A summary of the geology and oil habitat of the Eastern Flank Hydrocarbon Province of South Oman

The Eastern Flank Hydrocarbon Province borders the southeastern edge of the South Oman Salt Basin in the southern part of Oman. An intensive exploration programme by PDO over the past seven years has led to the discovery of almost 2 × 10⁹ m³ of oil with current production of some 15000 m³/d from six fields.In stark contrast to other oil habitats of the Arabian Peninsula, the main play involves rock units and geological events ranging in age from Late Precambrian to Quaternary Times, while trap development and charging are closely related to syn-tectonic salt dissolution.The principal reservoirs and seals are poorly consolidated, Palaeozoic clastics which drape, due to salt dissolution, over residual ‘cores’ principally composed of either Lower Palaeozoic sandstones (Haima Group), or Late Proterozoic carbonates (Huqf Group), or some combination of these. Oils have been geochemically correlated with algal source rocks of the Huqf Eastern Flank. Structures are considered to have been ‘charged’ from Late Mesozoic times onwards in conjunction with progressive subsurface salt removal and the onset of maturation of local source rocks. The effectiveness of ‘charging’ along the retreating salt edge is indicated by the small percentage of dry wells.Major oil zones are found in both anticlinal and truncation traps which are commonly developed around sandstone (Haima Group) cores. Oils show a wide range of characteristics but are typically heavy, early expulsion crudes, high sulphur with little associated gas. Bacterial transformation is not uncommon.Producing reservoirs mainly occur at relatively shallow depths (600–1200 m). Primary recovery factors of around 7% reflect the high density and viscosity of the Eastern Flank crudes and have initiated interest in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques. Two such pilot projects, involving steam and polymer flooding, are due to commence in 1984 and, if successful, will substantially increase the reserve base of these fields.     

Possible Density Change of the Origin of North Pacific Intermediate Water Due to Double Diffusion in the Mixed Water Region

In this study we test Talley's hypothesis that Oyashio winter mixed-layer water (26.5–26.6σ _θ) increases its density to produce the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) salinity minimum (26.7– 26.8σ_θ) in the Mixed Water Region, assuming a combination of cabbeling and double diffusion. The possible density change of Oyashio winter mixed-layer water is discussed using an instantaneous ratio of the change of temperature and salinity along any particular intrusion (R _l ). We estimate the range of R _l ^DD required to convert Oyashio winter mixed-layer water to the NPIW salinity minimum due to double diffusion, and then assume double-diffusive intrusions as this conversion mechanism. A double-diffusive intrusion model is used to estimate R _l ^DD in a situation where salt fingering dominates vertical mixing, as well as to determine whether Oyashio winter mixed-layer water can become the NPIW salinity minimum. Possible density changes are estimated from the model R _l ^DD by assuming the amount of density change due to cabbeling. From these results, we conclude that Oyashio winter mixed-layer water contributes to a freshening of the lighter layer of the NPIW salinity minimum (around 26.70σ_θ) in the MWR.     

Estuary/ocean exchange and tidal mixing in a Gulf of Maine Estuary: A Lagrangian modeling study

A Lagrangian particle method embedded within a 2-D finite element code, is used to study the transport and ocean–estuary exchange processes in the well-mixed Great Bay Estuarine System in New Hampshire, USA. The 2-D finite element model, driven by residual, semi-diurnal and diurnal tidal constituents, includes the effects of wetting and drying of estuarine mud flats through the use of a porous medium transport module. The particle method includes tidal advection, plus a random walk model in the horizontal that simulates sub-grid scale turbulent transport processes. Our approach involves instantaneous, massive [O(500,000)] particle releases that enable the quantification of ocean–estuary and inter-bay exchanges in a Markovian framework. The effects of the release time, spring–neap cycle, riverine discharge and diffusion strength on the intra-estuary and estuary–ocean exchange are also investigated.The results show a rather dynamic interaction between the ocean and the estuary with a fraction of the exiting particles being caught up in the Gulf of Maine Coastal Current and swept away. Three somewhat different estimates of estuarine residence time are calculated to provide complementary views of estuary flushing. Maps of residence time versus release location uncover a strong spatial dependency of residence time within the estuary that has very important ramifications for local water quality. Simulations with and without the turbulent random walk show that the combined effect of advective shear and turbulent diffusion is very effective at spreading particles throughout the estuary relatively quickly, even at low (1 m²/s) diffusivity. The results presented here show that a first-order Markov Chain approach has applicability and a high potential for improving our understanding of the mixing processes in estuaries.     

太平洋海温异常对南海西南季风建立早晚的影响——数值模拟研究

利用9层15波全球大气环流谱模式研究了太平洋海温异常对南海西南季风建立早晚的影响作用.结果表明:西-中太平洋海温异常数值试验结果最能反映出南海西南季风爆发早、晚年4～5月份大气环流的差异特征.数值试验结果显示:西太平洋海温正(负)异常可导致西太平洋副高减弱(加强);中太平洋海温正(负)异常主要使得中太平洋上空的洋中槽减弱(加深);东太平洋海温正(负)异常可造成东太平洋赤道两侧高层环流产生反气旋性(气旋性)变化,孟加拉湾-南海-西太平洋热带地区出现东风(西风)异常,西太副高加强(减弱).可见西太平洋海温异常和东太平洋海温异常都可以对副高强弱变化产生明显影响,从而对南海西南季风建立早晚产生影响,只不过西太平洋海温异常的影响作用更为显著.西太平洋正(负)海温异常与中太平洋负(正)海温异常经常是同时出现的,其激发出的与向东传的Kelvin波和向西传的行星波相联系的环流异常为南海季风建立早(晚)提供有利的条件,因而这一海温分布型是影响南海西南季风建立早晚的重要影响因子.     

Decadal Variability of Subsurface Temperature in the Central North Pacific

Decadal variability of subsurface temperature in the North Pacific has been investigated. Two dominant regions were found; the central subarctic region (CSa) and the north-eastern subtropical region (NESt). In CSa, cooling (warming) of wintertime subsurface temperature corresponds to the large (small) temperature gradient and southward (northward) shift of subsurface temperature front, associated with the increase (decrease) of positive wind stress curl and the southward (northward) shift of curl τ zero line with 2 years delay. It is suggested that the relocation of subtropical-subarctic boundary plays an important role. In NESt, importance of heat flux through the sea surface and heat divergence in the Ekman layer is also discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

夏季南海上层环流动力机制的数值研究

通过利用一个分区性的正压-斜压衔接模式来探讨夏季南海的上层环流特征及其动力机制,结果表明:夏季期间,由于风生环流的不稳定性促使在东沙群岛附近的气旋涡的强度及位置发生变化,并间接导致黑潮侵入南海北部的程度变化以及气旋涡南侧的反气旋式环流、西沙群岛西南侧的气旋涡的强度和范围出现波动现象;在南海南部的北向西边界流由于离岸的西南季风所驱动在中南半岛中部沿岸脱离岸线往东北方向的流动,导致沿岸的水体大量流失而在沿岸形成一支南向补偿流并在西沙群岛西南侧诱生一气旋涡,而上述的离岸西边界流则作顺时针方向流动,从而在南海南部形成反气旋式大环流;在南沙海槽附近出现的局地气旋涡和万安滩附近的气旋涡分别受β效应、底形效应的作用而形成.     

广东三水盆地晚自垩世—始新世古地磁研究及构造意义

对广东三水盆地上白垩统三水组、大　山组、古新统莘庄组及始新统　心组、宝月组的系统的古地磁研究结果表明：（１）旋转运动是该区构造运动的主要形式，顺时针旋转盆地拉张发育，这时针旋转盆地挤压衰亡，发育的程度与旋转角度有关；（２）始新世该区旋转方向由顺时针旋转变为道时针旋转，对应于太平洋－库拉板块对欧亚板块作用方向的改变，说明三水盆地的形成发育与太平洋－库拉板块对欧亚板块的作用密切相关；（３）三水盆地所在的华南地块从晚白垩世至始新世在纬向上不存在明显的运动，一直停留在略低于现今纬度的位置上。     

环太湖河道污染物负荷量的初步研究

根据１９８７－１９８８年环太湖河道水质，水量实测资料以及环湖主要河道的流量和水质的历史资料，结合平原水网地区的水情特征，提出了环太湖河道污染物负荷量的计算方法，并分析探讨了不同设计水情下环太湖河道污染物负荷量及其时空变化。结果表明，污染物负荷量与水情关系密切，枯水年的河道入湖污染物负荷量大于丰水年。环湖２２条主要河道的入湖污染物负荷量占全部河道入湖总量的７２％－９１％，且不同污染物入湖负荷量的分布     

浅海桶形基础平台抗拔力与抗倾稳定分析

平台在海上受风、浪、流、冰等水平载荷作用产生倾斜 ,而土壤粘接力、摩擦力和土抗力是平台的抗拔和抗倾力 ,桶基平台应满足抗拔、抗倾稳定的要求 ,以保证平台的整体稳定性。讨论了桶基平台受水平力作用时 ,桶形基础的破坏模式及其计算方法 ,阐述了抗倾稳定计算方法