Modelling of deformation response and chemo‐mechanical coupling in chalk

A constitutive relation is derived for describing the mechanical response of chalk. The approach is based on a phenomenological framework which employs chemo‐plasticity. The properties of the material are assumed to be affected by the physico‐chemical processes that occur through the interaction between the skeleton and the pore fluid. The underlying mechanism is discussed by invoking a micromechanical analysis. The performance of the framework is illustrated by examining the evolution of mechanical characteristics in the presence of different pore fluids. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentary characteristics of tide-dominated estuary in Donghetang Formation（Upper Devonian）, central Tarim Basin

The Donghetang Formation （Upper Devonian） in central Tarim Basin has been thought an important oil and gas reservoir since the abundant oil and gas resources were found in the wells W16, W20, W34, and other fields. However, the sedimentary environment of the Donghetang Formation has been disputed because it suffered from both tidal and fluvial actions and there were not rich fossils in the sandstone. After the authors analyzed sedimentary features by means of drill cores, well logging data, paleosols, and with SEM obseruations, three kinds of sedimentary environments were distinguished： alluvial fan, tide-dominated estuary, and shelf. Particularly, the sedimentary features of tide-dominated estuary were studied in detail. Besides, the authors discussed sedimentary characteristics of the Donghetang Formation which was divided into two fourth-order sequences and five system tracts. At the same time, according to the forming process of five system tracts, the whole vertical evolution and lateral transition of tide-dominated estuary were illustrated clearly. Finally, the reservoir quality was evaluated based on porosity and permeability.     

Upscaling of elastic properties for large scale geomechanical simulations

Large scale geomechanical simulations are being increasingly used to model the compaction of stress dependent reservoirs, predict the long term integrity of under‐ground radioactive waste disposals, and analyse the viability of hot‐dry rock geothermal sites. These large scale simulations require the definition of homogenous mechanical properties for each geomechanical cell whereas the rock properties are expected to vary at a smaller scale. Therefore, this paper proposes a new methodology that makes possible to define the equivalent mechanical properties of the geomechanical cells using the fine scale information given in the geological model. This methodology is implemented on a synthetic reservoir case and two upscaling procedures providing the effective elastic properties of the Hooke's law are tested. The first upscaling procedure is an analytical method for perfectly stratified rock mass, whereas the second procedure computes lower and upper bounds of the equivalent properties with no assumption on the small scale heterogeneity distribution. Both procedures are applied to one geomechanical cell extracted from the reservoir structure. The results show that the analytical and numerical upscaling procedures provide accurate estimations of the effective parameters. Furthermore, a large scale simulation using the homogenized properties of each geomechanical cell calculated with the analytical method demonstrates that the overall behaviour of the reservoir structure is well reproduced for two different loading cases. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Challenging a Paradigm: Do We Need Active and Inactive Areas to Account for Near-Nuclear Jet Activity?

We briefly describe an advanced 3D gas dynamical model developed for the simulation of theenvironment of active cometary nuclei. The model canhandle realistic nucleus shapes and alternative physical models for the gas and dust production mechanism.The inner gas coma structure is computed by solving self-consistently(a) near to the surface the Boltzman Equation(b) outside of it, Euler or Navier-Stokes equations.The dust distribution is computed from multifluid ``zero-temperature' Euler equations,extrapolated with the help of a Keplerian fountain model.The evolution of the coma during the nucleus orbital and spin motion,is computed as a succession of quasi-steady solutions. Earlier versions of the model using simple,``paedagogic' nuclei have demonstrated that the surface orographyand the surface inhomogeneity contribute similarly to structuring the near-nucleusgas and dust coma,casting a shadow on the automatic attribution of such structures to ``active areas'.The model was recently applied to comet P/Halley, for whichthe nucleus shape is available. In the companion paper of this volume,we show that most near-nucleus dust structuresobserved during the 1986 Halley flybys are reproduced, assuming that the nucleus is strictly homogeneous. Here, we investigate the effect of shape perturbations and homogeneityperturbations. We show that the near nucleus gas coma structure is robust vis-a-vissuch effects. In particular, a random distribution of active and inactive areaswould not affect considerably this structure, suggesting that such areas,even if present, could not be easily identified on images of the coma.     

Formation Pressure Evaluation Method for Single Well

The paper deals with the methods of formation pressure evaluation for a single well by using the very common ac-cepted parameters, such as drilling exponent , and flowline temperature , etc. which is part of compiling the end well report.     

高、低煤阶煤层气藏地质特征及控气作用差异性研究

高、低煤阶煤层气地质特征及控气作用差异性是研究煤层气富集成藏的重要组成部分,是煤层气勘探开发理论研究过程中重要的基础性研究领域之一。本文以中国沁水、阜新盆地和美国粉河盆地等典型的含气盆地为例,探讨了高、低煤阶煤层气的储层物性差异,分析了构造控气和水文地质控气作用的差异性。研究表明,高煤阶气藏含气量高,CH4百分含量高,δ13C1值大于-38.75‰,储层渗透率变化小,储层改造难,构造热事件对煤层气的生成、富集贡献大,持续的水动力使气藏遭到破坏,且破坏幅度大,现今地下水格局对气藏的形成具有一定的影响;低煤阶气藏含气量低,CH4百分含量低,δ13C1值大于-49.11‰,储层渗透率变化大,储层易改造,煤热演化史及煤阶影响着煤层气的生成、富集,在煤层气生成过程中活跃的水动力是甲烷生成的主要的水文地质条件之一,但持续的水动力使气藏遭到破坏,且破坏幅度小,而合适的地层水矿化度则是低煤阶煤层气生成的重要条件,地下水格局对气藏的调整和改造起到决定性的影响。     

Impact evaluation on groundwater of the infiltration of an urban wastewater geopurification system placed over a detrital aquifer in a semiarid region (Spain)

Over a period of 4 years and 4 months, the geopurification installations at Dehesas de Guadix (Granada, Spain) were monitored to determine the impact on soil and groundwater of the controlled discharge of urban wastewater, and also to identify the best indicators of the entry of the recharged water into the aquifer. The installations are located in an area where the climate is Mediterranean sub-arid, with an average precipitation of less than 287 mm/year, and a rate of evapotranspiration that is almost three times greater. The system was controlled by determining the balance of majority nutrients and boron in the soil and in the groundwater, both at the points affected directly by the wastewater discharge and at others. The quantity of mass discharged was relatively large (COD 14,656 g/m², NO₃ 85 g/m², NO₂ 4 g/m², NH₄ 2,425 g/m², PO₄ 1,143 g/m², K 1,531 g/m², B 63 g/m²). It was observed that the elimination of nutrients within the soil (COD 97.5%, PO₄ 94.4%, K 59.17%, N _total 18.8%, B 12.69%) was very efficient except for the nitrogen, which nevertheless did not reach the groundwater, as it was eliminated at deep levels of the unsaturated zone. Only 12.69% of the boron was removed, and appreciable, increasing amounts of this element did reach the groundwater. Unexpectedly, none of the majority nutrients behaved as a reliable indicator of the impact on groundwater; despite this, the boron and the bicarbonate did clearly reflect the arrival of the recharged water, and are proposed as the best indicators.     

Pressures of Crystallization of Icelandic Magmas

Iceland lies astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and was createdby seafloor spreading that began about 55 Ma. The crust is anomalouslythick (20–40 km), indicating higher melt productivityin the underlying mantle compared with normal ridge segmentsas a result of the presence of a mantle plume or upwelling centeredbeneath the northwestern edge of the Vatnajökull ice sheet.Seismic and volcanic activity is concentrated in 50 km wideneovolcanic or rift zones, which mark the subaerial Mid-AtlanticRidge, and in three flank zones. Geodetic and geophysical studiesprovide evidence for magma chambers located over a range ofdepths (1·5–21 km) in the crust, with shallow magmachambers beneath some volcanic centers (Katla, Grimsvötn,Eyjafjallajökull), and both shallow and deep chambers beneathothers (e.g. Krafla and Askja). We have compiled analyses ofbasalt glass with geochemical characteristics indicating crystallizationof ol–plag–cpx from 28 volcanic centers in the Western,Northern and Eastern rift zones as well as from the SouthernFlank Zone. Pressures of crystallization were calculated forthese glasses, and confirm that Icelandic magmas crystallizeover a wide range of pressures (0·001 to 1 GPa), equivalentto depths of 0–35 km. This range partly reflects crystallizationof melts en route to the surface, probably in dikes and conduits,after they leave intracrustal chambers. We find no evidencefor a shallow chamber beneath Katla, which probably indicatesthat the shallow chamber identified in other studies containssilica-rich magma rather than basalt. There is reasonably goodcorrelation between the depths of deep chambers (> 17 km)and geophysical estimates of Moho depth, indicating that magmaponds at the crust–mantle boundary. Shallow chambers (<7·1 km) are located in the upper crust, and probablyform at a level of neutral buoyancy. There are also discretechambers at intermediate depths (11 km beneath the rift zones),and there is strong evidence for cooling and crystallizing magmabodies or pockets throughout the middle and lower crust thatmight resemble a crystal mush. The results suggest that themiddle and lower crust is relatively hot and porous. It is suggestedthat crustal accretion occurs over a range of depths similarto those in recent models for accretionary processes at mid-oceanridges. The presence of multiple stacked chambers and hot, porouscrust suggests that magma evolution is complex and involvespolybaric crystallization, magma mixing, and assimilation. KEY WORDS: Iceland rift zones; cotectic crystallization; pressure; depth; magma chamber; volcanic glass     

预防油页岩地层钻进中压差卡钻的措施

分析了油页岩地层钻进中压差卡钻发生的原因,提出了预防压差卡钻的途径及处理方法,并通过工程实例来强调预防为主的重要性。