Petroleum inclusions in sedimentary basins: systematics, analytical methods and applications

Fluid dynamics in sedimentary basins is of tremendous interest, both from a scientific and an economic point of view. Integration between fluid inclusion and present-day fluid data provides the time aspect necessary for reconstruction of fluid flow paths, and can be used for mapping fluid dynamics both on a regional basin scale or on the more local scale of petroleum reservoirs. This paper presents a review of analytical and modelling methods for petroleum in fluid inclusions. Essentially, four types of data for petroleum inclusions can be established through analysis and modelling: (1) textures (which give indirect information of the time aspect), (2) fluid composition, (3) fluid properties and (4) pressure–temperature of trapping. During the last decade, development of analytical methods for determination of inclusion fluid compositions has taken place. Traditional correlation studies for characterisation of maturity and source facies may now therefore include fluid inclusion data. The development has also been directed towards an improved understanding of the physical properties of petroleum inclusions. Although these methods are in their early stages concerning precision and accuracy, data necessary for fluid flow modelling, such as fluid densities, viscosities, pressure and temperature, can be estimated.     

层序地层学方法及其在陆相湖盆研究中的应用

针对中国中、新生代陆相湖盆的特征,从沉积盆地的构造和边缘背景对海相层序地层的影响出发,讨论了湖水面相对变化、沉积物供给、气候等对湖相层序地层的控制作用,明确指出两种背景条件具有本质差异,海相层序地层学方法不能简单套用于内陆盆地分析。     

Groundwater storage change detection from in situ and GRACE-based estimates in major river basins across India

ABSTRACT

India has been the subject of many recent groundwater studies due to the rapid depletion of groundwater in large parts of the country. However, few if any of these studies have examined groundwater storage conditions in all of India’s river basins individually. Herein we assess groundwater storage changes in all 22 of India’s major river basins using in situ data from 3420 observation locations for the period 2003–2014. One-month and 12-month standardized precipitation index measures (SPI-1 and SPI-12) indicate fluctuations in the long-term pattern. The Ganges and Brahmaputra basins experienced long-term decreasing trends in precipitation in both 1961–2014 and the study period, 2003–2014. Indeterminate or increasing precipitation trends occurred in other basins. Satellite-based and in situ groundwater storage time series exhibited similar patterns, with increases in most of the basins. However, diminishing groundwater storage (at rates of >0.4 km³/year) was revealed in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River Basin based on in situ observations, which is particularly important due to its agricultural productivity.     

赣西北修水、武宁地区中新生代“红盆”地质时代和沉积相研究

通过新发现的古生物资料分析,确定了赣西北修水、武宁地区的武宁、三都及马坳盆地的地层时代。对3个盆地的沉积相进行了详细的划分和描述,查明其为冲积扇沉积类型;划分出22个岩相,归属于泥石流、泥流、颗粒流、水道(包括主水道和分枝水道2个次级类型)、片流、筛积和洪泛7个沉积类型。重力流沉积分布在扇根或主要沉积旋回的底部,其类型的差别与邻近物源区的岩性有关;分枝水道、片流及筛积主要分布在扇中,交错层理及砾石叠瓦状构造发育,主要呈现牵引流特征;扇缘主要为洪泛沉积夹少量决口扇成因的砂砾岩透镜体,钙结壳发育,反映了一种干旱强蒸发的古气候环境。     

论中国东部大型盆地区及邻区地质-地球物理复合尺度解析

作为对中国东部陆缘地带大型盆地区及邻区地质－地球物理综合研究的部分结果,本文的基本认识：（1）穿过松辽盆地的1孙吴－双辽断裂可能是东倾伯低角度壳内断裂;（2）松辽盆地和渤海湾盆地可能属于“混合型裂谷盆地”;（3）东海盆地台北坳陷处在多期次张性应力场环境中,使在其西部附近产生张性正断层系;（4）欧亚大陆东部新生代区域构造运动总体处于右旋走滑拉张环境,其动力因素包括板块运动和地幔物质运动;（5）研究区莫霍面具有较为复杂的变化;（6）复合尺度研究方法是地质－地球物理综合分析的必要手段。     

内蒙西部银根-额济纳中生代盆地群叠置类型与勘探领域

内蒙西部银根-额济纳盆地群是在前古生代基底上发育起来的中、新生代“叠置型”盆地群。构造演化经历了三叠纪的热拱隆张阶段、早中侏罗世的初始裂谷盆地阶段、早白垩世的裂谷盆地发育阶段、晚白垩世的引张坳陷阶段、第三纪到第四纪的陆内聚敛挤压阶段。主要形成了下白垩统半深湖相烃源岩,其次为中下侏罗统煤系烃源岩。根据构造层之间的叠置关系,可划分为完全叠置型、基本叠置型、迁移叠置型3种盆地(凹陷)类型。不同叠置类型盆地(凹陷)的烃源岩发育特征、各类圈闭发育特征不同,油气成藏条件差别较大,勘探方向和勘探领域不同。根据裂谷小湖盆的沉积发育特征,应围绕沉积“洼槽”中心的烃源岩开展近源勘探,分别指出了不同叠置型盆地(凹陷)的勘探领域:叠置型盆地(凹陷)主要以控盆断裂带的滚动背斜、缓坡带的岩性、地层不整合圈闭为主要勘探领域;基本叠置型盆地(凹陷)主要以中央断裂隆起构造带的断鼻、断块圈闭为主要勘探领域;迁移叠置型盆地(凹陷)主要以不整合圈闭和缓坡带的岩性圈闭为主要勘探领域。     

Discussion of: Ortega-Flores et al. (2018) Provenance analysis of Oligocene sandstone from the Cerro Pelón area,southern Gulf of Mexico.https://doi.org/10.1080/00206814.2018.1476922

ABSTRACT

We discuss the 2018 publication that reports petrographic, heavy mineral data, mineral chemistry, and zircon geochronology for Oligocene sandstones in the Cerro Pelón area in southern Mexico Sureste basin. As the title of their paper says, the goal of their study is to establish the source (s) of the voluminous Cenozoic section in this region, reaching several kilometres in thickness and important as a petroleum system. These authors conclude that Oligocene sandstones of La Laja Formation were mostly sourced from eclogite- to greenschist-facies metasedimentary, metaigneous, and ultramafic rocks of the Guatemala suture complex. Minor contributions from the Chiapas Massif Complex, exposed directly to the south ~60 km of the Cerro Pelón area, were also suggested by the authors. They thus conclude that the Palaeogene stratigraphic record in southeastern Mexico was mostly controlled by the development of the Caribbean–North America plate boundary rather than by orogenic processes at the Pacific margin of North America. Presently, we do not agree with the conclusions of Ortega Flores and colleagues who studied the Cerro Pelón section, thus some discussion is required. Serpentinite bearing Nanchital Conglomerate is well exposed in the Cerro Pelón area, and high- to low-grade metamorphic rocks experienced an uplift in the vicinity of the Cerro Pelón area at the time of deposition of the La Laja Formation. We believe the data are better explained by multiple local sources in southern and eastern Oaxaca as well as sources to the south and southwest, which include the Cenozoic coastal batholith, the Grenvillean/Guichicovi basement complexes, the Chiapas Massif, the Mazatlán schist and other units in the Cuicateco Belt, as well as the Mesozoic cover of these areas (Todos Santos Formation, Cretaceous carbonate rocks, and Paleogene strata such as the Soyaló and Bosque Formations).     

Palaeostress analysis of the northern Nijar and southern Vera basins: constraints for the Neogene displacement history of major strike-slip faults in the Betic Cordilleras, SE Spain

This paper presents the results of a detailed structural analysis of the northern Nijar and southern Vera basins with special emphasis on the evolution of the regional stress field and the associated timing of movement of the Serrata, Gafarillos and Palomares strike-slip fault zones. These major fault zones control the Neogene deformation of the SE Internal Betic Cordilleras in Spain. Detailed stress analysis on Neogene sediments of the Vera and Nijar basins shows a strike-slip regime with NW–SE-oriented subhorizontal maximum principal stress (σ₁) during Tortonian and earliest Messinian times. Under the influence of this stress field, dextral displacement along the N090E-trending Gafarillos fault zone resulted in deformation of the sediments of the southern Sorbas and northeastern Nijar basins. During the early Messinian a clock-wise rotation of the stress field occurred. Stress analysis in rocks with late–early Messinian up to Quaternary ages in the Nijar and Vera basins indicates a strike-slip regime with N–S-oriented subhorizontal maximum principal stress (σ₁). Under the influence of this stress field the main activity along the N010E-striking Palomares strike-slip fault zone took place, resulting in deformation of the Neogene sediments of the southeastern Vera basin and culminating in a maximum sinistral displacement of more than 20 km. At the same time the stress field was not suitably oriented to exert a large shear component on the Gafarillos fault zone, which activity ended after the earliest Messinian. Fault and outcrop patterns of syntectonic Neogene sediments in the Vera basin show that displacement along the Palomares fault zone decreased at the end of the Middle Miocene although minor displacement phases may still have occurred during the Late Miocene and possibly even Pliocene. From the Middle Miocene onward, deformation in the Nijar basin was controlled by sinistral displacement along the N040E-trending Serrata strike-slip fault zone.     

Middle Proterozoic–early Palaeozoic evolution of central Baltoscandian intracratonic basins: evidence for asthenospheric diapirs

The three intracratonic sedimentary basins located in central Baltoscandinavia, namely the Bothnian Gulf basin, the Bothnian Sea basin and the Baltic basin, developed in response to Middle Proterozoic and Late Proterozoic tectonic events, separated in time by about 800 Ma. Only the Baltic basin was subsequently affected by Caledonian orogenesis and Mesozoic rifting. Crustal extension was minor or did not take place during the Proterozoic basin evolution phases. However, according to the Moho topography, crustal thinning did take place. This was probably a result of subcrustal magmatism. On a craton-wide scale, the ages of granitoids, which intruded during the Middle Proterozoic basin formation, generally decrease from east to west. This fact, combined with the evidence provided by mantle-derived flood basalt magmatism, points to a moving asthenospheric diapir as the cause for basin development. Asthenospheric upwelling was probably also responsible for the second, Late Proterozoic, basin evolution phase, as evidenced by the lack of crustal thinning and extension, and the occurrence of tholeiitic intrusions. In addition, a Late Proterozoic thermally induced palaeo-high, located at about the position of the intracratonic basins, is compatible with indications from glaciations. As the ages of Late Proterozoic intracratonic basins also decrease from east to west across the craton, the location of asthenospheric diapirism during this time interval was also moving. For the Fennoscandian lithosphere, the presence of fundamental lithospheric weakness zones (e.g. terrane boundaries) might be an explanation for the formation of two generations of basins originating from asthenospheric upwelling at about the same location in the Fennoscandian Shield. The spacing and size of the Proterozoic intracratonic basins suggest that the asthenospheric diapirism was not deep seated. Therefore, sublithospheric convective processes might be the cause for the asthenospheric upwellings. Such processes are related to Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities in the sublithospheric mantle. Emplacement of an asthenospheric diapir causes a thermal bulge at the surface of the lithosphere. Modelling results demonstrate that erosion of the surficial high, succeeded by cooling of the lithosphere, can explain the accumulation of early Palaeozoic sediments in the Bothnian Sea basin, taking into account post-Ordovician vertical and lateral erosion of the basin fill.