from both formations in borehole Staatz 1 are used to determine the source potential and its vertical variability. Additional samples from other boreholes are used to evaluate lateral trends. Deltaic sediments (Lower Quarzarenite Member) and prodelta shales (Lower Shale Member) of the Middle Jurassic Gresten Formation have been discussed as secondary sources for hydrocarbons in the Vienna Basin area and are therefore included in the present study.The Falkenstein and Mikulov formations in Staatz 1 contain up to 2.5 wt%TOC. The organic matter is dominated by algal material. Nevertheless, HI values are relative low (<400 mgHC/gTOC), a result of organic matter degradation in a dysoxic environment. Both formations hold a fair to good petroleum potential. Because of its great thickness (∼1500 m), the source potential index of the Upper Jurrasic interval is high (7.5 tHC/m²). Within the oil window, the Falkenstein and Mikulov formations will produce paraffinic-naphtenic-aromatic low wax oil with low sulfur content. Whereas vertical variations are minor, limited data from the deep overmature samples suggest that original TOC contents may have increased basinwards. Based on TOC contents (typically <2.0 wt%) and the very deep position of the maturity cut-off values for shale oil/gas production (∼4000 and 5000 m, respectively), the potential for economic recovery of unconventional petroleum is limited. The Lower Quarzarenite Member of the Middle Jurassic Gresten Formation hosts a moderate oil potential, while the Lower Shale Member is are poor source rock.     

Turning the Tide: the need for sustainable sea transport in the Pacific

This paper reports on progress in developing a regional research and education strategy for Pacific Island countries and communities wishing to transition to a low carbon sea transport future. Sea transport is an absolute necessity for most such communities. All current services are fossil fuel based and are becoming increasingly unaffordable and unsustainable. The countries in the Pacific region are the most dependent on imported fossil fuels in the world, importing more than 95% of needs. Such dependency is having a crippling effect on national budgets and major impacts on key productive sectors. The region's transport issues are unique; small and vulnerable economies scattered at the ends of some of the longest transportation routes in the world and arguably the most challenging to maintain per capita and per sea mile. Alternatives to current fossil fuel powered sea transport have been almost totally ignored in recent regional and national debates and the issue has been largely invisible within the policy and donor strategy space at all levels despite concerted efforts over more than two decades to transition Pacific countries' electricity sector fossil fuel use. The University of the South Pacific has been collaborating with a network of stakeholders and knowledge partners since 2012 to advance this agenda, building off previous doctoral research and the resultant Sustainable Sea Transport Talanoa 2012. Prasad et al. (2013) set out the basis for a catalytic research program following from the consensually agreed outputs of SSTT 2012 and this paper records the progress made since.     

Fluid sources and stable isotope signatures in authigenic carbonates from the Northern Apennines,Italy

Authigenic carbonates are frequently associated with methane cold-seep systems, which extensively occur in various geologic settings worldwide. Of interest is the relation between the fluids involved in their formation and the isotopic signals recorded in the carbonate cements. Along the Northern Apennines foothills (Italy), hydrocarbons and connate waters still seeping nowadays are believed to be the primary sources for the formation of fossil authigenic carbonate found in Plio-Pleistocene marine sediments. Four selected outcrops of dolomitic authigenic carbonates were analysed to compare signature of seeping fluids with fractionation of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes recorded in the carbonate.Along the foothills, deep methane-rich fluids spontaneously rise to the surface through mud volcanoes or are exploited in wells drilled nearby to the fossil Plio-Pleistocene authigenic carbonates. The plumbing system providing fluids to present-day cold seeps was structurally achieved in Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene. δ¹³C values of methane, which vary from −51.9 to −43.0‰ VPDB, indicate that gas composition from the deep hydrocarbon reservoirs is relatively uniform along the foothills. On the contrary, δ¹³C in fossil authigenic carbonates strongly varies among different areas and also within the same outcrop.The different carbon sources that fed the investigated carbonates were identified and include: thermogenic methane from the deep Miocene reservoirs, ¹³C-enriched CO₂ derived from secondary methanogenesis and microbial methane from Pliocene successions buried in the Po Plain. The δ¹³C variability documented among samples from a single outcrop testifies that the authigenic carbonates might represent a record of varying biogeochemical processes in the hydrocarbon reservoirs. The sources of stable oxygen isotopes in authigenic carbonates are often ascribed to marine water. Oxygen isotopic fractionation in the dolomite cements indicates that marine pore water couldn't be the sole source of oxygen. δ¹⁸O values provide a preliminary evidence that connate waters had a role in the carbonates precipitation. The concomitant occurrence of active cold seepages and fossil record of former plumbing systems suggests that generation and migration of hydrocarbons are long-lasting and very effective processes along the Northern Apennines foothills.     

Growth and grazing rate dynamics of major phytoplankton groups in an oligotrophic coastal site

There has been more attention to phytoplankton dynamics in nutrient-rich waters than in oligotrophic ones thus requiring the need to study the dynamics and responses in oligotrophic waters. Accordingly, phytoplankton community in Blanes Bay was overall dominated by Prymnesiophyceae, remarkably constant throughout the year (31 ± 13% Total chlorophyll a, Tchl a) and Bacillariophyta with a more episodic appearance (20 ± 23% Tchl a). Prasinophyceae and Synechococcus contribution became substantial in winter (Prasinophyceae = 30% Tchl a) and summer (Synechococcus = 35% Tchl a). Phytoplankton growth and grazing mortality rates for major groups were estimated by dilution experiments in combination with high pressure liquid chromatography and flow cytometry carried out monthly over two years. Growth rates of total phytoplankton (range = 0.30–1.91 d⁻¹) were significantly higher in spring and summer (μ > 1.3 d⁻¹) than in autumn and winter (μ ∼ 0.65 d⁻¹) and showed a weak dependence on temperature but a significant positive correlation with day length. Microzooplankton grazing (range = 0.03–1.4 d⁻¹) was closely coupled to phytoplankton growth. Grazing represented the main process for loss of phytoplankton, removing 60 ± 34% (±SD) of daily primary production and 70 ± 48% of Tchl a stock. Chla synthesis was highest during the Bacillarophyceae-dominated spring bloom (Chl a_synt = 2.3 ± 1.6 μg Chl a L⁻¹ d⁻¹) and lowest during the following post-bloom conditions dominated by Prymnesiophyceae (Chl a_synt = 0.23 ± 0.08 μg Chl a L⁻¹ d⁻¹). This variability was smoothed when expressed in carbon equivalents mainly due to the opposite dynamics of C:chl a (range = 11–135) and chl a concentration (range = 0.07–2.0 μg chl a L⁻¹). Bacillariophyta and Synechococcus contribution to C fluxes was higher than to biomass because of their fast-growth rate. The opposite was true for Prymnesiophyceae.     

长江口淡水端淡、盐水混合表层pCO2的急剧变化及其影响机制

根据2004年5月长江口淡水端淡、盐水混合初期表层水二氧化碳分压(pCO2)的实测数据,结合水文、化学和生物等要素的同步观测资料,对pCO2的变化及其影响因素进行了研究。研究结果表明:在长江口淡水端盐度0~15的淡、盐水混合初期,表层水pCO2由3 500μatm左右大幅度下降至约1 000μatm。生源要素的补充使生物活动的急剧增加是pCO2以对数形式大幅度降低的主要原因,这一性质显著体现的拐点为(S<0.6,50<浊度<110)这一范围。同时由于生物活动和物理混合作用的分别控制,使得长江口淡水端淡、盐水混合初期表层水碱度与盐度呈二次抛物线关系,拐点处的盐度约为0.6。     

黄河利津水文站不同粒径悬浮颗粒物中有机碳含量的研究

估算不同粒径TSS中POC的入海日通量,对黄河利津水文站悬浮颗粒物(total suspended solid,TSS)样品,采用基于stokes原理的沉降法分为Ⅴ级,对分级后的样品测其有机碳(particulate organic carbon,POC)含量和粒度组成。在此基础上,用多元线性回归法对数据进一步处理,准确得到样品中不同粒径TSS中POC的含量。研究表明,黄河口淡水端水体TSS,<8μm的粘土和极细粉砂、8~16μm的细粉砂中,POC的含量为0.600%和0.400%左右;16~32μm的中粉砂中,POC的含量不足0.200%;而32~63μm的粗粉砂和>63μm砂中POC含量仅为0.050%和0.004%左右,80%以上的POC主要集中在<16μm的TSS中,而<32μm的TSS承载了95%以上的POC。     

Habitat heterogeneity influences cold‐seep macrofaunal communities within and among seeps along the Norwegian margin – Part 2: contribution of chemosynthesis and nutritional patterns

The relative contribution of chemosynthesis in heterotrophic fauna at seeps is known to be influenced by depth and by habitat. Using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, we investigated macro‐ and megafaunal nutritional patterns in Norwegian margin cold seeps by comparing food webs both among habitats within a seep site and between different sites. The very active Håkon Mosby mud volcano (HMMV) is characterized by geochemical gradients, microbial activity and faunal zonation from the centre to the periphery. The Storegga Slide (600–900 m depth) has pockmarks with patchy less active seeps, and also shows concentric zonation of habitats but at much smaller spatial scale. The dominant carbon source for macrofaunal nutrition in both areas was chemosynthetically fixed and the bulk of organic carbon was derived from sulphur‐oxidizing bacteria. In HMMV, food chains were clearly separated according to habitats, with significantly lighter δ¹³C signatures on microbial mats and adjacent sediment (?33.06 to ?50.62‰) than in siboglinid fields (?19.83 to ?35.03‰). Mixing model outputs revealed that the contribution of methane‐derived carbon was small in siboglinid fields (0–17%) but significant (39–61%) in the microbial mats. Moreover, the variability of macrofauna signatures within this later habitat suggests the co‐occurrence of two food chains, one based on primary production via methanotrophy and the other via sulphide oxidation. The length of the food chains also varied among habitats, with at least one more trophic level in the siboglinid fields located at the periphery of the volcano. Conversely, in Storrega pockmarks, faunal δ¹³C signatures did not vary among habitats but among species, although separate food chains seem to co‐occur. The small size of the seepage areas and their lower fluxes compared to HMMV allow more background species to penetrate the seep area, increasing the range of δ¹⁵N and the trophic level number. Probably due to the higher flux of photosynthetic particulate organic carbon, the overall chemosynthesis‐based carbon contribution in invertebrate nutrition was lower than that in HMMV.     

中太平洋富钴结壳中生物标志物、有机碳同位素地球化学及其古海洋环境意义

利用2003年大洋DY105-12,14航次在中太平洋海山获取的KXD28富钴结壳样品,采用气相色谱(GC)内标法对该结壳样品的分层样进行了可溶有机质(氯仿沥青“A”)及其族组成(饱和烃、芳烃、非烃)、正构烷烃、类异戊二烯烃的定量分析,并结合总有机碳(TOC)及有机碳同位素(δ¹³C)分析,探讨了结壳样品有机质来源及富钴结壳组成与生长环境之间的关系。结果表明:(1)富钴结壳中有机质生物母源主要为海洋生物和菌藻类,并混有少量陆源物质;有机碳同位素同样也指示了海洋水生生物碳同位素特征;(2)KXD28结壳从底层到最外层有机碳同位素发生了很大变化,结壳中有机碳同位素组成变化与结壳生长过程中的海洋环境气候相符合:富钴结壳生长前期δ¹³C组成由正变负,对应全球气候变冷,南极底层流向太平洋挺进;而富钴结壳生长后期δ¹³C逐渐偏正,与全球气候变暖和南极底层流萎缩相关联。     

Variations in silicate concentration affecting photosynthetic carbon fixation by spring phytoplankton assemblages in surface water of the Strait of Malacca

The Strait of Malacca (SoM), the world’s busiest sea-route, is increasingly polluted as the rapid development of world trades, affecting phytoplankton primary productivity therein. The variations of surface phytoplankton biomass, size-structure and carbon fixation were investigated across the SoM during the spring period (May 4 to 9, 2011). Chlorophyll a concentration increased from 0.12 μg/L at the northwest entrance of the SoM to a maximal 0.63 μg/L at narrowest section, and decreased to 0.10 μg/L at the southeast entrance. Photosynthetic carbon fixation by phytoplankton coincided well with Chl a biomass, and increased from 10.8 to 22.3 μg C/(L d), then decreased to 9.21 μg C/(L d); while the carbon fixation rate showed an inverse pattern to the changes of Chl a, and decreased from 87.1 to 35.5 μg C/(μg Chl a d) and increased thereafter to 95.3 μg C/(μg Chla·d). Picophytoplankton cells (<3 μm) contributed to more than 60% and 50% of the total Chl a and carbon fixation at both the entry waters; while the contributions of pico-cells decreased sharply to the minimum of 18.3% and 27.5% at the narrowest part of the SoM. In particular, our results showed that the silicate concentration positively regulated Chl a biomass and carbon fixation, reflecting that the higher silicate favoured the growth of phytoplankton and thus led to higher primary production in this strait.     

赤道东北太平洋沉积物中生物钡的分布特征

分析了赤道东北太平洋海域沉积物中Ba、Ti、Al和有机碳(Corg)的含量。研究表明,研究区沉积物中钡为0.198%~0.792%;采用标准陆源物质扣除法获得的生物钡(Babio)的含量为0.162%~0.764%,占沉积物中总钡含量的81.6%~96.5%,平均为88.7%,其在沉积物中的分布表现为上部一致,下部变化较大;有机碳(Corg)的含量为0.18%~0.58%,并表现为随沉积物深度的增加而降低。沉积物中Babio/Ti的比值表现为东区高于西区,且向高纬度降低的特点,而沉积物中Corg/Ti和Babio/Ti则表现为负相关关系,表明研究区沉积物中钡可能和上层海洋生产力的相关性不明显。