Assessment of the effects of hydrocarbon contamination on the sedimentary bacterial communities and determination of the polar lipid fraction purity: Relevance of intact phospholipid analysis

This in situ study reports on the relevance of intact phospholipids as new biomarkers and highlights the limits of the classical fatty acid analysis after the hydrolysis of the polar lipid fraction. The analysis of polar lipid fractions revealed significant contributions of marine macrophytes with either non-phospholipid compounds (sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol) or with both non-bacterial phospholipid classes (phosphatidylcholine) and non-bacterial phospholipid molecular species (some molecular species of phosphatidylglycerol). The analysis of intact phospholipids showed also the predominance of gram-negative bacteria in sediments whereas the analysis of fatty acids alone cannot confirm such information. Lastly, as regard to the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the sedimentary bacterial communities, we observed a higher degree of saturation of the fatty acyl chains of the phospholipids extracted from sediment exposed to a massive and chronic crude oil contamination. Such a result was interpreted as an adaptive response resulting in higher membrane rigidity of the bacterial communities.     

Petroleum geochemistry of the Kimmeridge Clay of onshore Southern and Eastern England

The Kimmeridge Clay is considered a major oil source rock for the North Sea hydrocarbon province. The formation is also developed onshore in an organic-rich mudstone facies. This paper examines the possibility of onshore oil generation from the Kimmeridge Clay. Geochemically, onshore basin margin sediments contain rich, potential source horizons with mainly Type l/Type ll oil-prone kerogen, but are immature. Some deeper Cleveland Basin sediments have reached marginal maturity. Burial history reconstruction suggests significant formation palaeoburial depths in central areas of the Cleveland and Wessex Basins. Computed vitrinite isoreflectance contours show the Wealden and Isle of Wight Kimmeridge Clay to be thermally mature. Basin modelling suggests an early Palaeogene onset of oil generation in parts of the Cleveland Basin, while maximum oil generation could have been reached by the formation base in the Isle of Wight area during the late Cretaceous. Although basin subsidence ceased in the Neogene, in the Weald and Isle of Wight, where the formation is still deeply buried, oil generation probably continued for some time during uplift. Thus significant quantities of oil could have been generated. Whether or not this oil is present today however, would depend on the correct timing of suitable migration and trap structures.     

Marine hydrocarbon source rocks of the Upper Permian Longtan Formation and their contribution to gas accumulation in the northeastern Sichuan Basin,southwest China

Identification of the main hydrocarbon source rocks of the large Puguang gas field (northeastern Sichuan Basin, southwest China) has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. A key aspect has been the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the development of hydrocarbon source rocks of the Upper Permian Longtan Formation, which had been thought to contain mainly coal seams and thick carbonate layers. In this paper, based on geological data from more than ten wells and outcrops and their related mineralogy and geochemistry, we investigated the depositional environment and main factors controlling organic matter enrichment in the Longtan Formation. We propose a model which combines information on the geological environment and biological changes over time. In the model, organic matter from prolific phytoplankton blooms was deposited in quiescent platform interior sags with rising sea-levels. During the Longtan period, the area from Bazhong to Dazhou was a platform interior sag with relatively deep water and a closed environment, which was controlled by multiple factors including syngenetic fault settling, isolation of submarine uplifts and rising sea-levels leading to water column stratification. Although the bottom water was anoxic, the phytoplankton were able to bloom in the well-lit upper euphotic zone thus giving rise to a set of sapropelic black shales and marlstones containing mostly algal organic matter with minor terrestrial contributions. As a consequence, these rocks have a high hydrocarbon generation potentials and can be classified as high-quality source rocks. The area from Bazhong to Dazhou is a center of hydrocarbon generation, being the main source of reservoired paleo-oils and presently discovered as pyrobitumen in the Puguang gas field. The identification of these source rocks is very important to guide future petroleum exploration in the northeastern Sichuan Basin.     

Relating petroleum system and play development to basin evolution: West African South Atlantic basins

Sedimentary basins can be classified according to their structural genesis and evolutionary history and the latter can be linked to petroleum system and play development. We propose an approach in which we use the established concepts in a new way: breaking basins down into their natural basin cycle division, then defining the characteristics of each basin cycle (including the type of petroleum systems and plays they may contain) and comparing them with similar basin cycles in other basins, thereby providing a means to learn through a greater population of (perhaps not immediately obvious) analogues. Furthermore, we introduce the use of the trajectory plot as a new tool in such an analysis. This methodology has been applied to the West African South Atlantic marginal basins between Cameroon and Angola, and we demonstrate that the similar tectonostratigraphic evolution of the individual basins along this margin has led to the development of similar types of petroleum systems and play (level)s. Consequently, we can make analogue comparisons among these basins in order to evaluate and predict the presence of potential, yet undiscovered, hydrocarbon accumulations in less well explored parts of the margin.     

Scientific advice in integrated ocean management: The process towards the Barents Sea plan

It is widely held that integrated management of ocean areas needs to be based on integrated scientific advice. Such advice crosses disciplinary and traditional sector boundaries. This paper aims to provide insight into the role of science and scientific knowledge in a process towards integrated ocean management. It does so by exploring the organization of the process towards the integrated management plan for the Barents Sea-Lofoten area in Norway. It sheds light on the complexity of management questions in a context characterized by uncertainty and political controversy, largely concerning petroleum activity. Scientists were asked to provide a dynamic view on these issues and have delivered important material that furthers the task of policy development. However, there is a persisting lack of understanding about the consequences of human impact on the ecosystem. The paper finishes by pointing at the need for a larger societal discussion on what activities we consider appropriate, considering the limits of science to provide the knowledge base for questions that transcend the environmental domain.     

Improved understanding of petroleum migration history in the Hongche fault zone,northwestern Junggar Basin (northwest China): Constrained by vein-calcite fluid inclusions and trace elements

Calcite veins and cements occur widely in Carboniferous and Permian reservoirs of the Hongche fault zone, northwestern Junggar Basin in northwest China. The calcites were investigated by fluid inclusion and trace-element analyses, providing an improved understanding of the petroleum migration history. It is indicated that the Hongche fault behaved as a migration pathway before the Early Cretaceous, allowing two oil charges to migrate into the hanging-wall, fault-core and footwall reservoirs across the fault. Since the Late Cretaceous, the Hongche fault has been sealed. As a consequence, meteoric water flowed down only into the hanging-wall and fault-core reservoirs. The meteoric-water incursion is likely an important cause for degradation of reservoir oils. In contrast, the footwall reservoirs received gas charge (the third hydrocarbon event) following the Late Cretaceous. This helps explain the distribution of petroleum across the fault. This study provides an example of how a fault may evolve as pathway and seal over time, and how reservoir diagenetic minerals can provide clues to complex petroleum migration histories.     

桑沟湾农药残留及贝毒对海洋环境质量影响和主要食用贝类健康风险评估

根据2009-04—2010-02隔月6个航次桑沟湾9个调查站位贝类养殖区有机氯(OCPs)、有机磷(OPPs)农药残留和麻痹性贝毒(PSP)的调查资料,分析了它们在该海域海水中、表层沉积物中和主要贝类(栉孔扇贝、太平洋牡蛎和菲律滨蛤仔)体内的含量水平,就农药残留及贝毒污染对海洋环境质量的影响进行综合评价和类别划分,并对主要食用贝类中农药残留和贝毒的暴露水平进行健康风险评估。结果表明,桑沟湾贝类养殖区海水质量、沉积物质量和养殖贝类质量水平范围为1~2级,平均分别为2级、1级和1级,养殖生态环境综合质量水平为2级;总体上,该海域海洋环境综合质量处于良好水平,贝类产区生态环境质量为1类区(清洁区)。即该海域农药残留及贝毒污染对海洋环境质量影响较小或无明显影响。另外,针对食用桑沟湾贝类水产品的消费人群进行了农药残留及贝毒污染的健康风险评估,结果表明调查人群食用贝类中OCPs中的HCHs和DDTs、OPPs中的马拉硫磷和甲基对硫磷、PSP的日摄入量分别为0.75,2.11,0.19,0.09和1.22μg/(人·d),其摄入量低于ADI的推荐限值,因此桑沟湾主要食用贝类中农药残留及贝毒污染的健康风险处于安全范围。     

Practical kinetic modeling of petroleum generation and expulsion

Models for petroleum generation used by the industry are often limited by (a) sub-optimal laboratory pyrolysis methods for studying hydrocarbon generation, (b) over-simple models of petroleum generation, (c) inappropriate mathematical methods to derive kinetic parameters by fitting laboratory data, (d) primitive models of primary migration/expulsion and its coupling with petroleum generation, and (e) insufficient use of subsurface data to constrain the models. Problems (a), (b) and (c) lead to forced compensation effects between the activation energies and frequency factors of reaction kinetics that are wholly artificial, and which yield poor extrapolations to geological conditions. Simple switch or adsorption models of expulsion are insufficient to describe the residence time of species in source rocks. Yet, the residence time controls the thermal stresses to which the species are subjected for cracking to lighter species.     

海洋动物体石油烃污染评价标准参考值的探讨

目前,国内外尚无颁布任何海洋生物石油污染评价标准,为了满足海洋生物石油污染评价的需要,本文采用综合分析与毒理学分析相结合的方法,探讨和提出了海洋动物石油污染评价标准参考值,海洋鱼类、贝类和甲壳类的石油污染评价标准参考值（干重）分别为１５、７０ 和２５ ｍ ｇ／ｋｇ。     

中国古生界海相地层油气勘探

影响中国古生界海相油气勘探并且需要加强研究的主要问题是:保存条件的认识与有利区预测;有效烃源岩与资源潜力;储层的复杂性及其对非构造圈闭的影响。保存条件分为三个层次:含油气盆地的保存、含油气系统的保存、油气藏的保存。塔里木、四川、鄂尔多斯三大克拉通盆地是中国古生界保存较好的盆地,是海相油气勘探的战略目标区,另外还有准噶尔、楚雄等盆地。盆地斜坡相泥岩及泥状灰岩是海相油气勘探的主要烃源;海陆过渡相烃源岩发育区是重要战略方向;陆表海碳酸盐岩烃源岩区是中小油气田勘探领域。从储层条件来说,下古生界应以非砂岩岩溶储层为主要勘探对象,溶蚀不整合面广泛发育,已发现的下古生界大中型油气田仅见于碳酸盐岩溶储层;上古生界以孔隙性碎屑岩及碳酸盐岩储层为主要勘探对象,晚古生代的构造一古地理演化为这两类储层的广泛发育提供了条件。