Numerical Calculation of Equivalent Cell Permeability Tensors for General Quadrilateral Control Volumes

A new method for upscaling fine scale permeability fields to general quadrilateral-shaped coarse cells is presented. The procedure, referred to as the conforming scale up method, applies a triangle-based finite element technique, capable of accurately resolving both the coarse cell geometry and the subgrid heterogeneity, to the solution of the local fine scale problem. An appropriate averaging of this solution provides the equivalent permeability tensor for the coarse scale quadrilateral cell. The general level of accuracy of the technique is demonstrated through application to a number of flow problems. The real strength of the conforming scale up method is demonstrated when the method is applied in conjunction with a flow-based gridding technique. In this case, the approach is shown to provide results that are significantly more accurate than those obtained using standard techniques.     

Crustal seismic velocity in the Marche region (Central Italy): computation of a minimum 1-D model with seismic station corrections

A 1-D velocity model for the Marche region (Central Italy) was computed by inverting P- and S-wave arrival times of local earthquakes. A total of 160 seismic events with a minimum of ten observations, a travel time residual ≤0.8 s and an azimuthal gap lower than 180° have been selected. This “minimum 1-D velocity model” is complemented by station corrections, which can be used to take into account possible near-surface velocity heterogeneities beneath each station. Using this new P-wave velocity model and the program HYPOELLIPSE (Lahr 1999), the selected local events were relocated. Earthquake locations in this study are of higher quality with respect to the original ones. The obtained minimum 1-D velocity model can be used to improve the routine earthquake locations and represents a further step towards more detailed seismotectonic studies of the area.     

苏德尔特油田贝16断块兴安岭群沉积特征与储层非均质性

在岩心观察描述、测井及开发动态资料综合分析的基础上,对苏德尔特油田贝16断块兴安岭群储层沉积特征及非均质性进行了研究,并分析了它们对注水开发的影响。结果表明:研究区在兴安岭群沉积时期主要发育滨浅湖沉积背景下的扇三角洲前缘的沉积,其中扇三角洲前缘水下辫状河道不等粒砂岩及粗砂岩储层物性最好,河口坝中粒砂岩次之,远砂坝粉砂岩最差;除了Ⅱ油组以外,其它油层的储层非均质性较强。应当根据沉积微相的平面分布特征及储层非均质性的强弱采取不同的开发措施。     

Crossover from Nonlinearity Controlled to Heterogeneity Controlled Mixing in Two-Phase Porous Media Flows

We use high resolution Monte Carlo simulations to study the dispersive mixing in two-phase, immiscible, porous media flow that results from the interaction of the nonlinearities in the flow equations with geologic heterogeneity. Our numerical experiments show that distinct dispersive regimes occur depending on the relative strength of nonlinearity and heterogeneity. In particular, for a given degree of multiscale heterogeneity, controlled by the Hurst exponent which characterizes the underlying stochastic model for the heterogeneity, linear and nonlinear flows are essentially identical in their degree of dispersion, if the heterogeneity is strong enough. As the heterogeneity weakens, the dispersion rates cross over from those of linear heterogeneous flows to those typical of nonlinear homogeneous flows.     

青藏高原东部基于噪声的面波群速度分布特征

通过收集青海、甘肃、四川三省的76个地震台记录的2008年1—12月三分量的连续噪声数据,利用噪声面波层析成像的方法获得了青藏高原东部的面波群速度分布特征。首先采用多重滤波方法提取了1 000多条台站对5～50 s的三分量面波群速度频散曲线,然后将研究区域划分为0.2°×0.2°的网格,利用O ccam方法反演了瑞利波(R-R)和勒夫波(T-T)的群速度分布。反演得到的群速度分布特征与地表地质和构造特征表现出较好的相关性,清晰地揭示了地壳内部的横向速度变化。层析成像的结果显示在短周期(8～20 s)内,拥有较厚的沉积层的四川盆地表现为明显的低速特征,而青藏高原东部则表现为较高的群速度分布特征;随着周期的增加(>20 s),群速度的分布特征呈现出与短周期相反的特性,青藏高原东部下方的速度远远低于四川盆地,这可能与青藏高原东部中、下地壳低速层相关联,同时也意味着研究区域的地壳结构具有明显的横向不均匀性。在群速度分布图上,龙门山不仅是四川盆地与青藏高原的地形和构造分界带,同时也对应着高群速度与低群速度的过渡带。     

河流生态系统结构功能整体性概念模型

在完善与整合现有河流生态系统结构功能概念及模型的基础上,提出河流生态系统结构功能整体性概念模型。水文情势、水力条件和地貌景观格局是对河流生态系统结构与功能具有关键影响的3大生境要素,结构功能模型的核心是建立以3大生境要素为构架的生命支持系统与河流生命系统之间的相互作用和相互制约关系,同时考虑由于人类活动引起生境要素变化对于河流生态系统的影响。河流生态系统结构功能整体性概念模型由以下4种模型组成:河流四维连续体模型、水文情势-河流生态过程耦合模型、水力条件-生物生活史特征适宜模型以及地貌景观空间异质性-生物群落多样性关联模型,这4种模型的一体化整合,基本概括了河流生态系统结构功能的整体特征。     

湖北省土壤侵蚀景观空间异质性及驱动因子分析

地域分异是地球表层大小不等、内部具有一定相似性地段之间的相互分化以及由此产生的差异。为了研究不同区位土壤侵蚀问题，从土壤生态景观及系统论出发，运用地质学、地理学、景观生态学、环境学的理论和研究方法，研究湖北省土壤侵蚀景观空间格局及其驱动因子，使土壤侵蚀问题研究提高到一个新的水平。湖北省土壤侵蚀景观具有南北分带、东西分区，为一不对称的断块一环组合，土壤流呈现向长江、江汉盆地中心轴带辐聚、单流向特点。景观空间异质性形成的首要驱动因子是大地构造背景，以房县一襄樊一广济断裂带为界，南北两侧地壳物质组成和构造发展史存在较明显的差异，现代气候带、降雨量、温热程度及土地利用等差异，造成了湖北省区域土壤地理、土壤生态的分异，形成湖北省土壤生态带、区具有南北分带，东西分区的宏观格局；其次大兴安岭一武陵山深部构造陡变带两侧新构造运动强度差异、大别造山带构造强烈隆升，导致土壤侵蚀强度的西强东弱、南北强中间弱的态势；成土母岩差异性决定了土壤可蚀性的多变；空间上“土壤侵蚀内城区”分布在湖北省的周边地区，经济贫困、管理落后，这一地区的经济水平与水土流失间形成“自反馈作用”，这一现象在我国水土保持、生态建设工作中应该引起重视。     

Controls on reservoir heterogeneity of tight sand oil reservoirs in Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation in Longdong Area,southwest Ordos Basin,China: Implications for reservoir quality prediction and oil accumulation

Compared to conventional reservoirs, pore structure and diagenetic alterations of unconventional tight sand oil reservoirs are highly heterogeneous. The Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation is a major tight-oil-bearing formation in the Ordos Basin, providing an opportunity to study the factors that control reservoir heterogeneity and the heterogeneity of oil accumulation in tight oil sandstones.The Chang 8 tight oil sandstone in the study area is comprised of fine-to medium-grained, moderately to well-sorted lithic arkose and feldspathic litharenite. The reservoir quality is extremely heterogeneous due to large heterogeneities in the depositional facies, pore structures and diagenetic alterations. Small throat size is believed to be responsible for the ultra-low permeability in tight oil reservoirs. Most reservoirs with good reservoir quality, larger pore-throat size, lower pore-throat radius ratio and well pore connectivity were deposited in high-energy environments, such as distributary channels and mouth bars. For a given depositional facies, reservoir quality varies with the bedding structures. Massive- or parallel-bedded sandstones are more favorable for the development of porosity and permeability sweet zones for oil charging and accumulation than cross-bedded sandstones.Authigenic chlorite rim cementation and dissolution of unstable detrital grains are two major diagenetic processes that preserve porosity and permeability sweet zones in oil-bearing intervals. Nevertheless, chlorite rims cannot effectively preserve porosity-permeability when the chlorite content is greater than a threshold value of 7%, and compaction played a minor role in porosity destruction in the situation. Intensive cementation of pore-lining chlorites significantly reduces reservoir permeability by obstructing the pore-throats and reducing their connectivity. Stratigraphically, sandstones within 1 m from adjacent sandstone-mudstone contacts are usually tightly cemented (carbonate cement > 10%) with low porosity and permeability (lower than 10% and 0.1 mD, respectively). The carbonate cement most likely originates from external sources, probably derived from the surrounding mudstone. Most late carbonate cements filled the previously dissolved intra-feldspar pores and the residual intergranular pores, and finally formed the tight reservoirs.The petrophysical properties significantly control the fluid flow capability and the oil charging/accumulation capability of the Chang 8 tight sandstones. Oil layers usually have oil saturation greater than 40%. A pore-throat radius of less than 0.4 μm is not effective for producible oil to flow, and the cut off of porosity and permeability for the net pay are 7% and 0.1 mD, respectively.     

Rare species, habitat diversity and functional redundancy in marine benthos

Macro-ecological theories relating species richness, abundance, range size, biological traits and environmental tolerance have rarely been tested in marine soft-sediments, despite the spatial extent of these habitats and the inherent richness of resident communities. This study examines the contribution of rare species to marine soft-sediment communities from New Zealand, focussing on the relationships of range size with abundance, environment, habitat diversity and life history traits. 54% of the 351 species sampled exhibited restricted ranges (found at ≤ 2 sites). In contrast to many terrestrial systems, we observed only a weak positive relationship between abundance and frequency of occurrence. Restricted-range species were not randomly distributed, with their distribution related to habitat characteristics, suggesting an important link between habitat diversity and rarity. They exhibited a similar range of traits to the total observed species pool, suggesting that they are not only important to biodiversity but could play a role in stability. Restricted range species were generally not small and this, together with the number of different biological traits represented, suggests that rare species are important to the functioning of marine systems. Thus, our results highlight the importance of considering rare species in habitat-based approaches to conservation.     

青藏高原东缘虎牙断裂带南北段运动方式差异性机理：来自数值模拟的约束

虎牙断裂带作为青藏高原物质东向扩展的前缘断裂之一,其运动方式和强震活动类型表现出显著的南北差异.研究虎牙断裂带运动方式的差异性机理,对于认识地震发生机制与高原东向扩展模式有着重要意义.本文构建包含虎牙断裂带的三维黏弹性有限元模型,研究介质流变性差异与断层几何形态对区域地壳变形及断层三维滑动速率的影响.数值实验结果表明,在青藏高原物质东向挤出的动力学背景下,在虎牙断裂带南段,中下地壳介质流变性横向差异控制着断层以逆冲性质为主的运动,且随着中下地壳断层两侧流变性差异的增大,断层西侧物质的水平运动更易发生向垂向运动的转换.在断层两侧流变强度差1~2个数量级时,断层倾向滑动速率与走向滑动速率的比值达3.3~4.0,表现出显著的逆冲运动,与松潘—平武强震所反映的断层运动特征基本一致.相反,在断裂带北段,考虑断层两侧中下地壳较小的流变性差异时,断层即表现出明显的逆冲运动,这与九寨沟M_S7.0等强震反映的断层以走滑性质为主的运动明显不符,表明虎牙断裂带北段可能不存在中下地壳介质流变性的横向差异,断层以走滑为主的运动方式主要受断裂带几何展布控制.研究结果为认识青藏高原东缘同一构造区内断层运动方式差异与发震机制以及高原东向扩展模式提供了理论依据.