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.     

Petroleum geochemistry of the Kimmeridge Clay of onshore Southern and Eastern England

The Kimmeridge Clay is considered a major oil source rock for the North Sea hydrocarbon province. The formation is also developed onshore in an organic-rich mudstone facies. This paper examines the possibility of onshore oil generation from the Kimmeridge Clay. Geochemically, onshore basin margin sediments contain rich, potential source horizons with mainly Type l/Type ll oil-prone kerogen, but are immature. Some deeper Cleveland Basin sediments have reached marginal maturity. Burial history reconstruction suggests significant formation palaeoburial depths in central areas of the Cleveland and Wessex Basins. Computed vitrinite isoreflectance contours show the Wealden and Isle of Wight Kimmeridge Clay to be thermally mature. Basin modelling suggests an early Palaeogene onset of oil generation in parts of the Cleveland Basin, while maximum oil generation could have been reached by the formation base in the Isle of Wight area during the late Cretaceous. Although basin subsidence ceased in the Neogene, in the Weald and Isle of Wight, where the formation is still deeply buried, oil generation probably continued for some time during uplift. Thus significant quantities of oil could have been generated. Whether or not this oil is present today however, would depend on the correct timing of suitable migration and trap structures.     

南海北部含油气构造上方化探异常研究

在南海北部利用地球化学方法作为油气勘探的一种辅助手段。在6个航次中采集了沉积物、底层海水及海面大气样品，测定了近50种化探指标，并采用稳健统计方法进行了数据处理和异常圈定。化探结果在油气藏上方发现了清晰的、具不同指标组合的综合化探异常，与邻近空构造形成鲜明的对照。圈闭顶部的块状异常和圈闭周绿的环状、半环状异常是下伏油气藏的良好指示，而剖面上呈锯齿状、平面上呈线状的异常则与断裂带有关。实践表明，建立已知油气藏上方的化探异常模式及解剖已知空构造上方的地球化学特征对于指导本区或邻区的化探异常评价是十分必要的。     

Sources and hydrothermal alteration of organic matter in Quaternary sediments: A synthesis of studies from the Central Gulf of California

Deep sea drilling in the Central Gulf of California, a young and active spreading centre, shows that the high heat flow typical of these regions causes extensive alteration of sediment organic matter, especially near sills and above magma chambers where hydrothermal activity is concentrated. Even on the nearby passive margin, where there are no sills, heat flow is moderately high and hydrocarbon generation has begun in immature sequences. Migrating light hydrocarbons are detected especially where hydrothermal activity is concentrated. Thermogenic methane is more widespread, though not in the passive margin bordering the spreading centre. Despite the incidence of hydrocarbon generation and migration, the amounts of hydrocarbons involved are relatively small and apparently do not lead to commercially significant accumulations of petroleum.The organic matter in these sediments is mostly marine because the Gulf of California generally has low runoff from land and highly productive surface waters. Turbidites rich in terrigenous organic material are locally abundant in the mainly pelagic section in the Guaymas Basin. The highest concentrations of organic matter are found in laminated diatomites deposited on the Guaymas passive margin within the oxygen minimum zone.     

Assessment of the effects of hydrocarbon contamination on the sedimentary bacterial communities and determination of the polar lipid fraction purity: Relevance of intact phospholipid analysis

This in situ study reports on the relevance of intact phospholipids as new biomarkers and highlights the limits of the classical fatty acid analysis after the hydrolysis of the polar lipid fraction. The analysis of polar lipid fractions revealed significant contributions of marine macrophytes with either non-phospholipid compounds (sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol) or with both non-bacterial phospholipid classes (phosphatidylcholine) and non-bacterial phospholipid molecular species (some molecular species of phosphatidylglycerol). The analysis of intact phospholipids showed also the predominance of gram-negative bacteria in sediments whereas the analysis of fatty acids alone cannot confirm such information. Lastly, as regard to the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the sedimentary bacterial communities, we observed a higher degree of saturation of the fatty acyl chains of the phospholipids extracted from sediment exposed to a massive and chronic crude oil contamination. Such a result was interpreted as an adaptive response resulting in higher membrane rigidity of the bacterial communities.     

Numerical simulation of migration–accumulation of oil resources

Numerical simulation of oil migration and accumulation is to describe the history of oil migration and accumulation in basin evolution. It is of great value to the evaluation of oil resources and to the determination of the location and amount of oil deposits. This thesis discusses the characteristics of petroleum geology and permeation fluid mechanics. For the three-dimensional problems of Dongying hollow of Shengli Petroleum Oil Field, it puts forward a new model and a kind of modified method of upwind finite difference fractional steps implicit interactive scheme. For the famous hydraulic experiment of secondary migration–accumulation, the numerical simulation test has been done, and both the computational and experimental results are basically identical. For the actual problem of Dongying hollow, the numerical simulation test and the actual conditions are basically coincident. Thus, the well-known problem has been solved.     

中国海相探矿权区块定量评价方法

在研究了我国海相油气探矿权区块基本油气地质条件、勘探程度、技术经济条件等要素和特点的基础上,给出了48个评价参数和归一化取值参照表,建立了探矿权区块评价工作流程、评分参数及计算公式。提出对我国海相勘探层探矿权区块评价应该注意:与国外海相碳酸盐岩评价的差别;与国内陆相碎屑岩评价的差别;成藏组合的划分;评价内容的有效性、不确定性和评价参数的可信度;成败经验的总结和勘探程度的研究。     

The American whale oil industry: A look back to the future of the American petroleum industry?

The American whaling industry rose from humble beginnings off Long island to become an international giant. In its peak year, 1846, 735 ships and 70,000 people served the industry. As whale stocks and reserves decreased, whalers were forced to go farther and farther from their New England home ports. Voyages became longer, and risks on required return-on-investment became higher. The easy money of Atlantic and Pacific whaling was no more: the only remaining profitable ventures were to Arctic and Antarctic waters. Many ships returned empty, if at all. in 1871, most of the Arctic whaling fleet was crushed by early winter ice and lost. This calamity, in conjunction with the long-term diminishing whale stocks, the diversion of investment capital to more profitable ventures, and the discovery, development, and refinement of abundant petroleum crude oil, struck the death blow to the American whaling industry. By 1890, only 200 whaling vessels were at work, and by 1971, no American commercial whaling ship sailed the world's oceans.It is apparent that no single event caused the final, rapid decline. However, a single calamity, in an already stressed industry, that was self-insured and commercially interlinked, precipitated the end. Today's American petroleum industry, although adopting some principles of the American whaling industry, also has embraced other activities such as work process reengineering and customer alliances, which may preempt, or postpone, a similar catastrophic demise.     

泥岩盖层浓度封闭演化特征——以松辽盆地下白垩统泥岩为例

在研究泥岩盖层浓度封闭机理及形成条件的基础上,提出了抑制和替代两种浓度封闭作用。通过其形成及演化过程分析,研究了不同类型泥岩盖层浓度封闭性的演化特征。通过泥岩盖层浓度封闭形成期与气源岩大量排气期的匹配关系分析,探讨了研究泥岩盖层浓度封闭演化特征的意义。以松辽盆地三肇凹陷下白垩统青山口组和登娄库组二段泥岩盖层为例,研究了其浓度封闭演化特征及其在气藏形成中的作用。