Influence of natural fractures on gas accumulation in the Upper Triassic tight gas sandstones in the northwestern Sichuan Basin,China

The Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation in the northwestern Sichuan Basin, China, is a typical tight gas sandstone reservoir that contains natural fractures and has an average porosity of 1.10% and air permeability less than 0.1 md because of compaction and cementation. According to outcrops, cores and image logs, three types of natural fractures, namely, tectonic, diagenetic and overpressure-related fractures, have developed in the tight gas sandstones. The tectonic fractures include small faults, intraformational shear fractures and horizontal shear fractures, whereas the diagenetic fractures mainly include bed-parallel fractures. According to thin sections, the microfractures also include tectonic, diagenetic and overpressure-related microfractures. The diagenetic microfractures consist of transgranular, intragranular and grain-boundary fractures. Among these fractures, intraformational shear fractures, horizontal shear fractures and small faults are predominant and significant for fluid movement. Based on the Monte Carlo method, these intraformational shear fractures and horizontal shear fractures improve the reservoir porosity and permeability, thus serving as an important storage space and primary fluid-flow channels in the tight sandstones. The small faults may provide seepage channels in adjacent layers by cutting through layers. In addition, these intragranular and grain-boundary fractures increase the connectivity of the tight gas sandstones by linking tiny pores. The tectonic microfractures improve the seepage capability of the tight gas sandstones to some extent. Low-dip angle fractures are more abundant in the T₃X³ member than in the T₃X² and T₃X⁴ members. The fracture intensities of the sandstones in the T₃X³ member are greater than those in the T₃X² and T₃X⁴ members. The fracture intensities do not always decrease with increasing bed thickness for the tight sandstones. When the bed thickness of the tight sandstones is less than 1.0 m, the fracture intensities increase with increasing bed thickness in the T₃X³ member. Fluid inclusion evidence and burial history analysis indicate that the tectonic fractures developed over three periods. The first period was at the end of the Triassic to the Early Jurassic. The tectonic fractures developed during oil generation but before the matrix's porosity and permeability reduced, which suggests that these tectonic fractures could provide seepage channels for oil migration and accumulation. The second period was at the end of the Cretaceous after the matrix's porosity and permeability reduced but during peak gas generation, which indicates that gas mainly migrated and accumulated in the tectonic fractures. The third period was at the end of the Eogene to the Early Neogene. The tectonic fractures could provide seepage channels for secondary gas migration and accumulation from the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation into the overlying Jurassic Formation.     

Fluid sources and stable isotope signatures in authigenic carbonates from the Northern Apennines,Italy

Authigenic carbonates are frequently associated with methane cold-seep systems, which extensively occur in various geologic settings worldwide. Of interest is the relation between the fluids involved in their formation and the isotopic signals recorded in the carbonate cements. Along the Northern Apennines foothills (Italy), hydrocarbons and connate waters still seeping nowadays are believed to be the primary sources for the formation of fossil authigenic carbonate found in Plio-Pleistocene marine sediments. Four selected outcrops of dolomitic authigenic carbonates were analysed to compare signature of seeping fluids with fractionation of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes recorded in the carbonate.Along the foothills, deep methane-rich fluids spontaneously rise to the surface through mud volcanoes or are exploited in wells drilled nearby to the fossil Plio-Pleistocene authigenic carbonates. The plumbing system providing fluids to present-day cold seeps was structurally achieved in Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene. δ¹³C values of methane, which vary from −51.9 to −43.0‰ VPDB, indicate that gas composition from the deep hydrocarbon reservoirs is relatively uniform along the foothills. On the contrary, δ¹³C in fossil authigenic carbonates strongly varies among different areas and also within the same outcrop.The different carbon sources that fed the investigated carbonates were identified and include: thermogenic methane from the deep Miocene reservoirs, ¹³C-enriched CO₂ derived from secondary methanogenesis and microbial methane from Pliocene successions buried in the Po Plain. The δ¹³C variability documented among samples from a single outcrop testifies that the authigenic carbonates might represent a record of varying biogeochemical processes in the hydrocarbon reservoirs. The sources of stable oxygen isotopes in authigenic carbonates are often ascribed to marine water. Oxygen isotopic fractionation in the dolomite cements indicates that marine pore water couldn't be the sole source of oxygen. δ¹⁸O values provide a preliminary evidence that connate waters had a role in the carbonates precipitation. The concomitant occurrence of active cold seepages and fossil record of former plumbing systems suggests that generation and migration of hydrocarbons are long-lasting and very effective processes along the Northern Apennines foothills.     

波流耦合下保守污染物迁移扩散的模拟研究

基于三维潮流和谱波浪模型,以及输移扩散模型和拉格朗日粒子追踪模型,构建了波流耦合下保守污染物的迁移扩散模型。模型基于非结构化网格,对近岸复杂岸线有很好的拟合,可用于大范围波流耦合计算。运用所建的耦合模型研究了旅顺港内外的潮流变化、波生流场、保守污染物输移、粒子运动、以及新水道对湾内污染物迁移的影响,模拟的潮流场与实测数据吻合较好。结果表明:潮流会在湾内近湾口处形成一逆时针涡,波浪对湾内影响较小,但波生流会改变湾口流场分布;在湾内处于涡中的水体潮流自净能力较强,而湾中及湾底则较弱,SE向波浪会降低湾内水体的自净能力;新潮流通道的开挖,会显著改善水体的自净能力,尤其对湾底浅水区域作用明显。     

大陆边缘沉积盆地流体逸散管道地震特征及其成因机制

流体逸散管道是深部流体向上运移所形成的通道,在大陆边缘沉积盆地中广泛发育。由地震资料显示,流体逸散管道主要由根部、过路区和末端3部分组成。由于形成机制、起源和流体成分的不同,其组成三要素有不同的表现形式,因此,流体逸散管道类型多样,具有不同的地震反射特征。水力压裂是文献中最常见的一种有关流体逸散管道形成机制的解释,但是,随着地震勘探的发展和研究的不断深入发现,水力压裂不足以解释所有类型的流体逸散管道,还存在其他的成因机制,包括流化侵蚀作用、局部空洞坍塌及同沉积模式等。从流体逸散管道组成三要素的角度描述了不同类型流体逸散管道的地震反射特征,并详细论述了其4种成因机制下的形成过程。     

Philopatry and dispersal of juvenile leervis Lichia amia (Teleostei: Carangidae) tagged in a warm-temperate South African estuary

Understanding and characterising movement and area-use patterns of fishes within estuaries, as well as understanding the degree of connectivity between estuaries and the marine environment, can provide important insights into a species’ ecology, which is fundamental for effective management and conservation. Mark-and-recapture data obtained from the 082 TAG FISH Project, a dart-tagging programme, were used to describe movement patterns of juvenile leervis Lichia amia in the permanently open Swartkops Estuary, South Africa, as well as the degree of connectivity with the adjacent marine environment. A total of 628 juvenile leervis were tagged from 2008 to 2015, of which 77 fish (12.3%) were recaptured, with juveniles comprising 85.7% of all measured recaptures. The majority of recaptures (75.3%) were made within the Swartkops Estuary, indicating estuarine philopatry, with 23.4% having moved less than 1 km, revealing site fidelity, but most (51.9%) displaying estuarine roaming. A smaller portion of recaptures (27.7%) had dispersed to other habitats; 16 (20.8%) displayed multiple-habitat connectivity, while only 3 (3.9%) had undertaken long-distance movements (>100 km) and were recaptured up to 825 km northeast of the Swartkops Estuary. Lichia amia that had moved greater distances were characterised by a greater mean size and age at the time of recapture. This study provides valuable information on the philopatry and dispersal of juvenile L. amia.     

Comparison of organotin accumulation on the white-spotted charr Salvelinus leucomaenis between sea-run and freshwater-resident types

To examine the accumulation pattern of organotin compounds (OTs) in relation to the migration of diadromous fish, tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) compounds and their derivatives were determined in the muscle tissue of both sea-run (anadromous) and freshwater-resident (nonanadromous) types of the white-spotted charr Salvelinus leucomaenis. There were generally no significant correlations between the TBT and TPT accumulation and various biological characteristics such as the total length (TL), body weight (BW), age and sex in S. leucomaenis. It is noteworthy that the TBT and TPT concentrations in sea-run white-spotted charr were significantly higher than in freshwater-resident individuals, although they are intraspecies. These results suggest that the sea-run S. leucomaenis has a higher ecological risk of TBT and TPT exposure than the freshwater-residents during their life history.     

Juvenile slender tuna from New Zealand (note)

Two juvenile slender tuna Allothunnus fallai Serventy, 278 mm and 282 mm fork length, were identified from a catch by a purse seiner 23 km off the Moko Hinau Islands, New Zealand, on 23 January 1974. As the slender tuna were observed to school in association with skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis L., it is probable that adults also school, and could be available as a yet unexploited resource to New Zealand fishermen, especially to the south‐east of New Zealand.     

Movement patterns of individual migrating western rock lobster,Panulirus cygnus,in Western Australia

Abstract

Migrating and pre‐migrating western rock lobster Panulirus cygnus were tagged with datastorage tags that recorded temperature and pressure, which was converted to depth (Pressure (kPa) — surface pressure (kPa)/10)) at Dongara and Jurien Bay in Western Australia between December 2005 and December 2007. All lobsters were fitted with tag flotation devices, and returns were made by either commercial fishers or beachcombers who located detached tags. A total of 135 lobsters were released with “backpack” flotation tags, but only 84 (62.2%) of the backpacks carried data‐storage tags. Depths of release ranged from 5 to 113 m. Of the tagged lobsters released, commercial fishers recaptured 52 (38.5%), whereas 11 tags (8.1%) were found by beachcombers. At least 33%, and possibly up to 63%, of animals identified by their pale coloration as pre‐migrating individuals, failed to migrate. Those that did migrate (n = 11) were at liberty from 1 to 94 days and showed generally similar movement patterns in that they migrated only at night from darkness (after 2000 h) until after moonrise. However, their movement patterns were less constrained by the rising of the moon in deep water. Only 27% migrated nightly, compared with 73% that skipped migrating on one or more nights, to restart some days later. This latter proportion would likely have been considerably greater, but some migrating animals were only at large for short periods before recapture, and therefore had little time to show any variation to the nocturnal migration pattern. Individual speeds of migration during periods of activity were estimated for nine lobsters as 0.20 to 0.68 km h^?1, with a mean speed of 0.44 km h^?1, or 7.4 m min^?1. Improved knowledge of daily movement patterns resulting from this study provides a potentially important input into technological improvements in bait and pot design.     

典型国际海洋划界案例相似性研究

简要研究了2012年国际法院最新判例——尼加拉瓜诉哥伦比亚领土和海洋划界案,总结了本案中国际法院关于海上争议岛屿主权判定把握的要点,国际法院受理该案件的理由和受理的内容。国际法院用三阶段方法确立尼加拉瓜和哥伦比亚海上边界。提出了维护我国海洋权益必须研究国际最新判例相似性的建议。