The evolution of the Huangling uplift and its control on the accumulation and preservation of shale gas

There are plenty of Sinian and Cambrian potential shale gas resources in South China, which is characterized by high thermal evolution degrees, poor drilling performances and only occurs in local areas. Taking the principle “high to find low” is the key issue to achieving a breakthrough in older shale. China Geological Survey drilled in the periphery of the Proterozoic basement, i.e. the Huangling anticline, in the western Hubei, and Hannan paleocontinent in the southern Shanxi. It received high-quality gas-bearing shale with relatively low Ro in the in Lower Cambrian Niutitang formation and Sinian Doushantuo formation. Based on geological conditions of shale gas reservoirs in the Huangling anticline, this paper puts forward the new model named “Control over reservoirs by periphery of basement” about shale gas accumulation, suggesting that the shale deposited in a deepwater continental shelf in the periphery of the basement is characterized by shallow burial, a short burial time, stable tectonics, relatively low thermal evolution degrees, and shale gas reservoirs in a good condition. The shale of the Sinian-Cambrian strata deposited in deepwater continental shelves in the periphery of Chuanzhong paleo-uplift in Sichuan, Hannan paleocontinent in the southern Shanxi, Huangling anticline in western Hubei and Jiangnang-Xuefeng paleo-uplift in Hunan and Guizhou province have good shale gas exploration potential.     

Geochemistry of organic matter and elements of black shale during weathering in Northern Guizhou,Southwestern China: Their mobilization and inter-connection

Different from previous studies on effect of weathering upon geochemical variation along a single weathered profile, this paper provides a new methodology validated by comparing a weathered outcrop samples and their stratigraphic counterpart un-weathered core samples in a nearby shallow borehole. This outcrop and borehole penetrated the Ordovician-Silurian Wufeng–Longmaxi shales, located in the same anticline structure in the northern part of Guizhou Province, Southern China. The mineral composition, major, trace and rare earth elements (REEs) composition and Rock-Eval parameters of outcrop and core samples were analyzed and compared. Organic matter (OM) was observed in the microscope and extracted for elements analysis. The results show that short-term weathering still has significant influence on OM, mineral and elemental composition of black shales. The elements composition shows the outcrop profile was moderately weathered. The REEs compositions do not alter much during weathering process and the REEs composition and their relative ratios still are valid for rock origin determination. The OM, mainly composed by graptolite and bitumen, even entering the highly-over thermal maturity, is still sensitive to the weathering with a systematic loss 30–50% of TOC along the outcrop profile, which suggests that the OM consumption is predominantly controlled by weathering duration and the distance from the weathering surface. In turn, OM has significant influence on the trace elements transportation behavior during weathering. Some trace elements associated with the OM such as V, Cr, Th, U, Ni and Co, change significantly in their absolute concentration during weathering, but their relative ratios do not necessarily change too much and might be still reliable proxies for paleo-environmental determination. The mobility of shale minerals during weathering is in the following order: plagioclase?>?potassium feldspar and dolomite >pyrite and OM. Short-term weathering can also result in considerable transportation of elements and significant variation of minerals content in black shale, which may pose potentially high environmental and engineering risk in the regions rich in black shale.     

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。     

基于神经网络的页岩微纳米孔隙微结构分析的正则化和最优化方法

页岩气成藏机理与页岩内部孔隙结构紧密相关,对页岩孔隙结构的研究成为页岩气勘探开发技术中至关重要的一环。页岩内部不同结构体组分对X-射线的吸收能谱不一样,这样就导致观测数据是由不同页岩组分衰减不同波段的X-射线构成的。经过对CT图像分割,能够获得页岩微孔结构的图像,尤其是获得有机质中孔隙类别、形状、尺寸、空间分布、连通特性。本文利用同步辐射X射线扫描重构的页岩CT数据,研究并设计基于多能CT图像的神经网络图像分割技术和算法,以期得到页岩体三维结构特征及空间分布,可以为建立有机质种类和无机矿物组成与微纳孔隙特征的联系以及最终实现页岩气的资源储量评估和勘探开发提供技术支持。     

Pore structure and heterogeneity of shale gas reservoirs and its effect on gas storage capacity in the Qiongzhusi Formation

Fine characterization of pore systems and heterogeneity of shale reservoirs are significant contents of shale gas reservoir physical property research.The research on micro-control factors of low productivity in the Qiongzhusi Formation(Fm.)is still controversial.The lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Fm.in the Qujing,Yunnan was taken as the object to investigate the influence of mineral compositions on the phys-ical properties of the reservoir and the heterogeneity of shale,using the algorithm to improve the char-acterization ability of Atomic Force Microscopy(AFM).The results showed that:(1)The pores are mainly wedge-shaped pores and V-shaped pores.The pore diameter of the main pore segment ranges from 5 to 10 nm.Mesopores are mainly developed in the Qiongzhusi Fm.shale in Well QD1,with the average pore diameter of 6.08 nm.(2)Microscopic pore structure and shale surface properties show strong hetero-geneity,which complicates the micro-migration of shale gas and increases the difficulty of identifying high-quality reservoirs.(3)The increase of clay mineral content intensifies the compaction and then destroys the pores.Conversely,brittle minerals can protect pores.The support and protection of brittle minerals to pores space depend on their content,mechanical properties and diagenesis.(4)Compression damage to pores,large microscopic roughness and surface fluctuations and strong pore structure heterogeneity are the reasons for the poor gas storage capacity of the Qiongzhusi Fm.,which will lead to poor productivity in the Qiongzhusi Fm.     

不同矿化度下泥质对岩石电性影响的逾渗网络研究

为了进一步认识泥质对岩石宏观电性的影响规律,本文利用非规整三维逾渗网络模型,通过数值模拟研究了不同矿化度下泥质对岩石电性影响的规律. 模拟结果表明：在中低矿化度下,泥质对岩石导电整体上呈现减阻作用,随着泥质含量的增加,电阻率降低的速度减慢;中等矿化度下泥质的减阻效果明显弱于低矿化度下的减阻效果;在高矿化度下泥质对岩石导电整体上呈现增阻作用. 在高矿化度、高含水饱和度下泥质对岩石电性的影响较小. 泥质起减阻、增阻作用的具体矿化度范围取决于储层的孔隙度、连通性以及地层温度等特性.     

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.     

Seabed morphology and gas venting features in the continental slope region of Krishna–Godavari basin,Bay of Bengal: Implications in gas-hydrate exploration

Increased oil and gas exploration activity has led to a detailed investigation of the continental shelf and adjacent slope regions of Mahanadi, Krishna–Godavari (KG) and Cauvery basins, which are promising petroliferous basins along the eastern continental margin of India. In this paper, we analyze the high resolution sparker, subbottom profiler and multibeam data in KG offshore basin to understand the shallow structures and shallow deposits for gas hydrate exploration. We identified and mapped prominent positive topographic features in the bathymetry data. These mounds show fluid/gas migration features such as acoustic voids, acoustic chimneys, and acoustic turbid layers. It is interesting to note that drilling/coring onboard JOIDES in the vicinity of the mounds show the presence of thick accumulation of subsurface gas hydrate. Further, geological and geochemical study of long sediment cores collected onboard Marion Dufresne in the vicinity of the mounds and sedimentary ridges shows the imprints of paleo-expulsion of methane and sulfidic fluid from the seafloor.     

南堡凹陷4号构造带蛤坨断层特征与油气成藏关系

南堡凹陷4号构造带断裂发育,既发育沟通烃源岩的深断裂,也发育沟通浅层圈闭的次级断裂。综合利用地震、测井、岩性等资料分析断层的空间展布,计算蛤坨断层的生长指数和断层泥比率（SGR）,分析断层的活动性、封堵性,评价其输导性能,并结合其与烃源岩生排烃期的匹配关系研究断裂与油气运移、聚集的关系及控制规律。在典型油气藏剖面解剖的基础上,建立了4号构造带油气运聚成藏模式。