Magnetic cleansing of weathered/tarry oiled feathers--the role of pre-conditioners

Iron powder has previously been demonstrated to be effective in the removal, via magnetic harvesting, of a wide variety of oil contaminants from feathers and plumage. This study investigates the efficacy of magnetic cleansing for the removal from feathers of tarry contamination that has been allowed to weather. Clusters of feathers from Mallard duck (Anas platyrhnchos) and Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) were completely immersed in a tarry contaminant and allowed to weather from one to fourteen days. The contaminant was removed using a magnetic cleansing protocol and the removal efficacy assessed gravimetrically. For one, seven and fourteen days of weathering, a final removal (after fourteen treatments) of more than 99% and 97% was achieved for duck feathers and penguin feathers, respectively. Repeating the experiments (for a seven-day weathering period) for both duck and penguin feathers, with the judicious application of a pre-conditioner (olive oil), further improved removal efficacy. A convenient method to screen for improved pre-conditioning agents is suggested.     

Uptake and tissue distribution of C4-C7 alkylphenols in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua): relevance for biomonitoring of produced water discharges from oil production

The sensitivity of different tissues for assessment of chronic low-dose environmental exposure of fish to alkylphenols (APs) was investigated. We exposed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the laboratory to tritium labelled 4-tert-butylphenol, 4n-pentylphenol, 4n-hexylphenol, and 4n-heptylphenol via seawater (8 ng/l) and via contaminated feed (5 μg/kg fish per day). Measurements of different fish tissues during eight days of exposure and eight subsequent days of recovery revealed that APs administered via spiked seawater were readily taken up whereas the uptake was far less efficient when APs were administered in spiked feed. AP residues were mainly located in the bile fluid whereas the concentrations in liver were very low, indicating a rapid excretion and the liver-bile axis to be the major route of elimination. The biological half-life of APs in the exposed cod was short, between 10 and 20 h. Our study shows that in connection with biomonitoring of AP exposure in fish, assessment of AP metabolites in bile fluid is a more sensitive tool than detection of parent AP levels in liver or other internal tissues.     

Effects of rainfall on oil droplet size and the dispersion of spilled oil with application to Douglas Channel,British Columbia,Canada

Raindrops falling on the sea surface produce turbulence. The present study examined the influence of rain-induced turbulence on oil droplet size and dispersion of oil spills in Douglas Channel in British Columbia, Canada using hourly atmospheric data in 2011–2013. We examined three types of oils: a light oil (Cold Lake Diluent - CLD), and two heavy oils (Cold Lake Blend - CLB and Access Western Blend - AWB). We found that the turbulent energy dissipation rate produced by rainfalls is comparable to what is produced by wind-induced wave breaking in our study area. With the use of chemical dispersants, our results indicate that a heavy rainfall (rain rate > 20 mm h^? 1) can produce the maximum droplet size of 300 μm for light oil and 1000 μm for heavy oils, and it can disperse the light oil with fraction of 22–45% and the heavy oils of 8–13%, respectively. Heavy rainfalls could be a factor for the fate of oil spills in Douglas Channel, especially for a spill of light oil and the use of chemical dispersants.     

Integrated assessment for establishing an oil environmental vulnerability map: Case study for the Santos Basin region,Brazil

The growth of maritime transport and oil exploitation activities may increase the risk of oil spills. Thus, plans and actions to prevent or mitigate impacts are needed to minimize the effects caused by oil. However, tools used worldwide to support contingency plans have not been integrated, thus leading to failure in establishing priority areas. This investigation aimed to develop indices of environmental vulnerability to oil (IEVO), by combining information about environmental sensibility to oil and results of numerical modeling of spilled oil. To achieve that, a case study concerning to oil spills scenarios in a subtropical coastal area was designed, and IEVOs were calculated and presented in maps, in order to make the information about the areas’ vulnerability more easily visualized. For summer, the extension of coastline potentially affected by oil was approximately 150 km, and most of the coastline presented medium to high vulnerability. For winter, 230 km coastline would be affected, from which 75% were classified as medium to high vulnerability. Thus, IEVO maps allowed a rapid and clearer interpretation of the vulnerability of the mapped region, facilitating the planning process and the actions in response to an oil spill.     

黔中降起的油气勘探壁垒——兼论海相碳酸盐岩烃源岩

黔中隆起在地质构造上属于扬子地块的滇黔隆褶带．南华纪晚期初现雏形，震旦纪—奥陶纪为水下隆起，燕山运动使其整体抬高，喜马拉雅运动时急剧隆升，构造地貌长期相对隆起。地表油苗油样分析结果显示，在红外吸收谱图中缩合芳烃结构及含氧基团吸收明显，有机质热成熟度高，且遭受了氧化蚀变：震旦系以上地层大量暴露，地表水溶蚀下渗深度在黔西南地区可达3000-4000m；作为长期存在的古隆起，经历了多次抬升，直至挽近仍处于严重剥蚀阶段。地腹可能存在酸性岩浆热源使有机质过度热演化、保存条件不佳以及缺少勘探目的层，是黔中隆起油气勘探的三大壁垒。兼谈了碳酸盐岩烃源岩问题．认为形成大油气田的烃源岩主要是泥质岩系，“碳酸盐岩烃源岩”只是从属性的．分布在泥质烃源岩系的边缘或局部范围。     

油气聚集对石英矿物成岩演化的影响

油气在砂岩储层中的聚集会对石英矿物的胶结作用产生影响。对黄骅坳陷三马探区的石英矿物的包裹体分析以及对开放孔隙中原油抽提物和包裹体中原油的生物标志物进行分析,含油级别较低的油层与水层具有相似的均一化温度分布范围,但富含油层中流体包裹体均一化温度高值分布范围比低级别油层和水层低,包裹体中的烃类组成与开放孔隙中的主要存在成熟度上的不同。分析认为石油的充注不会使石英矿物的胶结作用立刻停止,石英的次生加大作用仍在继续,但胶结作用受到一定的抑制,当石油充注到一定程度后,胶结作用将会停止,后期进入储层的成熟度较高的原油可能未被捕获。     

Paleo-oil reservoir pyrolysis and gas release in the Yangtze Block imply an alternative mechanism for the Late Permian Crisis

The causes of the global mass extinction that occurred around the Permian–Triassic boundary have been widely studied through the geological record and in various locations. The results show that volcanic activity was a key factor in initiating the crisis during the Late Permian. Compared to other thermal events triggered by volcanic activity, pyrolysis of petroleum in Pre-Permian reservoirs has rarely been suggested as a significant source of the greenhouse gases that caused the mass extinction. In this study, geochemical analysis is carried out of a huge paleo-oil reservoir in the Yangtze Block (YB), South China. The detection of mineral inclusions and pyrobitumens is evidence of rapid pyrolysis of accumulated oil in the Ediacaran reservoir. New evidence from hydrothermal minerals and the presence of domain mesophase in the pyrobitumen suggest that the pyrolysis process occurred abruptly and that greenhouse gases were rapidly released through venting pipes. The dating of such a complex geological event in this old and deeply buried reservoir is inevitably difficult and potentially unreliable. However, cross-validation of the multiple evidence sources, including hydrothermal minerals and domain mesophase, indicates that the rapid oil pyrolysis must have been driven by a major thermal event. Reconstruction of burial and thermal histories suggests that the thermal event was most likely to have been triggered by the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP), which was in a period of significant volcanic activity during the Late Permian. Massive volumes of gases, including methane, carbon dioxide, and possibly hydrogen sulfide, were released, causing a significant increase in greenhouse gases that may have contributed to global warming and the resulting mass extinction during the Late Permian Crisis (LPC).     

Sequence stratigraphic framework and sedimentary model of Shanxi Formation in northeast Zhoukou Depression of the North China Plate

The sequence stratigraphic framework of Shanxi Formation in the northeast Zhoukou Depression was established based on detailed sequence stratigraphical and sedimentological analysis by utilizing the logging and core data of six wells drilled in the eastern tectonic unit of Zhoukou Depression. It was divided into three third-order sequences, namely SQs1, SQs2, and SQs3 from bottom to top. Each sequence can be divided into a transgressive system tract (TST) and a highstand system tract (HST). Furthermore, four sequence boundaries and three maximum flooding surfaces were identified, and they are the bottom interface SBs and maximum flooding surface mfss1 of SQs1, the bottom interface SBs1 and maximum flooding surface mfss2 of SQs2, the bottom interface SBs3 and maximum flooding surface mfss3 of SQs3, and the top interface SBx from bottom to top. Carbonate tidal flat –clastic tidal flat sedimentary system developed in Shanxi Formation in the northeast Zhoukou Depression (also referred to as the study area) under the control of regression. Meanwhile, four sedimentary microfacies were identified in the sedimentary system, which are lime-mud flats, sand flats, mixed flats, and mud flats. The transgression in the study area occurred from the southeast to the northwest. Therefore, the northwestern part is the seaward side, and the southeastern part is the landward side. As revealed by relevant drilling data, SQs1 of the Shanxi Formation is characterized by the development of limestone and carbonaceous mudstone, with limestone, dark mudstone, and carbonaceous mudstone mainly developing. Meanwhile, lime-mud flats were mainly deposited in it. During the periods of SQs2 and SQs3, the sedimentary environment of the study area changed from the carbonate tidal flats to clastic tidal flats as the coastline migrated towards the sea. In these periods, sand flats mainly developed near the maximum flooding surfaces and were relatively continuous in the eastern and southern parts of the transgressive system tract; mixed flats were relatively continuous in the western and northern parts of the transgressive system tract as well as the eastern and southern parts of the highstand system tract; mud flats widely developed in the highstand system tract. Peat flats mainly developed in the period of HSTs2, with coal seams relatively developing in the southeastern part of the study area as revealed by drilling data. The peat flats in SQs2 are favorable hydrocarbon source layers, the lime-mud flats in SQs1 and sand flats formed in the transgression periods of SQs2 and SQs3 constitute favorable hydrocarbon reservoirs, and the mud flats form in the transgressions periods serve as favorable cap rocks. Therefore, the study area features a reservoir-cap assemblage for self-generating and self-storing of hydrocarbon, and the southeastern part of the study area can be taken as a favorable exploration area.     

塔里木盆地油气资源的基本特征

塔里木盆地成油气地质历史条件复杂，盆地内海陆相油气、不同成藏期油气、不同成熟度以及不同保存条件的油气并存。具海相古生界及陆相中－新生界两大烃源岩系，前者以奥陶系和石炭系为最好源岩，后者以三叠系和侏罗系最佳。烃源对比结果比较全面地反映了这一特点。石炭系、三叠系、白垩系和中新统均为重要的储油层系，其储集岩类古生界主要为白云岩，次为石灰岩，中－新生界主要为砂岩。成藏类型可分为六种：古生古储、后生古储、后     

浊流砂体综合解释技术

在高分辨率地震勘探和区域地震地层学研究的基础上,从牛庄油田实际出发,针对三角洲沉积体系中复杂的岩性油藏的特点,总结了一套较完善的浊流砂体综合解释方法,介绍了层位标定、人机联作定量解释以及综合解释等技术环节.钻探验证结果证明了方法的有效性.