Is Ziarat a Potential Site for Conventional or Unconventional Energy Resources?

A structural interpretation of the Ziarat block in the Balochistan region (a part of the Suleiman Fold and Thrust Belt) has been carried out using seismic and seismological data. Seismic data consists of nine 2.5D pre‐stack migrated seismic lines, whereas the seismological data covers the Fault Plane Solution and source parameters. Structural interpretation describes two broad fault sets of fore and back thrusts in the study area that have resulted in the development of pop‐up structures, accountable for the structural traps and seismicity pattern in terms of seismic hazard. Seismic interpretation includes time and depth contour maps of the Dungan Formation and Ranikot group, while seismological interpretation includes Fault Plane Solution, that is correlated with a geological and structural map of the area for the interpretation of the nature of the subsurface faults. Principal stresses are also estimated for the Ranikot group and Dungan Formation. In order to calculate anisotropic elastic properties, the parameters of the rock strength of the formations are first determined from seismic data, along with the dominant stresses (vertical, minimum horizontal, and maximum horizontal). The differential ratio of the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses is obtained to indicate optimal zones for hydraulic fracturing, and to assess the potential for geothermal energy reservoir prospect generation. The stress maps indicate high values towards the deeper part of the horizon, and low towards the shallower part, attributed to the lithological and structural variation in the area. Outcomes of structural interpretation indicate a good correlation of structure and tectonics from both seismological and seismic methods.     

高速公路通道下沉开裂治理实践

河南省省道323线登封市大冶镇一段公路软弱地基以及路面出现不均匀沉降,通道箱涵开裂,边坡为欠稳定边坡。将事故路段分为4个区域进行加固治理。通过采用注浆加固路基基础、设置坡面排水系统、提高地基的承载能力等治理措施,保证了道路的通行能力。     

塔里木陆块西北缘萨热克砂岩型铜矿床构造-流体演化对成矿的制约

塔里木陆块西北缘萨热克砂岩型铜矿床构造演化、流体演化与成矿之间具有密切关系,处于一个统一系统中。矿床成岩期方解石中包裹体水的δD值为-65.3‰~-99.2‰,改造成矿期石英包裹体水的δD值为-77.7‰~-96.3‰,成岩成矿期成矿流体δ~(18)OH_2O变化范围为-3.22‰~1.84‰,改造成矿期成矿流体δ~(18)OH_2O变化范围为-4.26‰~5.14‰,指示萨热克铜矿成岩期、改造期成矿流体主要为中生代大气降水及其经水岩作用而成的盆地卤水。矿石中辉铜矿δ~(34)S值为-24.7‰~-15.4‰,指示硫主要源自硫酸盐细菌与有机质还原,部分源于有机硫。构造与成矿流体演化对砂岩铜矿成矿起关键制约作用。盆地发展早期强烈的抬升运动使盆地周缘基底与古生界剥蚀,为富铜矿源层的形成提供了丰富物源,至晚侏罗世盆地发展晚期,长期演化积聚的巨量含矿流体在库孜贡苏组砾岩胶结物及裂隙中富集,在萨热克巴依盆地内形成具有经济意义的砂岩型铜矿床。     

Results of magnetotelluric surveyon reference geophysical profiles of the Karaton-Sarkamys block in Kazakhstan

A digital geoelectric model of the Karaton-Sarkamys block located in the southern (Kazakhstan) part of the Caspian Depression has been developed on the basis of processing and interpretation of magnetotelluric sounding data. Geoelectric sections and structural maps of geoelectric layers have been constructed. It has been shown that magnetotelluric sounding combined with seismic and GIS data can be efficiently used to obtain additional information on the lithologic and reservoir properties of petroleum plays.     

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.     

Effect of 2D spatial variability on slope reliability: A simplified FORM analysis

To meet the high demand for reliability based design of slopes, we present in this paper a simplified HLRF(Hasofere Linde Rackwitze Fiessler) iterative algorithm for first-order reliability method(FORM). It is simply formulated in x-space and requires neither transformation of correlated random variables nor optimization tools. The solution can be easily improved by iteratively adjusting the step length. The algorithm is particularly useful to practicing engineers for geotechnical reliability analysis where standalone(deterministic) numerical packages are used. Based on the proposed algorithm and through direct perturbation analysis of random variables, we conducted a case study of earth slope reliability with complete consideration of soil uncertainty and spatial variability.     

Probabilistic stability analyses of undrained slopes by 3D random fields and finite element methods

A long slope consisting of spatially random soils is a common geographical feature. This paper examined the necessity of three-dimensional(3 D) analysis when dealing with slope with full randomness in soil properties. Although 3 D random finite element analysis can well reflect the spatial variability of soil properties, it is often time-consuming for probabilistic stability analysis. For this reason, we also examined the least advantageous(or most pessimistic) cross-section of the studied slope. The concept of"most pessimistic" refers to the minimal cross-sectional average of undrained shear strength. The selection of the most pessimistic section is achievable by simulating the undrained shear strength as a 3 D random field. Random finite element analysis results suggest that two-dimensional(2 D) plane strain analysis based the most pessimistic cross-section generally provides a more conservative result than the corresponding full 3 D analysis. The level of conservativeness is around 15% on average. This result may have engineering implications for slope design where computationally tractable 2 D analyses based on the procedure proposed in this study could ensure conservative results.     

基于GF-2影像西藏桑耶地区岩性-构造遥感解译

西藏桑耶地区位于青藏高原中南部,区内切割强烈,地势陡峻,属于高山峡谷区。为提高区域地质调查野外工作效率,在调查中率先开展了遥感解译研究。在充分收集已有资料的基础上,通过对GF-2卫星数据进行预处理和影像增强,结合野外验证建立了各地质要素的遥感解译标志,实现了区内不同地层岩性、侵入岩、断裂和褶皱等地质要素的提取,最终编制了研究区1:5万遥感地质解译图,为区域地质调查提供了数据支撑。结果表明: 各地质要素在GF-2数据上均有良好反映,完全满足1:5万尺度的遥感地质解译和编图的需要,充分显示出该卫星数据在区域地质调查等工作中具有良好的应用前景。     

Origin of natural sulfur-metal chimney in the Tangyin hydrothermal field,Okinawa Trough: constraints from rare earth element and sulfur isotopic compositions

For the first time, we present the rare earth element (REE) and sulfur isotopic composition of hydrothermal precipitates recovered from the Tangyin hydrothermal field (THF), Okinawa Trough at a water depth of 1206 m. The natural sulfur samples exhibit the lowest ΣREE concentrations (ΣREE= 0.65×10^–6–4.580×10^–6) followed by metal sulfides (ΣREE=1.71×10^–6–11.63×10^–6). By contrast, the natural sulfur-sediment samples have maximum ΣREE concentrations (ΣREE=11.54×10^–6–33.06×10^–6), significantly lower than those of the volcanic and sediment samples. Nevertheless, the δEu, δCe, (La/Yb)_N, La/Sm, (Gd/Yb)_N and normalized patterns of the natural sulfur and metal sulfide show the most similarity to the sediment. Most hydrothermal precipitate samples are characterized by enrichments of LREE (LREE/HREE=10.09–24.53) and slightly negative Eu anomalies or no anomaly (δEu=0.48–0.99), which are different from the hydrothermal fluid from sediment-free mid-oceanic ridges and back-arc basins, but identical to the sulfides from the Jade hydrothermal field. The lower temperature and more oxidizing conditions produced by the mixing between seawater and hydrothermal fluids further attenuate the leaching ability of hydrothermal fluid, inducing lower REE concentrations for natural sulfur compared with metal sulfide; meanwhile, the negative Eu anomaly is also weakened or almost absent. The sulfur isotopic compositions of the natural sulfur (δ³⁴S=3.20‰–5.01‰, mean 4.23‰) and metal sulfide samples (δ³⁴S=0.82‰–0.89‰, mean 0.85‰) reveal that the sulfur of the chimney is sourced from magmatic degassing.     

The geothermal formation mechanism in the Gonghe Basin: Discussion and analysis from the geological background

The Gonghe Basin, a Cenozoic down-warped basin, is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau, and spread over important nodes of the transfer of multiple blocks in the central orogenic belt in the NWW direction. It is also called “Qin Kun Fork” and “Gonghe Gap”. The basin has a high heat flow value and obvious thermal anomaly. The geothermal resources are mainly hot dry rock and underground hot water. In recent years, the mechanism of geothermal formation within the basin has been controversial. On the basis of understanding the knowledge of predecessors, this paper proposes the geothermal formation mechanism of the “heat source–heat transfer–heat reservoir and caprock–thermal system” of the Gonghe Basin from the perspective of a geological background through data integration-integrated research-expert, discussion-graph, compilation-field verification and other processes: (1) Heat source: geophysical exploration and radioisotope calculations show that the heat source of heat in the basin has both the contribution of mantle and the participation of the earth’s crust, but mainly the contribution of the deep mantle. (2) Heat transfer: The petrological properties of the basin and the exposed structure position of the surface hot springs show that one transfer mode is the material of the mantle source upwells and invades from the bottom, directly injecting heat; the other is that the deep fault conducts the deep heat of the basin to the middle and lower parts of the earth’s crust, then the secondary fracture transfers the heat to the shallow part. (3) Heat reservoir and caprock: First, the convective strip-shaped heat reservoir exposed by the hot springs on the peripheral fault zone of the basin; second, the underlying hot dry rock layered heat reservoir and the upper new generation heat reservoir and caprock in the basin revealed by drilling data. (4) Thermal system: Based on the characteristics of the “heat source-heat transfer-heat reservoir and caprock”, it is preliminarily believed that the Gonghe Basin belongs to the non-magmatic heat source hydrothermal geothermal system (type II2₁) and the dry heat geothermal system (type II2₂). Its favorable structural position and special geological evolutionary history have given birth to a unique environment for the formation of the geothermal system. There may be a cumulative effect of heat accumulation in the eastern part of the basin, which is expected to become a favorable exploration area for hot dry rocks.