The effect of heterogeneous stress and strain on metamorphic fluid flow,Mary Kathleen,Australia, and a model for large-scale fluid circulation *

In the Proterozoic Mary Kathleen Fold Belt, northern Australia, infiltration of large volumes of externally derived fluid occurred synchronously with regional amphibolite-facies metamorphism and deformation. This paper develops a model of structurally controlled fluid migration by comparing the distribution of fossil fluid pathways with the inferred stress and strain patterns during the deformation. Intense fluid flow was localized within strong, relatively brittle meta-intrusive bodies, and in discrete, veined, brecciated and altered zones around their margins. In metasediments folded in a ductile manner outside these areas, fluid infiltration was negligible. The direct correlation between structural styles and the magnitude of veining and metasomatism suggests control of permeability enhancement, and hence fluid flow, by deformation. Finite difference modelling of a strong body in a weaker matrix has been used to evaluate the variation of stresses during the deformation, from which it is clear that stress and strain heterogeneities have systematically influenced the development and maintenance of metamorphic fluid pathways. Particular regions in which mean stress may be significantly lower than the average lithostatic pressures include the ‘strain shadow’zones adjacent to the strong bodies, other dilatant zones around the bodies, and the bodies themselves. This geometry is favourable not only for localized brittle deformation under amphilobite facies conditions, but also for focused fluid flow in the low mean stress regions, as evidenced by the abundance of veins. Fluid access through these metamorphic aquifers occurred during tensile failure episodes, with particularly large dilations and decimetre-scale veining in areas of strain incompatibility. It appears likely that fluid circulated many times through the Fold Belt, with flow concentrated in the metamorphic aquifers. A model is developed that explains both the structurally focused fluid flow and the postulated multi-pass recirculation by dilatancy pumping, the ‘pump engines’comprising the low mean stress zones.     

Equal strain consolidation for stone columns reinforced foundation

Column consolidation and deformation are considered by assuming that the quantity of water flowing through the disturbed soil zone into the column is not equal to that flowing out from the column and the difference between them is equal to the volume change of the column. In addition, three patterns of distribution of the horizontal permeability of soil in the disturbed zone are also considered to account for the disturbance effect of columns construction on the surrounding soil. These three patterns include the constant distribution pattern (Pattern I), the linear distribution pattern (Pattern II) and the parabolic distribution pattern (Pattern III). By incorporating the aforementioned characteristics into the analyses, the governing equations containing two variables (i.e. the average excess pore-water pressures within the column and within the entire foundation at any depth) for the consolidation of a composite foundation are derived. The solutions of the governing equations are then obtained using a new initial condition derived from the assumption of equal strain and the equilibrium condition. On the basis of the solutions for excess pore-water pressures, the average degree of consolidation of a composite foundation is obtained and discussed. Finally, a comparison is made of some available solutions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A laboratory study on capillary sealing efficiency of Iranian shale and anhydrite caprocks

Caprock has the most important role in the long term safety of formation gas storage. The caprocks trap fluid accumulated beneath, contribute to lateral migration of this fluid and impede its upward migration. The rapid upward passage of invasive plumes due to buoyancy pressure is prevented by capillary pressure within these seal rocks. In the present study, two main seal rocks, from the Zagros basin in the southwest of Iran, a shale core sample of Asmari formation and an anhydrite core sample of Gachsaran formation, were provided. Absolute permeabilities of shale and anhydrite cores, considering the Klinkenberg effect, were measured as 6.09 × 10⁻¹⁸ and 0.89 × 10⁻¹⁸ m², respectively. Capillary sealing efficiency of the cores was investigated using gas breakthrough experiments. To do so, two distinct techniques including step by step and residual capillary pressure approaches were performed, using carbon dioxide, nitrogen and methane gases at temperatures of 70 and 90 °C, under confining pressures in the range 24.13–37.92 MPa. In the first technique, it was found that capillary breakthrough pressure of the cores varies in the range from 2.76 to 34.34 MPa. Moreover, the measurements indicated that after capillary breakthrough, gas effective permeabilities lie in range 1.85 × 10⁻²¹ – 1.66 × 10⁻¹⁹ m². In the second technique, the minimum capillary displacement pressure of shale varied from 0.66 to 1.45 MPa with the maximum effective permeability around 7.76 × 10⁻²¹ – 6.69 × 10⁻²⁰ m². The results indicate that anhydrite caprock of the Gachsaran formation provides proper capillary sealing efficacy, suitable for long term storage of the injected CO₂ plumes, due to its higher capillary breakthrough pressure and lower gas effective permeability.     

煤层瓦斯卸压抽放动态过程的气-固耦合模型研究

根据瓦斯渗流与煤体变形的基本理论,引入煤体孔隙变形与透气性演化的耦合作用方程,建立了考虑煤层吸附、解吸作用的含瓦斯煤岩固-气耦合作用模型。应用该模型模拟研究了不同压力影响下瓦斯抽放过程中煤层透气性的演化和抽放孔周围瓦斯压力的变化规律,其结果对于深入理解瓦斯抽放作用机制并采取相应的瓦斯预防和控制措施等具有重要的理论和实践意义。     

压实黄土非饱和渗透系数试验研究

压实黄土非饱和渗透特性具有重要的工程意义。对不同干密度的压实黄土试样,采用非饱和导水率测定系统进行非饱和渗透系数量测,得到不同干密度压实黄土的渗透系数与吸力的关系。试验结果表明：渗透系数随吸力的增大而成非线性减小,随干密度的减小而增大;在低吸力时,干密度对渗透系数的影响较大;在较高吸力时,干密度对渗透系数的影响较小。进一步给出了压实黄土的渗透系数模型并进行回归分析,得到各Wind幂函数模型参数与干密度的关系,建立了基于干密度的压实黄土渗透系数的确定方法。     

镇泾油田低渗透油藏岩石渗透率应力敏感性研究

对镇泾油田低渗透油藏岩石进行了渗透率应力敏感性实验研究,并对其进行了应力敏感性评价。实验是在一定围压下,通过降低和增加内压的方式完成的,共进行了2个围压下的变内压实验。实验结果和应力敏感性评价结果表明,镇泾油田低渗透油藏不存在渗透率强应力敏感性,在原始地层压力条件下,衰竭式开发对地层的渗透率几乎没有影响,注水开发对地层的渗透率会有一定程度的改善。同时,通过对有效应力定律方程的研究,得出渗透率有效应力系数为常数且值很小,这从机理上解释了镇泾油田低渗透油藏岩石的渗透率对应力不敏感的原因。     

电性参数在煤层气测井中的应用

在煤层气测井中,利用自然电位和双侧向电阻率可以定性判断含气层位。利用电阻率参数可推算煤层的孔隙度和含气饱和度,结合密度对煤层气可以进行定量计算。．     

提水试验在含水层渗透系数求取中的应用——以黄岛地下水封石油洞库为例

在利用水文地质试验求取渗透系数的过程中,对于低渗透性含水介质,由于水量小,一般难于实施抽水试验方法,而提水试验能够很好地解决这一问题。以黄岛地下水封石油洞库为例,首先对提水试验的特点、步骤进行了简单介绍,然后根据裘布依稳定潜水井流原理求解渗透系数,并对库区渗透系数平面分布规律进行了分析,将含水层渗透性划分为三个区域。     

强夯碎石土地基土体结构的试验研究

通过现场容重试验和注水试验研究了碎石土地基的密度和渗透性在强夯处理前后的变化,探讨了强夯对土体结构的影响.试验结果表明：强夯能有效改善碎石土的结构,且浅部明显,随深度增加表现出逐渐不明显的趋势;强夯作用下,土体结构的改变在3m以上区域为颗粒填充所致,3m以下则为土体孔隙压缩.     

利用斯通利波衰减反演渗透率的方法改进

利用严格的Biot介质模型,针对阵列声波测井情况,建立了基于物理统计方法的利用斯通利波幅度衰减反演储层渗透率之线性化最小二乘反演模型。作为对方法可行性的检验,运用该方法对理论合成数据进行了处理,结果表明运用统计方法后反演渗透率的偏差变小,证明了方法的可行性。