Origin of the hydrate bound gases in the Juhugeng Sag, Muli Basin, Tibetan Plateau

The Juhugeng Sag,located in northwest of the Muli Basin,Tibetan Plateau,has been investigated for coal and petroleum resources during the past several decades.There have been successful recoveries of gas hydrates during recent years from the Middle Jurassic Yaojie Formation that offer insight into the origin of the hydrocarbon gases from the complex sag feature.This study examines the organic geochemical and stable carbon isotopic characteristics of shale and coal samples from the Middle Jurassic Yaojie Formation of the Juhugeng Sag,as well as compares with carbon isotopes,gas amounts and components of hydrate-bound gas.A total of 19 samples from surface mining,including 12 samples of black shale and 7 samples of coal,were analysed using a micro-photometer,a gas chromatograph,Rock–Eval and isotope methods.All the shale samples contained 100%type I kerogen,and the random vitrinite reflectance values vary from 0.65%to 1.32%and achieve thermal pyrolysis phase.Isotope values of methane(δ13C ranging from−52.6‰to−39.5‰andδD ranging from−285‰to−227‰)in the hydrate bound gases suggest that the methane originates mainly from thermogenic contributions.It is proposed that ethane from the gas hydrate is thermogenic-produced,and this conjecture is supported by the fact that most of the gas hydrate also contains more than 30%of thermogenic C2+hydrocarbons and is similar to structure II hydrate.Carbon isotope data from the gas hydrates show a positive carbon isotope series(δ13C1<δ13C2<δ13C3),with ethaneδ13C values being lighter than−28.5‰,as high consistency with source rocks from the Jurassic period indicate thermal oil-prone gas.A model of the accumulation of gas hydrate is plotted.However,the gaseous sources of gas hydrates may be a subject for more research.

Investigation of Organic Matter Sources and Depositional Environment Changes for Terrestrial Shale Succession from the Yuka Depression: Implications from Organic Geochemistry and Petrological Analyses

Continental organic-rich shales are well developed in the Dameigou Formation within the Yuka Depression of the Qaidam Basin. Here, the Rock-Eval pyrolysis, biomarkers, organic petrology, and stable carbon isotope have been carried out on the Middle Jurassic Dameigou Formation source rocks from the northwest part of Yuka Depression, Qaidam Basin in order to study their thermal maturity, source of organic matter(OM), and palaeoenvironment changes. The Rock-Eval pyrolysis data(e.g., T_(max)), vitrinite reflectance, and biomarker-derived thermal maturity parameters(e.g., carbon preference index, Ts/(Ts+Tm), C_(29)Ts/(C_(29)Ts+C_(29)αβ hopane), C_(30) αβ/(αβ+βα) hopanes, C_(29)ααα 20S/(20S+20R) steranes, and C_(29)αββ/(αββ+ααα) steranes) suggest all studied samples stay between immature and low mature stage. The maceral compositions, stable carbon isotope compositions, n-alkane distributions, and biomarker-derived source parameters(e. g., C_(27)/C_(29)ααα 20R sterane, ternary diagram of C_(27)-C28-C_(29)steranes, C24 tetracyclic terpane) indicate both aquatic organisms and higher plants are the source of OM in the shales, but land plants are dominant. Generally low gammacerane concentration and environment-related parameters(e. g., cross-plots of C_(27)/C_(29)ααα 20R sterane vs. Pr/Ph) indicate these source rocks may be derived from lacustrine and fluvial-deltaic environments with fresh water, which is also supported by the variations of stable carbon isotopes from OM in the source rocks. However, the stable carbon isotope compositions of OM in the source rocks were influenced by multiple factors(e.g., source types and depositional environment) in the Yuka Depression. Slightly brackish condition is recorded in the upper part of the ZK6-1 well favor the formation of lacustrine algae, as confirmed by high contents of C_(27) steranes and short-chain n-alkanes. The variation of reducing to oxidizing condition of study area is possibly associated with the periodical flooded river-influenced aquatic condition during the deposition of the Middle Jurassic Dameigou Formation.

First Discovery of Late Triassic Tuffs in the South Qilian Basin: Geochemical Characteristics, Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb Ages and Potential Source Regions

This investigation reports the first discovery of more than 70 tuff intervals in the Upper Triassic,South Qilian Basin.Petrographic and geochemical analyses were carried out on ten tuff samples and zircon U-Pb dating were on three.Thin section and X-ray diffraction(XRD)results indicate that the tuffs were composed of crystal shards and altered glass shards;crystal shards include plagio-clase and quartz.Most of the tuffs had been transformed into illite/smectite mixed-layers(I/S).In addition,calcite,pyrite,dolomite and siderite were also identified in some of the tuff samples.Analysis of major elements suggests that the tuffs are peraluminous high-K calcalkaline series.Trace elements indicate that the tuffs are enriched in high field strength elements(HFSE),including Th,U,Ta,Zr and Hf.Geochemical characteristics suggest that the tuffs originated from comendite pantellerite and rhyolite from within plate setting.Zircon U-Pb dating(236.0±1.7,231.4±1.6,and 223.1±3.9 Ma)indicate that the tuffs were erupted in the Late Triassic.Comparative chronology and geochemical analyses suggest that the West Qinling belt and the East Kunlun belt are the potential source regions of these tuffs,and they originated from the within plate magma during a post-collisional period.