Deep groundwater circulation and associated methane leakage in the northern Canadian Rocky Mountains

Concern over potential impact of shale gas development on shallow groundwater systems requires greater understanding of crustal scale fluid movement. We examined natural deeply circulating groundwater systems in northeastern British Columbia adjacent to a region of shale gas development, in order to elucidate origin of waters, depths of circulation, and controls on fluid flow. These systems are expressed as thermal springs that occur in the deformed sedimentary rocks of the Liard Basin. Stable isotope data from these springs show that they originate as meteoric water. Although there are no thermal anomalies in the region, outlet temperatures range from 30 to 56 °C, reflecting depth of circulation. Based on aqueous geothermometry and geothermal gradients, circulation depths up to 3.8 km are estimated, demonstrating connection of deep groundwater systems to the surface. Springs are also characterised by leakage of thermogenic gas from deep strata that is partly attenuated by methanotrophic microbial communities in the spring waters. Springs are restricted to anomalous structural features, cross cutting faults, and crests of fault-cored anticlines. On a regional scale they are aligned with the major tectonic features of the Liard Line and Larsen Fault. This suggests that while connection of surface to deep reservoirs is possible, it is rare and restricted to highly deformed geologic units that produce permeable pathways from depth through otherwise thick intervening shale units. Results allow a better understanding of potential for communication between deep shale gas units and shallow aquifer systems.     

鄂尔多斯盆地东部二叠系山西组页岩气成藏条件与有利区筛选

鄂尔多斯盆地东部榆106井区山西组页岩沉积在三角洲平原分流河道间沼泽、天然堤、决口扇远端与洼地环境。根据有机地球化学、物性、含气性、岩性实验分析,结合钻井、录井、测井资料与沉积相研究,开展了该区山西组页岩气成藏条件与有利区分布研究。山西组页岩有机碳含量较高,山二段平均5.28%,山一段平均3.02%,有机质类型以Ⅱ_2、Ⅲ型干酪根为主,有机质成熟度较高,R_o平均1.89%,生气条件优越。页岩孔隙度平均1.7%,渗透率平均0.0415×10~(-3)μm~2,平均含气量0.64 m~3/t,页岩单层厚度小,垂向上普遍与致密砂岩、煤层组成互层,累计厚度较大(平均达75 m),页岩渗透性较好而储集性能稍差。页岩脆性矿物含量平均49.9%,黏土矿物含量平均50.1%,黏土矿物含量较高,资源丰度普遍较低,但是页岩埋深小于3000 m,试气产能较高(0.64×10~4m~3/d),商业开发潜力较好。山二段有机质含量比山一段更高,含气性比山一段更好。主要基于页岩厚度与沉积相展布预测的山二段页岩气有利区呈北东向、南北向条带状展布,受分流河道间沼泽微相的控制。     

滇黔北坳陷及邻区下志留统龙马溪组页岩气储层特征

基于8口钻井、2个剖面点的岩样观察和测试分析,滇黔北坳陷及邻区下志留统龙马溪组下段是富有机质泥页岩发育的层段,有机质演化达到过成熟阶段。X衍射全岩分析表明,龙马溪组泥页岩由黏土矿物、石英、碳酸盐、长石、黄铁矿等矿物组成,黏土矿物则以伊利石为主。泥页岩的平均脆性指数56.11%~73.21%,压裂时易于形成网络裂缝;常规物性测试,孔隙度、渗透率很低,扫描电镜观察,纳米级孔隙和裂缝发育。     

Palaeopressure reconstruction to explain observed natural hydraulic fractures in the Cleveland Basin

Natural fractures observed within the Lower Jurassic shales of the Cleveland Basin show evidence that pore pressure must have exceeded the lithostatic pressure in order to initiate horizontal fractures observed in cliff sections. Other field localities do not show horizontal fracturing, indicating lower pore pressures there. Deriving the burial history of the basin from outcrop, VR and heat-flow data gives values of sedimentation rates and periods of depositional hiatus which can be used to assess the porosity and pore pressure evolution within the shales. This gives us our estimate of overpressure caused by disequilibrium compaction alone, of 11 MPa, not sufficient to initiate horizontal fractures. However, as the thermal information shows us that temperatures were in excess of 95 °C, secondary overpressure mechanisms such as clay diagenesis and hydrocarbon generation occurred, contributing an extra 11 MPa of overpressure. The remaining 8.5 MPa of overpressure required to initiate horizontal fractures was caused by fluid expansion due to hydrocarbon generation and tectonic compression related to Alpine orogenic and Atlantic opening events. Where horizontal fractures are not present within the Lower Jurassic shales, overpressure was unable to build up as high due to proximity to the lateral draining of pressure within the Dogger Formation. The palaeopressure reconstruction techniques used within this study give a quick assessment of the pressure history of a basin and help to identify shales which may currently have enhanced permeability due to naturally-occurring hydraulic fractures.     

Pore structure of Cambrian shales from the Sichuan Basin in China and implications to gas storage

The microstructure of black siliceous shale from the lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation, Sichuan Basin in China was investigated by the combination of field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and argon ion beam milling. The nanometer-to micrometer-scale pore systems of shales are an important control on gas storage and fluid migration. In this paper, the organic porosity in shale samples within oil and gas window has been investigated, and the formation mechanism and diagenetic evolution of nanopores have been researched.FE-SEM reveals five pore types that are classified as follows: organic nanopores, pores in clay minerals, nanopores of framework minerals, intragranular pores in microfossils, and microfractures. Numerous organic nanopores are observed in shales in the gas window, whereas microfractures can be seen within the organic matter of shales in the oil window. Microfractures in oil window shales could be attributed to pressure buildup in the organic matter when incompressible liquid hydrocarbon are generated, and the orientation of microfractures is probably parallel to the bedding and strength anisotropy of the formation. Pores in clay minerals are always associated with the framework of clay flakes, and develop around rigid mineral grains because the pressure shadows of mineral grains protect pores from collapse, and the increasing of silt content would lead to an increase in pressure shadows and improve porosity. Nanopores of rock framework are probably related to dissolution by acidic fluids from hydrocarbon generation, and the dissolution-related pores promote permeability of shales. Porosity in the low-TOC, low-thermal-maturity shales contrast greatly with those of high-TOC, high-thermal-maturity shales. While the high-TOC shales contain abundant organic microporosity, the inorganic pores can contribute a lot to the porosity of the low-TOC shales.     

Pore structure of the graptolite-derived OM in the Longmaxi Shale,southeastern Upper Yangtze Region,China

The Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale in the southeastern Upper Yangtze Region, which has been the main target for shale gas exploration and production in China, is black marine organic-rich shale and rich in graptolites. Graptolites, usually only periderms preserved in shales, are important organic component of the Longmaxi Shale. However, the pore structure of graptolite periderms and its contribution to gas storage has not yet been studied before. A combination of optical microscopy for identification and “mark” of graptolite and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for pore observations were conducted for the Longamxi Shale samples. Results show that pores are anisotropic developed in the Longmaxi graptolite periderms and greatly associated with their fine structure. Micrometer-sized fractures and spindle-shaped pores between cortical fibrils in the cortical bandage are greatly developed at section parallel to the bedding, while they are rare at section perpendicular to the bedding. Besides, numerous sapropel detritus rich in nanometer-sized pores are discretely distributed in the shale. Though graptolite periderms are low porosity from SEM image analysis, microfractures and elongated pores along the graptolite periderm wall may still make the graptolite an interconnected system. Together with the discrete porous sapropel detritus in shale, these graptolite-derived Organic Matter (OM) may form an interconnected organic pore system in the shale. The difference of pore development observed in graptolite periderms and sapropel detritus also give us new insight for the organic pore heterogeneity study. The OM composition, their fine structure and orientation in the rock may be important factors controlling OM pore development. The combination of identifying OM type under optical microscopy and pores observation under SEM for may be an effective method to study the OM pore development especially in shale that contain more OM.     

Impact of high water pressure on oil generation and maturation in Kimmeridge Clay and Monterey source rocks: Implications for petroleum retention and gas generation in shale gas systems

This study presents results for pyrolysis experiments conducted on immature Type II and IIs source rocks (Kimmeridge Clay, Dorset UK, and Monterey shale, California, USA respectively) to investigate the impact of high water pressure on source rock maturation and petroleum (oil and gas) generation. Using a 25 ml Hastalloy vessel, the source rocks were pyrolysed at low (180 and 245 bar) and high (500, 700 and 900 bar) water pressure hydrous conditions at 350 °C and 380 °C for between 6 and 24 h. For the Kimmeridge Clay (KCF) at 350 °C, Rock Eval HI of the pyrolysed rock residues were 30–44 mg/g higher between 6 h and 12 h at 900 bar than at 180 bar. Also at 350 °C for 24 h the gas, expelled oil, and vitrinite reflectance (VR) were all reduced by 46%, 61%, and 0.25% Ro respectively at 900 bar compared with 180 bar. At 380 °C the retardation effect of pressure on the KCF was less significant for gas generation. However, oil yield and VR were reduced by 47% and 0.3% Ro respectively, and Rock Eval HI was also higher by 28 mg/g at 900 bar compared with 245 bar at 12 h. The huge decrease in gas and oil yields and the VR observed with an increase in water pressure at 350 °C for 24 h and 380 °C for 12 h (maximum oil generation) were also observed for all other times and temperatures investigated for the KCF and the Monterey shale. This shows that high water pressure significantly retards petroleum generation and source rock maturation. The retardation of oil generation and expulsion resulted in significant amounts of bitumen and oil being retained in the rocks pyrolysed at high pressures, suggesting that pressure is a possible mechanism for retaining petroleum (bitumen and oil) in source rocks. This retention of petroleum within the rock provides a mechanism for oil-prone source rocks to become potential shale gas reservoirs. The implications from this study are that in geological basins, pressure, temperature and time will all exert significant control on the extent of petroleum generation and source rock maturation for Type II source rocks, and that the petroleum retained in the rocks at high pressures may explain in part why oil-prone source rocks contain the most prolific shale gas resources.     

Permeability measurements in mudrocks using gas-expansion methods on plug and crushed-rock samples

Permeability is an important parameter relative to the production of hydrocarbons in shale oil/gas plays; however, the measurement of permeability in these nano-to microdarcy rocks remains a challenge. Results from different methods or from different laboratories are not consistent, and reasons are not fully understood. In the present study, permeability is measured for both plug and crushed-rock samples with different plug diameter or crushed-sample particle size to systematically investigate the permeability measurement to better understand and apply the measured results. A modified gas-expansion (MGE) method, which can measure permeability for plug samples under confining pressures, was established and applied to several Eagle Ford and Barnett Shale (mudrock) samples. Permeability results from this method are in fair agreement with those from the pulse-decay method. The traditional Gas Research Institute (GRI) method was applied to crushed-rock Eagle Ford Shale samples. The results were comparable to reported permeability for an Eagle Ford Shale sample. Particle or plug size has significant influence on permeability measurement. In general, permeability increases with increasing particle or plug size. For crushed sample with GRI method, the reason of increasing permeability is related to the limitation of the GRI technique and the data analysis method. Estimate of the permeability based on Kozeny–Carman Equation was conducted, and the results were used to evaluate the GRI permeability measurement. Particle size of 2–4 mm (5–10 meshes) is considered as an appropriate size for GRI permeability measurement. For plug sample, larger permeability with larger plug diameter is most likely caused by the artificial fractures. Higher confining pressure can reduce the influence of the fractures, but cannot fully remove it. A range of permeability, defined by the GRI permeability with 2–4 mm particles as the lower boundary and permeability of 1-in plug under high confining pressure (>5000 psi) as the upper boundary, can be a more reliable measures to represent the shale matrix permeability. The range of the permeability also highlights the uncertainty in matrix permeability measurement for shale.     

The petrologic characteristics of carbonaceous shale and its significance of shale (las. Lucaogou formation,southern junggar basin北大核心CSCD

In the margin of southern Junggar basin, there is a potential of shale gas with the upper Permian l.uoaogou Formation. For a detailed understanding and evaluation with the shale gas geological characteristics of l.uoaogou Formation, the petrologic characteristics of the carbonaceous shale was researched, and the results show that: ( 1 ) in l.ucaogou Formation, the mean value of the brittle mineral percentages of the upper member, the middle member and the lower member are all more than 50%, but it is the highest in the middle member, and it is second in the lower member. At the same time, in the lower member, the mean value of the brittle mineral percentages is significantly lower than the upper and middle members; (2)the main brittle mineral in each member are quartz+feldspar, and there is a same change rule between the quartz+feldspar content and the total brittle mineral, that is; The quartz + feldspar content is the highest in the middle member, followed with the lower member, and it is obviously low in the upper member; (3 )from the lower member to the upper member, the content of carbonate in the carbonaceous shale are gradually reduced; (4) the clay mineral content of the carbonaceous shale of the upper member is far higher than the lower and middle members. And the clay mineral in each member are mainly constituted with illite and illite/Mongolia inter layer; ( 5 ) in the northern margin of the western part of the Bogda Mountain, south Junggar Basin, the brittle mineral content of the carbonaceous shale generally present as a decreasing trend from west to east to Fu Rang.     

Growth Dynamics in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile

Abstract. Amounts of photosynthate in the rhizomes, in photosynthetically inactive basal parts of the leaves and different old leaf blades were examined. Winter leaf growth was supported by mobilisation of starch in the rhizome. This winter growth enables Posidonia oceanica to utilize the increased energy influx in early spring via the substantial leaf area already developed and to approach highest productivity in spring. During summer and autumn considerable concentrations of soluble carbohydrates were found in the leaves and rhizomes. Starch was stored in the rhizomes in concentrations of up to 6.8 % of dry weight. Levels of nitrogen and free amino acids were correlated with growth rates. The percentage of total nitrogen present as free amino acid-nitrogen decreased from November (35 %) to summer (less than 1 %), by which time leaf growth had stopped. In contrast to this, amounts of organic anions were low in winter and spring and reached their maximum in summer.
Within a shoot, sites of leaf growth were characterized by high amounts of total nitrogen and free amino acids (innermost leaves), while carbon Fixation was highest in the leaves #2–#4. Particularly high concentrations of soluble carbohydrates were found midway along leaf blades.
It is evident that this unusual growth rhythm of Posidonia oceanica was only possible because of the ability to store considerable amounts of carbon and nitrogen in the rhizomes.
The results of this investigation demonstrate on the one hand that the chemical composition of the plant is strongly correlated with growth and production, and on the other hand that it is dependent on environmental factors, such as energy influx and temperature, which change with season.