Coupling relationship between reservoir diagenesis and hydrocarbon accumulation in Lower Cretaceous Yingcheng Formation of Dongling,Changling fault depression,Songliao Basin,Northeast China

The Lower Cretaceous Yingcheng Formation in the southern Songliao Basin is the typical tight oil sandstone in China. In order to better predict the petrophysical properties of the tight sandstone reservoirs in the Lower Cretaceous Yingcheng Formation, Songliao Basin, Northeast China, the diagenesis and porosity evolution was investigated using a suite of petrographic and geochemical techniques including thin section analysis, scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion and fluid inclusion analysis, on a set of selected tight sandstone samples. Combined with the histories of burial evolution, organic matter thermal evolution and hydrocarbon charge, the matching relationship between reservoir porosity evolution and hydrocarbon accumulation history is analyzed. The result showed that the tight sandstone reservoirs characterized of being controlled by deposition, predominated by compaction, improved by dissolution and enhanced by cementation. The hydrocarbon accumulation period was investigated using a suite of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion history, microfluorescence determination and temperature measurement technology. According to the homogenization temperature of the inclusions and the history of burial evolution, Yingcheng Formation has mainly two phases hydrocarbon accumulation. The first phase of oil and gas is charged before the reservoir is tightened, the oil and gas generated by Shahezi source rocks enter the sand body of Yingcheng Formation, influenced by the carrying capability of sand conducting layer, oil and gas is mainly conducted by the better properties and higher connectivity sand body and enriched in the east, which belongs to the type of densification after hydrocarbon accumulation. The second phase of oil and gas charge after densification, which belongs to the type of densification before the hydrocarbon accumulation.     

New high-resolution 2D seismic imaging of fluid escape structures in the Makran subduction zone,Arabian Sea

Seabed fluid escape is active in the Makran subduction zone, Arabian Sea. Based on the new high-resolution 2D seismic data, acoustic blanking zones and seafloor mounds are identified. Acoustic blanking zones include three kinds of geometries: Bell-shaped, vertically columnar and tilted zones. The bell-shaped blanking zone is characterized by weak and discontinuous reflections in the interior and up-bending reflections on the top, interpreted as gas chimneys. Vertically columnar blanking zone is interpreted as side-imaged gas chimneys associated with focused fluid flow and topped by a seafloor anomaly expressed as a localized reflection discontinuity, which may together serve as a vent structure. Tilted acoustic blanking zone could be induced by accretionary thrust activity and rapid sedimentation surrounding slope. Seafloor mounds occur at the sites of bell-shaped acoustic blanking zone and may be associated with the material intrusion. Bottom simulating refectors (BSRs) are widely distributed and exhibit a series of characteristics including diminished amplitude, low continuity as well as local shoaling overlapping with these acoustic blanking zones. The large amount of gases dissociated from the gas hydrates migrated upwards and then arrived at the near-seafloor sediments, followed by the formation of the gas hydrates and hence the seafloor mound.     

Hydrogeophysical modelling of Hisarcik (Kütahya) geothermal field,western Turkey

Western Anatolia hosts many low-to-moderate and high-temperature geothermal sources in which active faults play a dominant role to control the recharge and the discharge of geothermal fluid. In this study, we used the two-dimensional geoelectric structure of Kütahya Hisarcık geothermal field, and created a conceptual hydrogeophysical model that includes faults, real topographical variations and geological units. The temperature distribution and fluid flow pattern are also investigated. The depth extension of Hisarcık Fault, electrical basement and low resistivity anomalies related to the presence of geothermal fluid are determined by using resistivity studies in the area. Numerical simulations suggest that Hisarcık fault functioning as a fluid conduit primarily enables hot fluid to be transported from depth to the surface. It is shown that the locations of predicted outflow vents coincide with those of hot springs in the area.     

Instability of planetary flows using Riemann curvature: a numerical study

ABSTRACT

The instability of ideal non-divergent zonal flows on the sphere is determined numerically by the instability criterion of Arnold (Ann. Inst. Fourier 1966, 16, 319) for the sectional curvature. Zonal flows are unstable for all perturbations besides for a small set which are in approximate resonance. The planetary rotation is stable and the presence of rotation reduces the instability of perturbations.     

青藏高原岩石圈三维电性结构

本文报道通过综合大地电磁调查数据研究青藏高原岩石圈三维电阻率模型的初步成果.大地电磁法调查区域已经覆盖了高原大部分面积,为全区三维电阻率成像研究打下了可靠的基础.对多个测区大地电磁数据进行精细的同化处理和反演成像,取得了青藏高原可靠的岩石圈三维电阻率结构图像.成像的区域为28°N—35°N,80°E—104°E.三维反演计算时采用的网格尺寸为20km×20km,垂直方向不等间距剖分为26层.结果表明,青藏高原现今岩石圈电阻率扰动主要反映印度克拉通对亚欧大陆板块俯冲引起的热流体运动和大陆碰撞和拆离产生的构造.在岩石圈地幔,察隅地块、喜马拉雅地块和拉萨地块东部联成统一的高电阻率地块,它们反映了向北东俯冲的印度克拉通.雅鲁藏布江、班公—怒江和金沙江缝合带都有明显的低电阻率异常,表明岩石圈深处有热流体活动.雅鲁藏布江、班公—怒江和金沙江缝合带都有明显的低电阻率异常,也表明它们的岩石圈还有流体活动.青藏高原东部的低阻区沿100°E向地幔下方扩大,反映了金沙江断裂带有切穿岩石圈的趋势.地幔电阻率平面扰动的模式显示,青藏高原东西部的地体碰撞拼合形式和方向是不同的.在青藏高原西部,羌塘、拉萨和喜马拉雅等地体从北到南碰撞拼合.在青藏高原东部,羌塘—拉萨、察隅、印支、雅安和扬子等地体多方向拆离拼合,在地壳造成不正交的拆离带和压扭构造系.从高阻-低阻区的分布看,东部的地体拼合有地幔的根源,今后还会进一步发展.察隅地块岩石圈对青藏高原东部的楔入,使其北部和东部地块的岩石圈发生拆离撕裂,也造成热流体上涌的低电阻率异常.     

A triple porosity scheme for fluid/solid substitution: theory and experiment

Quantifying the effects of pore-filling materials on elastic properties of porous rocks is of considerable interest in geophysical practice. For rocks saturated with fluids, the Gassmann equation is proved effective in estimating the exact change in seismic velocity or rock moduli upon the changes in properties of pore infill. For solid substance or viscoelastic materials, however, the Gassmann theory is not applicable as the rigidity of the pore fill (either elastic or viscoelastic) prevents pressure communication in the pore space, which is a key assumption of the Gassmann equation. In this paper, we explored the elastic properties of a sandstone sample saturated with fluid and solid substance under different confining pressures. This sandstone sample is saturated with octadecane, which is a hydrocarbon with a melting point of 28°C, making it convenient to use in the lab in both solid and fluid forms. Ultrasonically measured velocities of the dry rock exhibit strong pressure dependency, which is largely reduced for the filling of solid octadecane. Predictions by the Gassmann theory for the elastic moduli of the sandstone saturated with liquid octadecane are consistent with ultrasonic measurements, but underestimate the elastic moduli of the sandstone saturated with solid octadecane. Our analysis shows that the difference between the elastic moduli of the dry and solid-octadecane-saturated sandstone is controlled by the squirt flow between stiff, compliant, and the so-called intermediate pores (with an aspect ratio larger than that of compliant pore but much less than that of stiff pores). Therefore, we developed a triple porosity model to quantify the combined squirt flow effects of compliant and intermediate pores saturated with solid or viscoelastic infill. Full saturation of remaining stiff pores with solid or viscoelastic materials is then considered by the lower embedded bound theory. The proposed model gave a reasonable fit to the ultrasonic measurements of the elastic moduli of the sandstone saturated with liquid or solid octadecane. Comparison of the predictions by the new model to other solid substitution schemes implied that accounting for the combined effects of compliant and intermediate pores is necessary to explain the solid squirt effects.     

New style of honeycomb structures revealed on 3D seismic data indicate widespread diagenesis offshore Great South Basin,New Zealand

In the Great South Basin, within the Eocene section, at time-depths around 700–900 ms two way time below the seafloor, unusual features are observed on 3D seismic data closely associated with polygonal faults. The features, referred to as honeycomb structures (HS), cover an area of ∼600 km², are packed circular, oval, to polygonal depressions 150–400 m across in plan view and several to 10 + m in amplitude. Polygonal faults rapidly die out at the Marshall Paraconformity, which is overlain by the Oligocene Penrod Formation. Hence the polygonal faults are inferred to have formed prior to the Marshall Paraconformity, and they cross-cut HS features. Consequently the top of the HS probably formed at burial depths of around 375–500 m, which is their decompacted depth below the paraconformity. The interval containing HS is about 125 m vertical thick. There are several possible origins for the HS. The most probable is related to bulk contraction of the sediment volume accompanied by fluid expulsion, which suggests a diagenetic origin, in particular the opal-A/CT transition. There are actually two polygonal fault systems (PFS) present in the area. The Southern Tier 1 PFS lies laterally to the HS and overlaps with it. The Northern PFS (Tier 2) lies above the HS, appears to be independent of the HS, and formed in the upper 200–300 m of the sediment column. The Tier 1 PFS probably formed by shear failure related to the same diagenetic effects that caused the HS.     

Pressure significance of gas chimneys

Analysis was carried out of part of the northern North Sea to test what the presence and style of gas chimneys indicate about fluid pressure (P_f) within hydrocarbon reservoirs. Previous results suggest that broad chimneys above a trap and thin chimneys on the flanks indicate the presence of hydrocarbons, whilst thin chimneys in the crest suggest the hydrocarbons have escaped. Each type of gas chimney is usually associated with overpressure within Mesozoic reservoirs, but the water leg is hydrostatically-pressured in most Cenozoic reservoirs. This indicates: (a) gas leaking from a trap does not necessarily cause P_f to become hydrostatic; (b) overpressure may not be necessary for the expulsion of gasses through seal units to create the chimneys; (c) although gas chimneys indicate the existence of an active hydrocarbon system, their presence does not appear to indicate anything significant about present-day P_f.     

The δ18O of UST Quartz in Two Porphyry Deposits,China

The unidirectional solidification textures (UST) quartz is generally thought to form from fluids exsolved from shallow intrusions and/or magma chambers, but such an idea is still poorly constrained from the evidence of stable isotopes. In this study, we report for the first time the δ¹⁸O of quartz that shows UST from the Qulong Cu–Mo and the Yechangping Mo porphyry deposits in China. The analysis results show that the UST quartz samples from the Qulong deposit have δ¹⁸O values ranging from +6.2 ‰ to +7.6 ‰, which are similar to that of quartz phenocrysts (+6.7 ‰ to +7.8 ‰). In contrast, the UST quartz samples from the Yechangping porphyry Mo deposit yield a high δ¹⁸O value (+10.0 ‰). The δ¹⁸O_water value of Yechangping UST quartz (+8.5 ‰) is also higher than that of Qulong (+4.6 ‰ to +5.8 ‰). Hydrothermal biotite from potassic alteration and sericite from early phyllic alteration at Qulong have similar δ¹⁸O values to UST quartz, suggesting the involvement of magmatic fluids during this stage of deposit evolution.     

孟加拉盆地东部褶皱带差异构造变形及成因

基于野外地质调查和地震资料分析,证实了孟加拉盆地东部褶皱带发育底部和中部两套滑脱层。底部滑脱层在整个褶皱带均发育,而中部滑脱层仅发育于北段—中段的陆上和陆架区,在中段的陆坡-洋盆区及南段则不发育。中部滑脱层的发育受古陆坡富泥沉积控制。北段—中段主要发育滑脱褶皱及被断层突破的滑脱褶皱,而南段主要发育泥底辟和泥火山构造。孟加拉盆地东部褶皱带滑脱层系及构造样式的差异变形特征主要受区域挤压作用、沉积作用以及地层流体超压等方面存在着差异的共同影响。