Gas generation and expulsion characteristics of Middle–Upper Triassic source rocks,eastern Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin,China: implications for shale gas resource potential

Frontier exploration in the Kuqa Depression, western China, has identified the continuous tight-sand gas accumulation in the Lower Cretaceous and Lower Jurassic as a major unconventional gas pool. However, assessment of the shale gas resource in the Kuqa Depression is new. The shale succession in the Middle–Upper Triassic comprises the Taliqike Formation (T₃t), the Huangshanjie Formation (T₃h) and the middle–upper Karamay Formation (T_2–3k), with an average accumulated thickness of 260 m. The high-quality shale is dominated by type III kerogen with high maturity and an average original total organic carbon (TOC) of about 2.68 wt%. An improved hydrocarbon generation and expulsion model was applied to this self-contained source–reservoir system to reveal the gas generation and expulsion (intensity, efficiency and volume) characteristics of Middle–Upper Triassic source rocks. The maximum volume of shale gas in the source rocks was obtained by determining the difference between generation and expulsion volumes. The results indicate that source rocks reached the hydrocarbon expulsion threshold of 1.1% VR and the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion reached their peak at 1.0% VR and 1.28% VR, with the maximum rate of 56 mg HC/0.1% TOC and 62.8 mg HC/0.1% TOC, respectively. The volumes of gas generation and expulsion from Middle–Upper Triassic source rocks were 12.02 × 10¹² m³ and 5.98 × 10¹² m³, respectively, with the residual volume of 6.04 × 10¹² m³, giving an average gas expulsion efficiency of 44.38% and retention efficiency of 55.62%. Based on the gas generation and expulsion characteristics, the predicted shale gas potential volume is 6.04 × 10¹² m³, indicating a significant shale gas resource in the Middle–Upper Triassic in the eastern Kuqa Depression.     

Pulse generation models for daily intermittent streamflows / Modèles de génération d’impulsions pour des débits journaliers intermittents

Abstract

Abstract Generating pulses and then converting them into flow are two main steps of daily streamflow generation. Three pulse generation models have been proposed on the basis of Markov chains for the purpose of generating daily intermittent streamflow time series in this study. The first one is based on two two-state Markov chains, whereas the second uses a three-state Markov chain. The third model uses harmonic analysis and fits Fourier series to the three-state Markov chain. Results for a daily intermittent streamflow data series show a good performance of the proposed models.     

An inexpensive and portable drill rig for bedrock groundwater studies in headwater catchments

Bedrock groundwater dynamics in headwater catchments are poorly understood and poorly characterized. Here, we present an inexpensive and portable bedrock drilling system designed for use in remote locations. Our system is capable of drilling bedrock wells up to 11 m deep and 38 mm in diameter in a wide range of bedrock types. The drill consists of a lawn mower engine adapted to rotate a diamond tipped coring bit, a small water pump to cool and flush the drill bit and a scaffolding platform for stable footing on steep slopes. The complete drilling assembly costs under $ 2000 USD. Here, we show proof‐of‐concept of our approach with 40 successful wells drilled in different geological substrates, including a conglomerate at the Maimai experimental catchment in New Zealand, volcanic breccias at the HJ Andrews experimental watershed in Oregon, USA, sandstone and siltstone at the Alsea watershed in Oregon, USA, and basalt at the Los Gavilanes experimental watershed in Veracruz, Mexico. We also present a transparent comparison between our design and other portable bedrock drilling systems and outline the strengths and weaknesses of each system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic hazard computations for regions with low earthquake activity — A case study for the Belgium,The Netherlands and NW Germany area

The algorithms to evaluate seismic hazard, used and/or developed by five teams participating in the TERESA project, applied to the low seismicity area Belgium, The Netherlands and NW Germany are compared. The main differences in the results can be explained by the majority criterion of Egozcue et al. (1989), the differences in the upper bound and zonification and, in some cases, by a higher attenuation.     

Fractal analysis of long-range paleoclimatic data: Oxygen isotope record of pacific core V28-239

R/S analysis of the oxygen isotope curve of Pacific core V28-239 yields a fractal dimension of 1.22. This value is considered to characterize global climatic change over the last 2 million years as expressed by changing O¹⁸ ratios and confirms that climatic variations are characterized by long-term persistence. The fractal dimension of 1.22 compares favorably with the approximate fractal dimension of 1.26 for annual precipitation records for nine major cities in the United States. Although the precipitation and oxygen isotope data are measured in different physical units and recorded at different time scales, fractal analysis allows for a mathematical comparison of the two phenomena. Additionally, since the fractal dimensions of the oxygen isotope and precipitation records are similar, it is implied that such fractal dimensions are characteristic of climate change over the spectral range of 10 to 10⁶ years. Given this temperature curves based on fractal parameters of long-term O¹⁸ data could be constructed which would allow examination of characteristics of temperature variation over tens and hundreds of years. Such studies may allow the establishment of limits on natural temperature variation and document the persistence of temperature trends through time. If these trends and limits can be resolved, long-range climatic prediction is feasible.     

对峡东莲沱组与湖南五强溪组对比问题的认识^＊

峡东莲沱组与湖南板溪群五强溪组或漠滨组之间的关系素有争议,湖南省地矿局区调队将峡东莲沱组与湖南五强溪组对比是值得商榷的问题。本文提出峡东莲沱组沉积时代应晚于长安亚冰期,应与富禄间冰期早期地层即石门县杨家坪渫水河组,湘北、湘西莲沱组及湘中江口组含铁砂岩段相当的认识。     

BPM时号传播时延的连续观测与研究

利用新研制的短波传播时延实时数字显示系统,在武汉电离层观象台对BPM时号的传播时延进行了长时间连续观测。发现这种时延曲线的主要特征是:它是分段光滑的,光滑段工的相对时间比对精度可优于0.1ms;各光滑段之间,时延值发生突跳。结合多普勒图和频高图的同时观测记录,解释了时延突跳的原因,着重说明了突跳好几毫秒的所谓异常时号的传播机制。此外,还讨论了提高短波授时精度的某些技术措施。     

吉林临江地区早元古代老岭群叠加变形作用研究

早元古代老岭群经历了三期构造变形，分别形成了三个特征各异的构造形迹组合。Ⅰ世代为层理榴皱组合，由斜卧诏皱、轴面片理和韧性剪切变形带组成；Ⅱ和Ⅲ世代为片理相皱组合，分别由各种位态的片理诏皱和轴面招劈理、膝折面理组合。Ⅰ、Ⅱ世代的原始构造线方位均为近南北向，为近共轴叠加，但固Ⅲ世代构造的改造，现今多变位为北东东向。Ⅰ世代构造形迹组合的特征显示老岭群的早期构造环境具有构造层次较深、以近水平韧性剪切变形作用为主导的特点。     

锰矿石中硅酸锰的分离和测定方法对比

文章对几种分离测量硅酸锰的方法进行了对比。指出硅酸锰测定失真的缘由。选择了浸取分离伴生铁矿物的浸取剂及浸取分离条件。     

多功能雾化室在ICP—AES中的应用研究

本文研究了一种多功能雾化室装置,以探索ICP-AES技术中溶液进样的新方式;并对雾化系统的主要参数进行测试,取得最佳的匹配条件。该雾化室装置包括旋流雾化、循环雾化和氢化-雾化等系统,可在同一操作条件下进行工作,适应多种分析的需要。并可任意选择合适的雾化射程来增强元素谱线强度的信背比和雾化的稳定性,以达到改善分析的精密度和检出限。