我国页岩气资源及影响因素

在世界面临能源短缺的背景下,页岩气作为油气勘探的一个新领域,越来越得到世界各国的重视。我国页岩气资源丰富,许多盆地或地区具有页岩气大规模成藏的地质条件,对页岩气的研究显得尤为重要。该文介绍了我国页岩气资源储量、分布及开采面临的问题,概述了页岩气地质特征。在此基础上探讨了我国页岩气的影响因素,认为我国页岩气主要受有机碳含量、成熟度、裂缝的发育程度、地层压力的控制;页岩气与煤层气同属于非常规天然气,其赋存形态、成因类型、富集规律具有很多相似之处,因此可将页岩气与煤层气进行对比研究。     

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.     

Welcome mats? The role of seagrass meadow structure in controlling post-settlement survival in a keystone sea-urchin species

Processes acting on the early-life histories of marine organisms can have important consequences for the structuring of benthic communities. In particular, the degree of coupling between larval supply and adult abundances can wield considerable influence on the strength of trophic interactions in the ecosystem. These processes have been relatively well described in rocky systems and soft-sediment communities, and it is clear that they are governed by very different bottlenecks. Seagrass meadows make interesting study systems because they bear structural affinities to both soft sediments as well as rocky substrates. We examined the early-life history of Paracentrotus lividus, one of the dominant herbivores in Mediterranean seagrass meadows, to identify the drivers of population dynamics in this species. We measured spatial and temporal variability in sea urchin post-settlement in 10 Posidonia oceanica meadows in the North-Western Mediterranean over a period of two years, and compared the numbers with the one-year old cohort a year later (i.e. the new population recruitment) as well as between successive size–age groups. Urchin post-settlers differed substantially between meadows but were present in both years in all meadows surveyed, suggesting that larval supply was not limiting for any of the studied sites. However, in six of the studied meadows, the one-year cohort of urchins was absent in both years, indicating that post-settlement processes strongly affected urchins in these meadows. In contrast, in four of the studied meadows, there was a strong coupling between post-settlers and one-year cohort individuals. These meadows were structurally different from the others in that they were characterised by an exposed matrix of rhizomes forming a dense seagrass mat. This mat apparently strongly mediates post-settlement mortality, and its presence or absence dictates the successful establishment of urchin populations in seagrass meadows. As the population aged, the relationship between size–age groups decreased evidencing the action of other processes. Yet, these results indicate that differences in physical structure are a vital bottleneck for sea urchin populations in seagrass meadows. Exploring the interaction between ecosystem structure and early-life history may provide a broader and more unified framework to understand the dynamics of a range of benthic habitats, including rocky substrates, soft sediments and seagrass meadows.     

Lacustrine basin unconventional resource plays: Key differences

There has been a revival in hydrocarbon source rock characterization and development associated with growing interest in unconventional resources, where these fine-grained organic-rich rocks act as both source and reservoir. To-date, the exploration focus on shale reservoirs has been largely on marine systems. Lacustrine source rocks for conventional resources are geographically important, dominating regions such as China, Indonesia, and Brazil's resource-base. However, they have been generally untested for unconventional resources.There are a number of key differences in the nature of these hydrocarbon systems that should be considered when assessing whether lacustrine systems may represent future unconventional opportunities in areas where the conventional resource-base is dominated by lacustrine-sourced oil. Among the key differences between these depositional systems is the greater sensitivity to high frequency climatic variability within lacustrine systems. Lacustrine systems are highly sensitive to changes in the balance between precipitation and evaporation, which may lead to rapid changes in lake level, potentially exceeding 600 m. These changes in depositional conditions are geologically rapid and may occur over periods of thousands of years. Such changes can reduce the areal extent of potentially thick source rock intervals to only those portions of a basin where a permanent deep lake was present. Thus the core unconventional target area may be geographically limited compared with their marine counterpart. Although potentially areally limited, a review of many lacustrine source rocks suggests that their thicknesses are often significantly greater than marine source rocks. An examination of the more distal portions of lacustrine systems, where better source rock potential is present reveals that there is generally limited connectivity between source and conventional reservoir. In these settings, such as the Wind River basin (Waltman Shale), the hydrocarbons remain trapped within the shales, potentially leading to over-pressured hydrocarbon charged systems. Such conditions suggest that although areally limited, viable unconventional targets may exist, if suitable reservoir conditions are present. Finally, the character of the oils produced is different in these settings, with lacustrine oils being waxy and displaying different hydrocarbon generation and cracking kinetics. High wax oils display distinct flow characteristics, being more viscous, and may offer different production challenges than their non-waxy marine equivalents. Additionally, differences in their cracking kinetics may indicate that the timing of gas generation for shale gas plays may differ significantly from marine systems.     

Hydrous pyrolysis of a Type III source: fractionation effects during primary migration in natural and artificially matured samples

A core from the Cambay Shale Formation of the Cambay Basin, containing immature Type III organic matter, was pyrolysed at 300°C for different durations of time to different maturation levels. Fractionation effects were studied employing a three-step extraction technique after removal of the expelled pyrolysate. The extractable organic matter (EOM) obtained on extraction of the whole core is assumed to be that present in open pores, while that obtained on finely crushing the sample is assumed to be that present in closed pores. The EOM obtained from 1 cm chips is termed EOM from semi-open pores. The gross composition of the pyrolysates expelled during pyrolysis is not similar to the oils reservoired in the area, and there is no significant fractionation observed between expelled pyrolysates and unexpelled EOM. Our study indicates movement of fluids between closed, semi-open and open pores. In both systems, there is a higher concentration of EOM in open pores than in semi-open and closed pores, and the fraction of EOM in open pores is much greater in the artificial system than in the natural system. Fractionation effects on n-alkane and isoprenoid hydrocarbon-based parameters were also studied. n-Alkenes are present in semi-open and closed pores of the immature core and in the core after it was pyrolysed to 300°C for 6 and 48 h, but are absent in the open pores. n-Alkenes are present in closed pores in the naturally matured core. Presence of n-alkenes in the pyrolysates expelled during the 6 and 48 h experiments, but their absence in the open pores of the core, indicates that expulsion also occurs through temporary microfractures during laboratory pyrolysis, whereas in the natural system expulsion from closed pores seems to be only via semi-open and open pores.     

Pore characterization of organic-rich Lower Cambrian shales in Qiannan Depression of Guizhou Province,Southwestern China

Nine organic-rich shale samples of Lower Cambrian black shales were collected from a recently drilled well in the Qiannan Depression, Guizhou Province where they are widely distributed with shallower burial depth than in Sichuan Basin, and their geochemistry and pore characterization were investigated. The results show that the Lower Cambrian shales in Qiannan Depression are organic rich with TOC content ranging from 2.81% to 12.9%, thermally overmature with equivalent vitrinite reflectance values in the range of 2.92–3.25%, and clay contents are high and range from 32.4% to 53.2%. The samples have a total helium porosity ranging from 2.46% to 4.13% and total surface area in the range of 9.08–37.19 m²/g. The estimated porosity in organic matters (defined as the ratio of organic pores to the volume of total organic matters) based on the plot of TOC vs helium porosity is about 10% for the Lower Cambrian shales in Qiannan Depression and is far lower than that of the Lower Silurian shales (36%) in and around Sichan Basin. This indicates that either the organic pores in the Lower Cambrian shale samples have been more severely compacted than or they did not develop organic pores as abundantly as the Lower Silurian shales. Our studies also reveal that the micropore volumes determined by Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR) equation is usually overestimated and this overestimation is closely related to the non-micropore surface area of shales (i.e. the surface area of meso- and macro-pores). However, the modified BET equation can remove this overestimation and be conveniently used to evaluate the micropore volumes/surface area and the non-micropore surface areas of micropore-rich shales.     

Growth and Production in Posidonia Oceanica (L.) Delile*

Abstract. In situ investigations of growth and production in a stand of Posidonia oceanica (L.) DELILE at a depth of 4 m at Ischia (Gulf of Naples) were carried out over two growing seasons. Posidonia starts to grow in August and an average bundle produces ten leaves in increasing time intervals until May. Growth curves for the leaves are given. Maximum leaf standing crop is in May with 1300 g dry weight per m^-2, leaf area index at this time reaches 22 m² m^-2. Leaf net productivity is highest in March with 12 g dry weight per m² per day. Annual leaf production is estimated as 3110 g dry weight per m², “underground” production as 115 g dry weight per m². About half the leaf production is exported from the system. Adaptive strategies of the growth and production pattern are discussed.