Quantitative analysis for maritime delimitation: Reassessing the Bay of Bengal delimitation between Bangladesh and Myanmar

This article examines technical aspects of the maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar (the ‘Bay of Bengal case’). This dispute was the first maritime delimitation determined by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The 2012 decision was also the first time that a maritime boundary for the seabed and subsoil of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the extended continental shelf (ECS) was determined by international adjudication. This was also therefore the first time that detailed technical quantification of seabed areas within the EEZ and ECS was needed for achieving an equitable division of these maritime zones in an international forum. Following review of the principles of maritime delimitation on which the ITLOS reached its determination, this article analyzes the legal status and delimitation effect of St. Martin's Island. Concerning the question of whether the legal regimes of the EEZ and continental shelf should be treated differently in a single delimitation line, although the ITLOS determined that the legal regimes should not be distinguished in the present case, a different approach is proposed for future cases. The article identifies how quantitative modelling can be used to achieve an equitable boundary and proposes a model to adjust provisional equidistance lines in accordance with the complex geophysical rules prescribed for the outer limits of the ECS in Article 76 of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC).     

一次典型高压型海雾过程中海上大气波导的数值模拟

2009年4月9—12日黄海海域发生了一次受高压系统影响的海雾过程。利用卫星观测与探空数据、WRF模式(Weather Research and Forecasting Model)对此次海雾过程及相伴的大气波导进行了观测分析与数值模拟。海雾与波导发展可分为3个阶段:(1)大气波导先于海雾存在于黄海海面;受高压下沉影响,黄海上空存在逆温层和较强的湿度梯度,表现为较强的贴海表面波导和非贴海表面波导。(2)海雾始于高压西部,并随高压系统逐渐东移减弱,向黄海北部扩展;辐射冷却虽然使雾顶附近逆温增强,但海雾的机械湍流使其顶部湿度梯度减小,雾顶附近对应弱悬空波导或波导消失。(3)高压系统影响使干空气下沉到雾区导致黄海海雾消散;雾顶附近逆温仍存在,同时湿度梯度增大,黄海上空逐渐变为非贴海表面波导。本研究结果表明:高压系统不仅极易为波导的发生提供有利条件,而且有利于海雾的生成,在海雾演变过程中主要是雾顶水汽梯度的变化导致了波导类型及强度的变化。     

冬季南黄海浮游动物群落结构及其对黄海暖流的指示

2009年12月和2010年1月对南黄海进行浮游动物采集, 以了解冬季浮游动物群落结构及其对黄海暖流的指示作用。结果表明, 南黄海冬季仍然以温带和暖温带种为主, 中华哲水蚤Calanus sinicus、强壮滨箭虫Aidanosagitta crassa、细足法Themisto gracilipes等温带和暖温带种类在浮游动物数量组成中具有较大优势。与此同时, 一些暖水种在调查海域局部出现。2009年12月暖水种仅分布在南黄海东南部黄海暖流源地附近。位于黄海中部的调查区东侧温盐层化现象明显, 近底层低温、高盐、高营养盐的水文特征体现了黄海冷水团的残留; 2010年1月在35°—36°N区域暖水种种类明显增加, 截平头水蚤Paracandacia truncata、长尾基齿哲水蚤Clausocalanus furcatus出现的位置与暖流路径相吻合, 海洋真刺水蚤Euchaeta rimana数量相比12月有明显向北推进的趋势。主成分分析显示暖水种的分布与温度有良好的相关性。Shannon-Weaver指数、丰富度指数、均匀度指数等没有呈现明显的分布规律, 对黄海暖流的指示作用不如种类明显。     

Lacustrine basin unconventional resource plays: Key differences

There has been a revival in hydrocarbon source rock characterization and development associated with growing interest in unconventional resources, where these fine-grained organic-rich rocks act as both source and reservoir. To-date, the exploration focus on shale reservoirs has been largely on marine systems. Lacustrine source rocks for conventional resources are geographically important, dominating regions such as China, Indonesia, and Brazil's resource-base. However, they have been generally untested for unconventional resources.There are a number of key differences in the nature of these hydrocarbon systems that should be considered when assessing whether lacustrine systems may represent future unconventional opportunities in areas where the conventional resource-base is dominated by lacustrine-sourced oil. Among the key differences between these depositional systems is the greater sensitivity to high frequency climatic variability within lacustrine systems. Lacustrine systems are highly sensitive to changes in the balance between precipitation and evaporation, which may lead to rapid changes in lake level, potentially exceeding 600 m. These changes in depositional conditions are geologically rapid and may occur over periods of thousands of years. Such changes can reduce the areal extent of potentially thick source rock intervals to only those portions of a basin where a permanent deep lake was present. Thus the core unconventional target area may be geographically limited compared with their marine counterpart. Although potentially areally limited, a review of many lacustrine source rocks suggests that their thicknesses are often significantly greater than marine source rocks. An examination of the more distal portions of lacustrine systems, where better source rock potential is present reveals that there is generally limited connectivity between source and conventional reservoir. In these settings, such as the Wind River basin (Waltman Shale), the hydrocarbons remain trapped within the shales, potentially leading to over-pressured hydrocarbon charged systems. Such conditions suggest that although areally limited, viable unconventional targets may exist, if suitable reservoir conditions are present. Finally, the character of the oils produced is different in these settings, with lacustrine oils being waxy and displaying different hydrocarbon generation and cracking kinetics. High wax oils display distinct flow characteristics, being more viscous, and may offer different production challenges than their non-waxy marine equivalents. Additionally, differences in their cracking kinetics may indicate that the timing of gas generation for shale gas plays may differ significantly from marine systems.     

Seismic geomorphology,architecture and genesis of Miocene shelf sand ridges in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea

Multiple stages of large-scale shelf sand ridges, including the shoreface-attached and the offshore types, have developed in the Miocene successions on the mid-shelf region of the Pear River Mouth Basin, northern South China Sea. Utilizing a high-quality 3D seismic data set, accompanying 2D seismic profiles and well logs, the morphology, architecture and genesis of these shelf sand ridges have been systematically investigated in this study. The ridges are of very large scale, with the largest one having a maximum height of 64 m, a width of more than 20 km and a length of 37 km within the 3D survey area. Being mound-shaped, they also display obvious asymmetry character, with the ridge crest preferentially located on the SE side. Three main internal components, including the ridge front, central ridge and the ridge tail, have been recognized through careful anatomy analysis of the two most well-imaged ridges, each displaying distinct expressions on seismic amplitudes and geometries. In the plan view, most of the shelf sand ridges are generally NE–SW oriented and widening to the SW direction. Scouring features can also be clearly observed along the SW direction, including scour depressions and linear sandy remnants. On well logs, the shelf sand ridges are represented by an overall coarsening-upward pattern. Intervals with blocky sandstones are preferentially present on higher locations due to a differential winnowing process controlled by shelf topography.Plenty of evidence indicates that these ridges were primarily formed by the reworking of forced regressive or lowstand deltaic deposits under a persistent southwesterly flowing current during the subsequent transgression. This very current is a composite one, which is speculated to consist of winter oceanic current, SCSBK (South China Sea Branch of Kuroshio) intrusion onto the shelf and internal waves propagating from the Luzon Strait. Tidal currents might have contributed to the SE growth of the ridge. In response to the reglaciation of Antarctic ice-sheet and the closure of Pacific-Indian ocean seaway in the middle Miocene, the intensification of the North Pacific western boundary current was considered to have potential links to the initiation of the shelf sand ridges at ∼12 Ma. The development of shelf ridges was terminated and replaced by rapid deltaic progradation at ∼5.5 Ma.     

Sequence stratigraphic modelling and reservoir architecture of the shallow marine successions of Baram field,West Baram Delta,offshore Sarawak,East Malaysia

The Baram Delta Province is located in the northern part of Sarawak (West Baram Delta) and extends north-eastward into Brunei and further into the south-western part of Sabah (East Baram Delta). The delta is a Neogene basin which developed over an accretionary wedge implying Cretaceous to Eocene sediments during the Late Eocene to Late Miocene times (Tongkul, 1991; Hutchison et al., 2000; Morley et al., 2003; Sapin et al., 2011).Facies and well log analyses were carried out on core and well data for the Late Miocene successions of Baram field, a medium-sized oilfield located in the north-eastern flank of the Baram Delta Oil Province, offshore Sarawak. A numerical model of sea-level fluctuations and progradational basin-fill was generated using the Clastic Modeling Program (Hardy and Waltham, 1992a and 1992b; Waltham, 1992) software to evaluate the possible controls of sea-level changes in the development of the siliciclastic successions and their bounding surfaces. This model was based on four lines of evidence, namely core data, fieldwide wireline logs correlation, seismic sections and average thickness variations across the field.Cored intervals of the Upper Cycle V (Late Miocene) display reservoir successions dominated by thick swaley cross-stratified (SCS) sandstones, thin hummocky cross-stratified sandstones and other shallow marine, wave and storm-dominated facies, interbedded with laminated shelfal mudstones. The vertical facies organisation suggests deposition during shoreface progradation associated with a fall of relative sea level.Analysis and correlation of well logs reveal stacking patterns comprising three scales of depositional cyclicity: the parasequences (∼10–∼30 m thick), the parasequence sets (∼45–∼130 m thick) and the major cycles (∼600–800 m thick).Field-wide, dip-oriented seismic sections show very well-developed horizontal to slightly upward convex layers traceable over great distances, which suggests a ramp-type margin, in which the basin floor dipped gradually seaward and lacked a distinct shelf-slope margin.The evidences gathered demonstrate that the deposition and build-up stratigraphy of the Late Miocene sedimentary successions could have been strongly controlled by superimposed short-term, medium-term and long-term sea-level changes.The simulated sea level and sedimentary basin-fill model, generated by the Clastic Modelling Program, match to the well log correlation. This model illustrates that high frequency sea-level fluctuations enable sands to be distributed over large areas within a shallow, low gradient shelf. Our study shows that integrated studies incorporating cores, well logs, seismic sections and simulated models can be employed as important tools for correlation and reservoir modelling.     

重力异常的视密度反演推断扬子与华北块体在南黄海地区的地质界线

通过对南黄海及周边船载测量重力数据、现代卫星测高重力数据、陆地测量重力数据以及地球重力模型等多来源重力数据进行整理和融合,对南黄海地区布格重力异常特征进行了分析。利用基于切割法和插值迭代法的大深度位场向下延拓技术的视密度反演法对南黄海布格重力进行处理和解释,结合山东和朝鲜半岛的地质信息,推断了扬子块体和中朝块体在南黄海海域的界限。中朝和扬子块体在海上的分界位置为千里岩北缘断裂,向NE延伸到125°E后,折向NNW向并在36°N附近再次转为NE向进入朝鲜半岛并经过洪城南侧继续以NE向延伸。扬子的北缘为苏鲁造山带,穿过黄海与京畿造山带相接,苏鲁超高压变质带对应洪城杂岩。     

琼东南盆地深水区东区凹陷带结构构造及其演化特征

琼东南盆地深水区东区凹陷带,即松南—宝岛—长昌凹陷,位于琼东南盆地中央坳陷东端。在大量地震资料解释的基础上,对38条主要断层进行了详细分析。获得以下认识:(1)琼东南盆地深水区东区凹陷带平面上表现为近EW向展布的平行四边形,剖面结构表现为自西向东由半地堑—不对称的地堑—半地堑有规律变化。(2)琼东南盆地深水区东区凹陷带断裂系统可划分控制凹陷边界断层、控制洼陷沉积中心断层和调节性断层3类。(3)琼东南盆地深水区东区凹陷带古近纪时期受到太平洋板块俯冲和南海海盆扩张的双重影响,构造应力场发生NW—SE→SN转变。构造演化可划分为3个阶段:~32 Ma,应力场以区域性NW—SE向伸展为主,断裂系统以NE—SW向为主,控制凹陷边界;32~26 Ma,以南海海盆近SN向拉张应力场为主,断裂系统以NWW—SEE向为主,断层活动控制凹陷沉积中心;26~ Ma,区域性伸展与南海海盆扩张应力均逐渐减弱,NE—SW向和NWW—SEE向断裂继承性发育。(4)琼东南盆地深水区东区凹陷带内部主要断层在渐新统崖城组和陵水组沉积时期活动速率快,地形高差大、沉积水体深、沉积厚度大,控制了崖城组和陵水组的大规模沉积,有利于烃源岩的发育。圈闭以受断层控制的断鼻和断块为主,长昌主洼凹中隆起带发育2个最为理想的构造圈闭。     

珠江口盆地西江凹陷南部文昌组层序地层及沉积体系研究

珠江口盆地西江凹陷南部包括两个相邻洼陷：西江36洼和番禺4洼,钻探结果却揭示了截然不同的油气勘探前景,其中,番禺4洼探明储量已过亿吨,而西江36洼却未有商业发现,导致勘探上对西江36洼烃源潜力有所顾虑。为了揭示这种差异油气地质条件产生的原因,亟待开展两个洼陷的对比研究。以主要烃源层系文昌组为切入点,通过开展精细的层序-沉积研究,进一步系统评估西江36洼烃源潜力。依据地震、钻井及分析化验等资料,在西江36洼与番禺4洼文昌组共识别了6个三级层序。西江36洼和番禺4洼文昌组发育扇三角洲、辫状河三角洲、湖底扇及湖泊沉积等沉积相类型,垂向上沉积相带具有旋回特征。伴随裂陷不同阶段和边界断层活动差异,陡坡带和缓坡带三角洲沉积体系规模呈现差异演化特征,而湖盆和半深湖-深湖相规模总体呈现出先增大后减小的规律。沉积相带在横向上也具有明显的迁移特征,表现为文六段时期先在西江36洼开始沉积,文五段开始再扩展到番禺4洼,同时文一段时期西江36洼湖盆已经消失,只在番禺4洼沉积充填。进一步对比两个洼陷各三级层序反映优质烃源岩条件的半深湖-深湖规模及物源供给量,结果显示在文六段至文四段时期两个洼陷烃源条件基本一致。鉴于该层段作为番禺4洼的主力源岩,其巨大的生烃潜力已经被勘探所证实,因此认为不能低估具有相似烃源条件的西江36洼生烃潜力。     

Numerical investigation of the control factors driving Zhe-Min Coastal Current

During the northeast monsoon season, Zhe-Min Coastal Current(ZMCC) travels along the Chinese mainland coast and carries fresh, cold, and eutrophic water. ZMCC is significantly important for the hydrodynamic processes and marine ecosystems along its path. Thus, this bottom-trapped plume deserves to be further discussed in terms of the major driving factor, for which different opinions exist. For this purpose, in this study, a high resolution Semi-implicit Cross-scale Hydroscience Integrated Syste...