Detection of free gas and gas hydrate based on 3D seismic data and cone penetration testing: An example from the Nigerian Continental Slope

We present a new method to characterize free gas, gas hydrates and carbonate concretions occurrence which are considered as high-risk factors for sub-sea developments in the Niger delta. This method is based on the combination of 3D seismic data to the geotechnical site characterizations using piezocone CPTU tests (Cone Penetration Test with additional measurement of the pore water pressure). A special processing of the 3D seismic data has enabled the determination of the interval compressional velocity. Using the effective-medium theory, velocity anomalies (negative and positive) within the first 15 m were translated in gas hydrate and free gas distribution. The calibration of the P wave velocity anomalies was done thanks to in-situ geotechnical testing carried out during two oceanographic surveys (2003 and 2004). Comparison between in-situ testing, recovered cores and the prediction of the gas and the gas hydrate distribution based on the compressional wave velocity have shown that 3D seismic data is a valuable tool to identify heterogeneous areas but the use of the piezocone was essential to discriminate between gas hydrate occurrences and carbonate concretions' presence. Furthermore, in-situ compressional wave velocity (V_p) measurements have clearly demonstrated what it was suspected from the 3D seismic data, the co-existence in the study area between gas hydrate and free gas.     

冲绳海槽天然气水合物BSR的地震研究

根据多道地震反射资料分析,在冲绳海槽南部和中部发现了拟海底反射层(BSR)现象。通过对海底异常反射层的振幅特征、速度异常和AVO属性分析,说明该BSR可能反映了天然气水合物的存在,并发现冲绳海槽断层与天然气水合物的形成有密切关系。     

Bottom Simulating Reflector and Gas Seepage in Okinawa Trough： Evidence of Gas Hydrate in an Active Back-Arc Basin

To look for gas hydrate, 22 multi-channel and 3 single-channel seismic lines on the East China Sea (ECS) shelf slope and at the bottom of the Okinawa Trough were examined. It was found that there was indeed bottom simulating reflector (BSR) occurrence, but it is very rare. Besides several BSRs, a gas seepage was also found. As shown by the data, both the BSR and gas seepage are all related with local geological structures, such as mud diapir, anticline, and fault-controlled graben-like structure. However, similar structural "anomalies" are quite common in the tectonically very active Okinawa Trough region, but very few of them have developed BSR or gas seepage. The article points out that the main reason is probably the low concentration of organic carbon of the sediment in this area. It was speculated that the rare occurrence of gas hydrates in this region is governed by structure-controlled fluid flow. Numerous faults and fractures form a network of high-permeability channels in the sediment and highly fractured igneous basement to allow fluid circulation and ventilation. Fluid flow in this tectonic environment is driven primarily by thermal buoyancy and takes place on a wide range of spatial scales. The fluid flow may play two roles to facilitate hydrate formation:to help gather enough methane into a small area and to modulate the thermal regime.     

Main Controlling Factors on Hydrocarbon Accumulation and Distribution in Marine Sedimentary Sequences in South China

Multiple source rock assemblages were deposited in the sedimentary provinces in South China in geologic history,and some of them were destructed by and some survived against multiple tectonic movements.Therefore,multiple sources,mixed sources,and uneven distribution of sources occurred in the marine sedimentary basins in South China during the late stage of hydrocarbon pooling.Epidiagenesis of the marine carbonate reservoirs and its modification to reservoir poroperm characteristics determined the formation and the scale of natural gas pools.The exploration practices show that the large to medium gas fields mainly occur in areas with high-quality reservoirs.Detailed study of the paleo-oil accumulations and typical oil and gas reservoirs reveals that the basins experienced multiphase superimposition and modification,leading to the distribution of the Paleozoic paleo-oil accumulations and bitumen in the peripheral areas.The phenomenon that oil and gas production concentrates in the Sichuan basin indicates that the overall sealing conditions of a basin determine the oil/gas potentials and the scale of oil and gas production.This is a critical factor controlling the accumulation and distribution of gas in the marine sequences in South China.The early oil and gas pools in the Yangtze platform left billions of bitumen in the peripheral areas due to the destruction of seals.Since the Himalayan,"late-generation and late-accumulation" gas pools represented by the gas pools in the Sichuan (四川) basin were formed in the marine sedimentary sequences in South China as a result of the change of the sealing conditions.Current gas discoveries appear to be "paleo-generation and paleo-accumulation" gas pools but actually are "late-generation and late-accumulation" gas pools.These patterns of hydrocarbon pooling clearly depict themselves in western Sichuan basin and Weiyuan (威远)gas field.It is revealed that the gas pools in the Sichuan basin were mainly formed as a result of hydrocarbon phase change (thermal cracking of oil to gas),miscible migration,and dynamic equilibration since the Himalayan.A large number of gas pools were formed in the Himalayan and the gas pools in the marine sequences are characterized by late pooling; this kind of gas fields/pools are controlled by:(1) effectiveness of modification and superimposition of the marine basins,(2) effectiveness of the source rocks,(3) effectiveness of the overall preservation conditions,and (4) effectiveness of plays.     

Formation Models and Distribution of Oil and Gas Pools in Tarim Basin,China

This article reports the main formation models and distribution of the oil and gas pools in Tarim basin,China,including (I) occurrence of the found oil and gas pools,(2) main formation models of oil and gas pools,and (3) distribution law of oil/gas pools.Petroleum is distributed widely in the strata of Tarim basin from the Sinian at the bottom to the Neogene at the top.However,the found oil and gas fields are mainly distributed in Shaya (沙雅) uplift,Tazhong (塔中) uplift,and Kuche (库车)depression.This article presents 4 main formation models,namely,early formation and long-term preservation,early formation and late reformation,middle-late multiphase-multisource formation,late single-stage formation.Tarim basin is very rich in petroleum resources.Long-term inherited intrabasinal paleohighs and slope zones are the most favorable areas for accumulation of hydrocarbons,but the types of oil and gas pools are different from area to area.The control of unconformities and faults on hydrocarbon accumulating is prominent in Tarim basin.Preservation conditions are of utmost importance.Formation of some oil and gas pools is the result of reforming and re-accumulating of early accumulated hydrocarbons.     

关注苏皖南部地区海相油气资源

据苏皖南部地区地表露头及部分井下所发现的海相油气显示表明,这里存在海相油气资源勘探远景,关注这一地区的海相油气资源,如何开展和寻找这类油气资源,将有利于该地区区域性经济建设的可持续发展。     

中国海域的天然气水合物资源

天然气水合物是甲烷等天然气在高压、低温条件下形成的冰状固体物质。据估算,全球天然气水合物中碳的含量等于石油、煤等化石能源中碳含量的2倍。在人类面临化石能源即将枯竭的时候,各国科学家和政府都把目光投向这一未来能替代化石能源的新能源。新生代构造演化历史、沉积条件、沉积环境等显示,南海具有生成和蕴藏巨大天然气水合物资源的条件;南海海域的地震反射剖面多处显示存在BSR反射波;2007年已钻探见到水合物样品。东海冲绳海槽在第四纪的沉积速率高(10~40cm/ka),槽坡存在泥底辟构造和断裂活动,从上新世以来发生过两次构造运动,这些对天然气水合物的形成是十分有利的;因此,中国海域的天然水合物资源是十分丰富的,在不远的将来它可能成为新的替代能源。     

东海陆坡及邻近槽底天然气水合物成藏条件分析及前景

在西太平洋边缘海中,东海是唯一没有获得天然气水合物样品的边缘海。利用已有的地震资料、海底温度资料等,从沉积物来源、沉积地层厚度、烃源岩条件、沉积速率、海底温度—压力条件等方面对东海水合物成藏条件进行了分析。认为冲绳海槽沉积物源丰富,沉积厚度大,且发育烃源岩地层。冲绳海槽较高的沉积速率主要分布于冲绳海槽槽底沉积中心,以及西部陆坡连接海底峡谷底部的三角洲区域。根据冲绳海槽实测的海底温度数据,整个冲绳海槽地区600m以深的范围都能够满足水合物发育的温度、压力条件。以温度梯度为30℃/km计算,冲绳海槽中水合物稳定域的最大厚度为650m。冲绳海槽盆地中普遍发育的底辟构造、背斜构造等局部构造,以及网格状断裂系统,为烃类气流体的向上及侧向运移创造了有利条件,成为天然气水合物发育的有利区带。根据已经发现的BSR特征来看,东海地区天然气水合物前景广阔。     

天然气水合物成矿带的识别技术研究

在天然气水合物的地震资料解释过程中,常规地震剖面上难以识别水合物成矿带的准确位置。通过多年的实践对比研究,认为波形、速度反演、速度模型、流体因子、瞬时振幅、相对极性和能量半衰时等各种地震剖面,能够较好地揭示水合物成矿带的地球物理异常特征。收集整理了一部分国内外对水合物成矿带的识别技术,并提出了在无井的情况下,如何利用波形、速度和各种地震属性剖面所提供的信息来确定水合物成矿带的一些新想法,以期对水合物资源量的评估能提供比较有价值的参考依据。     

基于传统吸附烃概念的烃类检测新技术

烃类是地表油气地球化学勘查地下油气藏的直接指标.目前我国油气化探中常用的酸解烃法检测出的烃类,不应定义为"吸附烃",它是介质吸收的产物,属结合态烃类,应定义为"吸收烃".地表酸解烃异常十分稳定,重现性好,能够很好地证明地质历史上曾经有过的烃类运移过程,但在反映目前深部油气信息方面具有多解性.针对酸解烃法的弱点,依据烃类垂向运移理论和物质吸附作用原理,自行设计开发、研制了一套吸附烃脱气装置,建立了土壤吸附烃提取新技术和检测方法.该方法有利于在近地表获取油气系统的动态信息,强化烃类测量法对其信息源的探测,可以提高地表油气化探预测油气分布的成功率.