Origin and quantitative source assessment of deep oils in the Tazhong Uplift,Tarim Basin

A large amount of deep oil has been discovered in the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin whereas the oil source is still controversial. An integrated geochemical approach was utilized to unravel the characteristics, origin and alteration of the deep oils. This study showed that the Lower Cambrian oil from well ZS1C (

_1x) was featured by small or trace amounts of biomarkers, unusually high concentration of dibenzothiophenes (DBTs), high δ³⁴S of DBTs and high δ¹³C value of n-alkanes. These suggest a close genetic relationship with the Cambrian source rocks and TSR alteration. On the contrary, the Middle Cambrian oils from well ZS1 (

_2a) were characterized by low δ¹³C of n-alkanes and relatively high δ³⁴S of individual sulfur compounds and a general “V” shape of steranes, indicating a good genetic affinity with the Middle–Upper Ordovician source rocks. The middle Cambrian salt rock separating the oils was suggested to be one of the factors responsible for the differentiation. It was suggested that most of the deep oils in the Tazhong Uplift were mixed source based on biomarkers and carbon isotope, which contain TSR altered oil in varied degree. The percentage of the oils contributed by the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician was in the range of 19–100% (average 57%) controlled by several geological and geochemical events. Significant variations in the δ³⁴S values for individual compounds in the oils were observed suggesting a combination of different extent of TSR and thermal maturation alterations. The unusually high DBTs concentrations in the Tazhong-4 oilfield suggested as a result of mixing with the ZS1C oil (

_1x) and Lower Ordovician oils based on δ³⁴S values of DBT. This study will enhance our understanding of both deep and shallow oil sources in the Tazhong Uplift and clarify the formation mechanisms of the unusually high DBTs oils in the region.     

Private agri-food governance and greenhouse gas abatement: Constructing a corporate carbon economy

Private sector actors are playing an increasingly significant role in the definition and governance of ‘sustainable’ agri-food practices. Yet, to date little attention has been paid by social scientists to how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are addressed as part of private agri-food governance arrangements. This paper examines how private actors within agri-food supply chains respond to emerging pressure for measures to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture. Drawing upon the Anglo-Foucauldian governmentality literature, we introduce the notion of the corporate carbon economy to conceptualise the practical techniques that enable private agri-food actors to make GHG emissions thinkable and governable in the context of existing market, regulatory, and supply chain pressures. Using a case study of the Australian dairy industry, we argue that private agri-food actors utilise a range of techniques that enable them to respond to existing government environmental regulations, balance current market pressures with future supply chain requirements, and demonstrate improved eco-efficiency along food supply chains. These techniques – which include environmental self-assessment instruments, tools for measuring GHG emissions, and sustainability reporting – have little direct relevance to the ‘international climate regime’ of carbon trading, and carbon markets more broadly, yet individually and in combination they are crucial in enacting an alternative regime of GHG governance. In concluding, we contend that the growing use of sustainability metrics by international food companies is likely to have the most powerful implications for GHG governance in the agri-food sector, with potentially far-reaching consequences for how future action on climate change is rendered thinkable and practicable.     

Carbon isotope fractionation of Thermoanaerobacter kivui in different growth media and at different total inorganic carbon concentration

Chemolithotrophic homoacetogenic bacteria apparently express a characteristic stable carbon isotope fractionation and may contribute significantly to acetate production in anoxic environments. However, fractionation factors (ε) in bacterial cultures have rarely been determined and the effect of substrate availability has not been assessed. We therefore studied the kinetic carbon isotope effect in cultures of Thermoanaerobacter kivui grown at 55 °C. The fractionation factor in HCO₃⁻ buffered medium was ca. 15‰ more negative than that in PO₄³⁻ buffered medium. To test whether the difference was caused by the initial substrate ratio of H₂ and total inorganic carbon (TIC; 0.5 in HCO₃⁻ vs. 4.0 in PO₄³⁻ buffered medium), T. kivui was grown in either [3-(N-morpholino) propanesulfonic acid, MOPS] buffered or PO₄³⁻ buffered media with different HCO₃⁻ concentration. Indeed, the fractionation factor became more negative with increasing HCO₃⁻ concentration and decreasing H₂/TIC ratio. While pH had only a small effect, the fractionation was generally more negative in MOPS buffered than in phosphate buffered media, indicating that the buffer system also affected fractionation. Collectively, the results show that substrate availability and other environmental factors affect the magnitude of isotope fractionation during acetate production by chemolithotrophic homoacetogenesis.     

Sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to northwestern Saskatchewan lakes east of the Athabasca oil sands

The past several decades have witnessed a significant expansion of mining activities in the Athabasca oil sands region, raising concerns about their impact on the surrounding boreal forest ecosystem. To better understand the extent to which distal sites are impacted by oil sands-derived airborne contaminants, we examine sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments and dated sediment cores from Saskatchewan lakes situated ∼100–220 km east–northeast of the main area of bitumen mining activities. The concentrations and fluxes of both parent and alkylated PAHs are low and show considerable variability over the past 70–100 years. Small yet discernible increases in PAH concentrations and fluxes occurred over the past 30 years, a trend which coincides with the rapid growth in bitumen production. However, several lines of evidence point to wildfires as the principal source of PAHs to these lakes: (1) the significant co-variations in most cores between retene (1-methyl-7-isopropyl phenanthrene) and other groups of parent and alkylated PAHs, (2) the similarity in compound specific δ¹³C signatures of the parent PAHs phenanthrene and pyrene in recently deposited surficial sediments and those corresponding to time intervals considerably pre-dating the large scale development of the oil sands and (3) the discernible up-core increases in the proportion of refractory carbon (i.e., char) in Rock-Eval 6 data. The collective evidence points to softwood combustion from boreal forest fires as the principal source of retene in sediments and the general increase in forest fire activity in this region over the past several decades as the source of refractory carbon. Mining activities associated with the Athabasca oil sands are thus not considered a major source of PAHs to these lakes.     

Methodological comparison for quantitative analysis of fossil and recently derived carbon in mine soils with high content of aliphatic kerogen

In mine soil, quantification of soil organic carbon (OC) derived recently from biomass decomposition is complicated by the presence of fossil (geogenic) C derived from coal, oil shale, or similar material in the overburden. The only reliable method for such measurement is ¹⁴C analysis (i.e. radiocarbon dating) using instrumentation such as accelerator mass spectrometry, which is too expensive for routine laboratory analysis. We tested two previously used and two new methods for recent C quantification and compared them with ¹⁴C AMS radiocarbon dating as a reference using a set of soil samples (n = 14) from Sokolov, Czech Republic: (i) ¹³C isotope ratio composition, (ii) cross polarization magic angle spinning ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS ¹³C NMR) spectroscopy, (iii) near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) coupled with partial least squares regression and (iv) Rock–Eval pyrolysis. Conventional methods for OC determination (dry combustion, wet dichromate oxidation, loss-on-ignition) were also compared to quantify any bias connected with their use. All the methods provided acceptable recent carbon estimates in the presence of mostly aliphatic fossil C from kerogen. However, the most accurate predictions were obtained with two approaches using Rock–Eval pyrolysis parameters as predictors, namely (i) S₂ curve components and (ii) oxygen index (OI). The S₂ curve approach is based on the lower thermal stability of recent vs. fossil organic matter. The OI approach corresponded well with ¹³C NMR spectra, which showed that samples rich in recent C were richer in carboxyl C and O-alkyl C. These two methods showed the greatest potential as routine methods for recent C quantification.     

苏门答腊岛(印尼)成矿带的岩浆作用和源区及其对比

本文介绍了苏门答腊岛上两个成矿带(即铜-金矿成矿带和锡矿成矿带)的矿产分布,岩浆岩的岩石类型和地球化学特征。根据本研究课题在巴东地区岩石化学资料,本文总结了铜-金矿成矿带含矿母岩的地球化学特征,探讨其岩浆岩成因和源区。同时,将其锡矿成矿带岩浆岩的岩石类型和地球化学-大地构造环境与其相邻地体进行对比。研究结果表明:西苏门答腊地体的铜-金矿成矿带的含矿母岩为SI-型埃达克质花岗岩,形成于活动大陆边缘(ACM)火山弧构造环境,其岩浆物质主要来源于俯冲洋壳板片局部熔融叠加上弱的地幔楔熔融-混染作用(MASH)。而东苏门答腊地体‘锡岛’和"暹缅马苏"地体的锡矿带含矿母岩为过铝质(S-型)花岗岩类,其形成构造环境为碰撞带的弧后盆地和陆内裂谷,物质源区来自地壳重熔和岩浆分异。地球化学资料表明,该两地体具有共同的深部岩浆源区。     

基于ETM~+数据和GIS技术的缅甸铜金矿成矿预测

在利用遥感数据和地理信息系统(GIS)技术的矿产资源勘查与评价中,矿化蚀变信息提取和构造信息提取起着至关重要的作用。以缅甸铜金矿为例,利用ETM+遥感图像,采用比值法、阈值分割和主成分分析(PCA)提取羟基蚀变信息;利用数字高程模型和遥感数据提取与铜金矿化有关的线环构造,结合地质资料和上述信息,利用证据权和分形方法进行整合,确定该研究区的成矿远景区。结果发现,已知铜金矿均分布于成矿靶区中,综合信息可为下一步的矿产资源勘探工作提供决策依据。     

Characterization of low-molecular-weight organic acids isolated from the Toarcian argillite pore water (Tournemire site,France)

Bacterial activity in the near-field environment of radioactive waste disposal facilities in deep argillaceous rocks is currently under investigation. Bacterial development could be enhanced by the availability of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOA) dissolved in the pore water of clayey rocks. This study firstly aimed at isolating and characterizing the LMWOA of the Toarcian argillite from the Tournemire Underground Research Laboratory (France, Aveyron). It also aimed at assessing the disturbing effects that could be induced by a disposal facility on the type and release of LMWOA (exposure to oxygen, alkaline pH, temperature increase). Under the experimental conditions investigated at 60 °C, the mean dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is about 15 mg L⁻¹ with a LMWOA proportion of 35 %. The main LMWOA are composed of formate, fumarate, propionate, acetate, and lactate. DOC is mainly influenced by both temperature and pH increases, whereas the LMWOA type nature and release are more specifically affected by the exposure to oxygen.     

Refractory Black Carbon Results and a Method Comparison between Solid-state Cutting and Continuous Melting Sampling of a West Antarctic Snow and Firn Core

This work presents the refractory black carbon(rBC)results of a snow and firn core drilled in West Antarctica(79°55'34.6"S,94°21'13.3"W)during the 2014?15 austral summer,collected by Brazilian researchers as part of the First Brazilian West Antarctic Ice Sheet Traverse.The core was drilled to a depth of 20 m,and we present the results of the first 8 m by comparing two subsampling methods—solid-state cutting and continuous melting—both with discrete sampling.The core was analyzed at the Department of Geological Sciences,Central Washington University(CWU),WA,USA,using a single particle soot photometer(SP2)coupled to a CETAC Marin-5 nebulizer.The continuous melting system was recently assembled at CWU and these are its first results.We also present experimental results regarding SP2 reproducibility,indicating that sample concentration has a greater influence than the analysis time on the reproducibility for low rBC concentrations,like those found in the Antarctic core.Dating was carried out using mainly the rBC variation and sulfur,sodium and strontium as secondary parameters,giving the core 17 years(1998?2014).The data show a well-defined seasonality of rBC concentrations for these first meters,with geometric mean summer/fall concentrations of 0.016μg L^?1 and geometric mean winter/spring concentrations of 0.063μg L^?1.The annual rBC concentration geometric mean was 0.029μg L^?1(the lowest of all rBC cores in Antarctica referenced in this work),while the annual rBC flux was 6.1μg m^?2 yr^?1(the lowest flux in West Antarctica records so far).     

城镇化背景下中国长期低碳转型路径研究

在中国经济步入新常态之际,为了研究城镇化背景下的长期碳排放趋势,构建了人口变动与能源系统互动的综合分析框架与社会经济-能源系统模型。结果显示,从2014年至2050年,预计有3亿人口从农村流向城市,并呈现从中小型城市逐步向大型和特大型城市汇集的趋势。人口流动趋势与人民生活质量改善结合,推动中国基础设施建设、工业产品生产和能源服务需求增长。基准情景下,2050年中国一次能源消费总量达到84亿tce,能源相关CO₂排放达到176亿t,比2013年增长83%;而在低碳转型情景下,通过技术创新,2050年中国一次能源消费需求可以控制在61亿tce左右,CO₂排放在2020—2025年间达峰,2050年比基准情景降低78%。低碳转型过程中,非化石能源电力和能效技术的减排潜力最大,工业和电力部门率先在2020年达峰,建筑和交通 ^①（①按照国际通行的能源系统部门划分标准和能耗概念,工业、建筑、交通均属于终端能源消费部门,其中建筑部门能耗指建筑运行能耗,而非建筑建造过程中的能耗;交通部门能耗指所有交通活动能耗,既包括交通运输业营运类运输工具的交通能耗,也包括私人、公务非营运类运输工具的交通能耗 ^[1]。）将在2030年左右达峰。实现低碳转型所需新增固定投资占GDP的1.5%,不会给国民经济带来重大负担。中国实施新型城镇化战略具有技术和经济可行性。