Shallow Drilling of Seafloor Hydrothermal Systems Using the BGS Rockdrill: Conical Seamount (New Ireland Fore-Arc) and PACMANUS (Eastern Manus Basin), Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACT

From September to October 2002, shallow drilling, using the submersible (5 m) Rockdrill of the British Geological Survey and the German R/V Sonne revealed critical information on the subsurface nature of two distinct hydrothermal systems in the New Ireland fore-arc and the Manus Basin of Papua New Guinea. Drilling at Conical Seamount significantly extends the known surface extent of the previously discovered vein-style gold mineralization (up to 230 g/t Au) at this site. Drilling the conventional PACMANUS volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposit recovered complexly textured massive sulfide with spectacular concentrations of gold in several core sections including 0.5 m @ 28 g/t Au, 0.35 m @ 30 g/t Au, and 0.20 m @ 57 g/t Au. Shallow drilling is a fast and cost efficient method that bridges the gap between surface sampling and deep (ODP) drilling and will become a standard practice in the future study of seafloor hydrothermal systems and massive sulfide deposits.     

页岩气成藏的关键因素

为了了解页岩气成藏的主控因素,对国内外页岩气的成藏条件进行了梳理,经综合分析认为,稳定的区域构造环境为泥、页岩的持续沉降提供了可容空间,奠定了页岩气成藏的物质基础;持续的沉降作用为泥、页岩的不间断受热和生烃提供了热力学条件;构造隆升幅度小为页岩气的保存提供了的保障,因此,区域构造稳定可能是页岩气成藏的关键。以美国福特沃斯盆地Barnett页岩的埋藏史为基础,通过四川盆地和鄂尔多斯盆地古生界泥页岩的埋藏史对比分析认为,鄂尔多斯盆地页岩气的成藏条件可能好于四川盆地,实现页岩气突破的可能性更大。     

海洋沉积物孔隙水中阴阳离子含量的离子色谱法分析方法

分别采用Metrosep A Supp4-250型阴离子柱和Metrosep C 2-150型阳离子柱,以1.8 mmol/L Na2CO3 1.7 mmol/L NaHCO3和4 mmol/L酒石酸 0.75 mmol/L吡啶二羧酸为阴阳离子淋洗液,用离子色谱仪来测定海洋沉积物孔隙水中阴离子Cl-、Br-和SO42-浓度和阳离子Na 、NH4 、K 、Ca2 、Mg2 的浓度。特别是针对高Cl-和高Na 背景下Br-和NH4 的测定做了专门分析,得到了较理想的结果,建立了一套离子色谱法测定海洋沉积物孔隙水中常见的阴阳离子含量的实验方法。     

蒙特卡罗法在天然气水合物资源量计算中的应用

天然气水合物甲烷资源量的估算是天然气水合物研究中的热点问题。运用体积法计算含水合物沉积物中的甲烷资源量时,存在参数赋值不确定的问题,从而影响了计算结果的可信度。采用蒙特卡罗法,通过计算样本的频率可以较好地评价和描述计算结果的信度,弥补体积法的不足。对采用蒙特卡罗法估算甲烷资源量的原理进行了分析和探讨,并以麦肯齐三角洲和南海海域水合物为例,计算了水合物赋存区的甲烷资源量。     

浅水波长计算问题

浅水波周期保持常值,而波长缩减时其计算需进行迭代。提出了两个精度较高的经验公式供计算应用。水深波长比差值ΔLD0的变化规律反映出浅水波长缩减为一复杂过程,并与波能密度加大相关。LD0≤0.14时,特别是LD0=0.056前后,其特征会更加显著,由此可探讨波长变化的内在机理。     

Sexual reproduction in Sarcotragus spinosulus from two different shallow environments

The reproductive cycle of the demosponge Sarcotragus spinosulus from two different shallow environments (La Pierta and La Strea) of the Ionian coasts of Apulia (SE Italy) was studied from February 2006 to February 2007 in 20 tagged specimens. The sponge is viviparous. All the monitored specimens showed sexual reproduction, even if the process usually involved small portions of the sponge tissue. Most of the specimens showed hermaphroditism, with contemporaneous production of oocytes and spermatic cysts in the same reproductive season. Young oocytes occurred from June to September in specimens from La Pierta and from June to October in those from La Strea. Large mature eggs, measuring up to 200 μm, showed a peak in August to September, concomitant with the appearance of spermatic cysts, whose density values were about 100 times higher than those estimated for female elements. At La Pierta, embryos were present for 11 months, whereas at La Strea they were very scarce during the first 4 months of observation, with the results that there was a significant difference in the production of embryos between the two groups of sponges. Embryo development occurred in patches inside the choanosomal region. Cleavage started in September and led in June to a solid stereoblastula, which, only at La Pierta, produced parenchymella larva (371.3 + 31.3 μm on average) from June to July. In the specimens from La Strea, larvae were never observed. The slight differences in the reproductive cycle between the two groups of sponges may be explained in the light of the major variability of the environmental parameters which could have affected the specimens from La Strea negatively.     

海洋天然气水合物勘探与开采研究进展

海底水合物是一种重要的新型能源矿产,曾认为在未来20~30年内不具开采价值,但是现在这种看法已经改变,美国和日本政府现正筹划进行试验性开采。近年科技界已经研究出适合于从深海水合物中开采甲烷气体的工艺技术和方法。目前,降压法已被证明是一种较为经济有效的方法。引述了日本天然气水合物勘探和开采纲要MH21,详细说明其开采试验的计划和设计。     

海底裸置与埋置管线自沉过程对比研究

海底管线是海洋油气输运系统的重要组成成分,其稳定性和安全性尤为重要。通过有限元软件ABAQUS,应用Mohr-Coulomb模型,模拟海底裸置与埋置管线自沉过程。通过平衡初始地应力,设置管土接触,考虑重力和浮力作用,进行土体固结分析,计算裸置与埋置管线的土体与管线竖直位移,并进行管线悬跨研究。计算结果显示,对于裸置管线,参数的改变使土体更容易发生塑性屈服,土体的竖直位移量更大;对于埋置管线,当管线埋深较浅、管线上方土体重量不大时,参数的改变使管线平均密度与周围土体密度相差越大土体越容易发生塑性屈服,土体的竖直位移量越大。当管线悬空时,悬跨长度过大易使管线两端支撑土体被压溃,管线易产生大变形而失稳,因此在管线安装与维护过程中,一定要采取措施降低悬跨长度,保证管线运营安全。     

天然气水合物勘查相关技术集成研发进展

天然气水合物作为21世纪新型潜在能源,在新一轮地质调查背景下,国家加大了天然气水合物勘查技术的研发投入。通过跟踪国外天然气水合物调查前沿技术,结合我国实际勘查需求,在对声学深拖探测系统、可控源海洋电磁探测技术、现场检测及原位监测等技术现状进行分析的基础上,开展了相应的研发工作,重点介绍了各技术装备研发工作进展及目前取得的阶段成果,并提出了下一步的工作要点。     

南海神狐水合物钻探区不同形态流体地震反射特征与水合物产出的关系

天然气水合物的分布在很大程度上受到含气流体运移的影响。南海北部陆坡区,尤其是珠江口盆地的白云凹陷,普遍存在流体渗漏的现象,暗示了水合物赋存的良好前景。神狐海域水合物钻探区内的高分辨率地震资料显示,区域内发育大量流体运移通道,在地震剖面上表现为不同形态的地震反射模糊带,根据其形态特征,可以划分为花冠状和穹顶状两大类模糊反射带。模糊反射带的存在意味着研究区内具有良好的含气流体运移条件,能够为甲烷气体的垂向运移提供通道。神狐海域水合物的钻探结果表明,水合物的分布与模糊反射带的分布范围具有良好的空间匹配关系,其中,花冠状地震反射模糊带侧翼部与中尺度正断层相连,促进了含气流体的侧向运移,顶部与可能的微裂隙相通,气体可向上运移至水合物稳定带,形成了水合物藏;而穹顶状地震反射模糊带顶部则通过疑似流体通道与海底沟通,这种结构极易形成气体逃逸而无法形成水合物。因此,不同形态特征的模糊反射带可能对水合物的分布具有一定的指示意义。