Formation of saddle dolomites in Upper Cambrian carbonates, western Tarim Basin (northwest China): Implications for fault-related fluid flow

The saddle dolomites occur more intensely in cores closely to fault than that in cores far away from the fault in Upper Cambrian carbonate of western Tarim basin, suggesting that formation of the saddle dolomites is likely related to fault-controlled fluid flow. They partially fill in fractures and vugs of replacement dolomite. The saddle dolomites exhibit complex internal textures, commonly consisting of core and cortex. In comparison with the matrix dolomites, the saddle dolomites show lower Sr-content and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, higher Fe- and Mn-content, and more negative δ¹⁸O values. Combined with high Th (100–130 °C) of primary fluid inclusions, it is suggested that the saddle dolomites precipitated from hydrothermal fluid derived from the deep evaporite-bearing Middle Cambrian strata, and the magnesium source may be due to dissolution of host dolomite during hydrothermal fluid migration. Fault activity resulted in petrographic and geochemical difference of the core and cortex of the saddle dolomites. The cores precipitated from the formation water mixed by deep brines at the early stage of fault activity, and the cortexes precipitated from the deep fluid with higher temperatures through the Middle Cambrian later. In summary, the formation of the saddle dolomites implies a hydrothermal fluid event related to fault activity, which also resulted in high porosity in Upper Cambrian carbonate in western Tarim Basin.     

High-resolution record of tectonic and sedimentary processes in growth strata

Growth strata are used to determine the kinematics of synsedimentary structures such as faults. Classical methods of analysis such as thickness versus throw plot consider that the available space created by fault slip in the hanging wall of faults is instantaneously filled up by sediments. This has lead many previous works to identify a cyclic activity for growth faults. Here we perform a careful analysis of the variation of strata thicknesses on each side of a very well documented normal growth fault in the Niger delta. We show that these thickness variations are induced by the alternation of sedimentary processes during continuous fault slip. Suspended-load processes induce either uniform or slightly variable thickness of a large majority of mudstone layers. Bedload processes result in a preferential thickening of sand layers in the hanging wall. These high quality data thus provide strong grounds for doubting the polycyclic growth diagnosed for some faults at the scale of sedimentary cycles and supports the notion that fault displacement rates can be very well behaved. Our study emphasizes the important conclusion that stable fault growth, and related displacement rates, can appear to be punctuated when viewed at the scale of sedimentary cycles. It follows that care should be taken when attempting to derive displacement rates on temporal scales equivalent to those of alternating sedimentological cycles.     

南海双峰盆地的形成演化及其对构造样式的约束

南海北部深水区已逐渐成为我国南海北部油气资源调查的热点区域,开展南海北部双峰盆地构造样式及成因分析研究对进一步认识南海北部沉积盆地的形成演化和评价油气资源潜力具有重要的借鉴意义。利用广州海洋地质调查局已有的二维地震资料,在对双峰盆地地震层序和构造精细解释的基础上,厘定了双峰盆地主要的构造样式;采用平衡剖面技术,重建了双峰盆地的构造演化史;结合南海北部区域构造背景,分析了双峰盆地的性质和成因。研究认为,双峰盆地为与洋壳热沉降有关的坳陷沉积盆地。从神狐运动开始,双峰盆地经历了大陆破裂—大陆裂解—海底扩张完整的构造演化旋回,在持续伸展构造应力场的作用下,形成了双峰盆地,主要发育伸展构造样式、转换-伸展构造样式、重力滑动构造样式和火成构造样式4类,其中伸展构造和火成构造较为发育。     

上扬子盆地西南缘上组合气藏成藏过程分析

通过对代表上扬子盆地西南缘上组合气藏特征的平落坝、白马庙和观音寺3个典型气藏进行解剖,明确了中侏罗统沙溪庙组天然气分布特征。结合输导体系、流体包裹体成藏期次和构造演化研究成果,分析了气藏成藏过程,总结其成藏模式,以期为有利勘探目标区的选择及评价提供地质依据。上扬子盆地西南缘沙溪庙组气藏以构造-岩性和岩性气藏为主,天然气主要分布在沙溪庙组Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ段,主要聚集于构造高点。油气成藏时间集中在93～72 Ma,发生过至少2幕油气充注。燕山运动是气藏形成的主要时期,其形成的断层是沟通气源的主要通道;喜山运动是气藏天然气调整的主要时期,喜山期逆冲断层的活动及构造高点的迁移是天然气调整的主要原因。不同构造区域成藏具有差异性：西部褶皱带断-砂匹配、构造、砂体物性是主要控藏因素,构造高点、断层封闭性控制其含气丰度;东部斜坡带断-砂匹配、构造、封闭断层是主要控藏因素,构造高点、砂体物性控制其含气丰度。     

Miocene facies associations and sedimentary evolution of the Southern Transylvanian Basin (Romania): Implications for hydrocarbon exploration

The Transylvanian Basin is a mature hydrocarbon province of Romania characterized by two petroleum systems: Mesozoic (thermogenic) and Miocene (biogenic). An extensive outcrop-based sedimentological and micropaleontological study correlated to seismic and well data discusses the elements of the Miocene petroleum system. The facies associations are indicative of alluvial, fandelta, shallow- and deep-marine settings. These are grouped into four different depositional systems (evaporite, mud-carbonate, sand-mud and sand-gravel). Their evolution in time and space shows large differences between various parts of the basin that have important consequences for exploration.     

Danian cool-water coral reefs in southern Scandinavia localised over seafloor highs

Danian (Paleocene) reefs formed by ahermatypic scleractinian corals in relatively deep water are known in a few localities in southern Scandinavia. Reflection and shallow seismic profiles, and samples from drilling and scuba diving in bridge pier excavations in Øresund, the strait between Denmark and Sweden, for the first time allow interpretation of the factors that controlled the localisation of the reefs.     

Extension of the Paraná Basin to offshore Brazil: Implications for coalbed methane evaluation

Coalbed methane (CBM) is a worldwide exploration target of the petroleum industry. In Brazil, the most important coal-bearing succession is associated with the Permian Rio Bonito Formation of the Paraná Basin. The gas-prone areas are located at the southeastern margin of the Paraná Basin and possibly in the offshore region of the northern part of the Pelotas Basin. Coalfields end abruptly at the present day shoreline, a result of rifting of Gondwana and the evolution of the South Atlantic Ocean. All geologic indicators suggest that in pre-rift times the coal seams extended further eastwards, probably now lying deeply buried below the sedimentary succession of the Pelotas Basin. The present paper discusses structural, stratigraphic, seismic and aeromagenetic data that support the preservation of continental crust beneath ocean sediment. If the coal beds had similar lateral extent to known onshore coals, and coal beds extended across the projected extension of the Parana basin, and there was a conservative 5 m of cumulative coal thickness, then a potential methane volume can be estimated for this newly inferred resource. Average onshore coal gas content is 32 scf/ton (1.00 m³/ton). If this is similar in the offshore coal deposits, then the hypothetical methane volume in the offshore area could be in excess of 1.9 × 10¹² scf (56 × 10⁹ m³). Metamorphism from dikes associated with rifting are potential complicating factors in these deposits, and since no borehole reaching the deep-lying strata in the offshore area are available, this is a hypothetical gas resource with a certain level of uncertainty which should be tested in the future by drilling a deep borehole.     

Warming and depth convergence of the Arctic Intermediate Water in the Canada Basin during 1985-2006

The warming of the Arctic Intermediate Water (AIW) is studied based on the analyses of hydrographic observations in the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean during 1985-2006. It is shown that how the anomalously warm AIW spreads in the Canada Basin during the observation time through the analysis of the AIW temperature spatial distribution in different periods. The results indicate that by 2006, the entire Canada Basin has almost been covered by the warming AIW. In order to study interannual variability of the AIW in the Canada Basin, the Canada Basin is divided into five regions according to the bottom topography. From the interannual variation of AIW temperature in each region, it is shown that a cooling period follows after the warming event in upstream regions. At the Chukchi Abyssal Plain and Chukchi Plateau, upstream of the Arctic Circumpolar Boundary Current (ACBC) in the Canada Basin, the AIW temperature reached maximum and then started to fall respectively in 2000 and 2002. However, the AIW in the Canada Abyssal Plain and Beaufort Sea continues to warm monotonically until the year 2006. Furthermore, it is revealed that there is convergence of the AIW depth in the five different regions of the Canada Basin when the AIW warming occurs during observation time. The difference of AIW depth between the five regions of the Canada Basin is getting smaller and smaller, all approaching 410 m in recent years. The results show that depth convergence is related to the variation of AIW potential density in the Canada Basin.     

基于精细数据处理的叠前深度偏移在琼东南盆地陵水凹陷坡折区的应用

琼东南盆地陵水凹陷,受坡折区崎岖海底和复杂地质构造的影响,导致该地区速度模型构建精度不高,从而严重影响到成像品质。针对坡折区的精确速度模型构建难题,首先采用组合多次波衰减、宽频处理、叠前信噪比增强等针对性处理技术,得到宽频带高信噪比的叠前数据,在此基础上统计分析不同水深速度规律,应用断控和地质约束速度建模技术,建立初始速度模型,然后利用基于宽频数据的高分辨断控约束网格层析反演技术,经过多次迭代完成深度域各向异性速度建模,并实现了陵水凹陷坡折区的高精度叠前深度偏移成像。叠前深度偏移成像显示,基于精细速度模型的叠前深度偏移技术科明显提高坡折区信噪比,改善成像质量,同时可有效消除地层同相轴扭曲的现象,恢复了地下地层的真实构造形态,从而可为目标评价与钻探决策提供更可靠地震资料。     

深水弯曲水道几何形态定量分析——以赤道几内亚Rio Muni盆地为例

深水水道作为深水沉积体系中重要的沉积单元之一,一直是深水沉积和地层研究的热点。基于西非几内亚湾Rio Muni盆地陆坡区的高分辨率三维地震资料,利用地震属性及参数定量分析法对第四系陆坡重力流水道的剖面和平面形态进行了研究,旨在探索深水水道内部结构的相互影响和外部因素对水道形态的控制,丰富深水沉积学理论。研究表明：坡度及距水道头部距离影响了深水水道的剖面和平面形态,随着坡度变缓,距水道头部距离越远,水道宽度越小;堤岸于中、下陆坡开始发育,水道堤岸脊的高程差及内、外弯曲带都不同程度地影响了堤岸的长度;水道的弯曲度控制着堤岸脊高程差的变化,同时作用于堤岸长度的变化;样本水道为高弯曲水道,且弯曲度受地形坡度控制。