Main controlling factor and mechanism of gas-in-place content of the Lower Cambrian shale from different sedimentary facies in the western Hubei area, South China

The Lower Cambrian shale gas in the western Hubei area,South China has a great resource prospect,but the gas-in-place(GIP)content in different sedimentary facies varies widely,and the relevant mechanism has been not well understood.In the present study,two sets of the Lower Cambrian shale samples from the Wells YD4 and YD5 in the western Hubei area,representing the deep-water shelf facies and shallowwater platform facies,respectively,were investigated on the differences of pore types,pore structure and methane adsorption capacity between them,and the main controlling factor and mechanism of their methane adsorption capacities and GIP contents were discussed.The results show that the organic matter(OM)pores in the YD4 shale samples are dominant,while the inorganic mineral(IM)pores in the YD5 shale samples are primary,with underdeveloped OM pores.The pore specific surface area(SSA)and pore volume(PV)of the YD4 shale samples are mainly from micropores and mesopores,respectively,while those of the YD5 shale samples are mainly from micropores and macropores,respectively.The methane adsorption capacity of the YD4 shale samples is significantly higher than that of the YD5 shale samples,with a maximum absolute adsorption capacity of 3.13 cm^(3)/g and 1.31 cm^(3)/g in average,respectively.Compared with the shallow-water platform shale,the deep-water shelf shale has a higher TOC content,a better kerogen type and more developed OM pores,which is the main mechanism for its higher adsorption capacity.The GIP content models based on two samples with a similar TOC content selected respectively from the Wells YD4 and YD5 further indicate that the GIP content of the deep-water shelf shale is mainly 34 m^(3)/t within a depth range of 1000—4000 m,with shale gas exploration and development potential,while the shallow-water platform shale has normally a GIP content of<1 m^(3)/t,with little shale gas potential.Considering the geological and geochemical conditions of shale gas formation and preservation,the deep-water shelf facies is the most favorable target for the Lower Cambrian shale gas exploration and development in the western Hubei area,South China.

Development characteristics and controlling factors of fractures in lacustrine shale and their geological significance for evaluating shale oil sweet spots in the third member of the Shahejie Formation in the Qikou Sag, Bohai Bay Basin

Natural fractures are critical for shale oil and gas enrichment and development. Due to the extremely high heterogeneity of shale, the factors controlling the formation of internal fractures, especially horizontal fractures, remain controversial. In this study, we integrate thin section analysis and microcomputed tomography(CT) data from several lacustrine shale samples from the third member(Es3) of the Shahejie Formation, Qikou Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, to assess the fractures in detail. The goal is to reveal the development characteristics, controlling factors, and geological significance for evaluating sweet spots in a shale oil play. The fractures in the Es3contain high-angle structural and horizontal bed-parallel fractures that are mostly shear and extensional. Various factors influence fracture development,including lithofacies, mineral composition, organic matter content, and the number of laminae. Structural fractures occur predominantly in siltstone, whereas bed-parallel fractures are abundant in laminated shale and layered mudstone. A higher quartz content results in higher shale brittleness, causing fractures, whereas the transformation between clay minerals contributes to the development of bedparallel fractures. Excess pore pressure due to hydrocarbon generation and expulsion during thermal advance can cause the formation of bed-parallel fractures. The density of the bed-parallel and structural fractures increases with the lamina density, and the bed-parallel fractures are more sensitive to the number of laminae. The fractures are critical storage spaces and flow conduits and are indicative of sweet spots. The laminated shale in the Es3with a high organic matter content contains natural fractures and is an organic-rich, liquid-rich, self-sourced shale play. Conversely, the siltstone, massive mudstone, and argillaceous carbonate lithofacies contain lower amounts of organic matter and do not have bed-parallel fractures. However, good reservoirs can form in these areas when structural fractures are present and the source, and storage spaces are separated.

Enrichment model and major controlling factors of below-source tight oil in Lower Cretaceous Fuyu reservoirs in northern Songliao Basin,NE China

Based on the geochemical,seismic,logging and drilling data,the Fuyu reservoirs of the Lower Cretaceous Quantou Formation in northern Songliao Basin are systematically studied in terms of the geological characteristics,the tight oil enrichment model and its major controlling factors.First,the Quantou Formation is overlaid by high-quality source rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation,with the development of nose structure around sag and the broad and continuous distribution of sand bodies.The reservoirs are tight on the whole.Second,the configuration of multiple elements,such as high-quality source rocks,reservoir rocks,fault,overpressure and structure,controls the tight oil enrichment in the Fuyu reservoirs.The source-reservoir combination controls the tight oil distribution pattern.The pressure difference between source and reservoir drives the charging of tight oil.The fault-sandbody transport system determines the migration and accumulation of oil and gas.The positive structure is the favorable place for tight oil enrichment,and the fault-horst zone is the key part of syncline area for tight oil exploration.Third,based on the source-reservoir relationship,transport mode,accumulation dynamics and other elements,three tight oil enrichment models are recognized in the Fuyu reservoirs:(1)vertical or lateral migration of hydrocarbon from source rocks to adjacent reservoir rocks,that is,driven by overpressure,hydrocarbon generated is migrated vertically or laterally to and accumulates in the adjacent reservoir rocks;(2)transport of hydrocarbon through faults between separated source and reservoirs,that is,driven by overpressure,hydrocarbon migrates downward through faults to the sandbodies that are separated from the source rocks;and(3)migration of hydrocarbon through faults and sandbodies between separated source and reservoirs,that is,driven by overpressure,hydrocarbon migrates downwards through faults to the reservoir rocks that are separated from the source rocks,and then migrates laterally through sandbodies.Fourth,the differences in oil source conditions,charging drive,fault distribution,sandbody and reservoir physical properties cause the differential enrichment of tight oil in the Fuyu reservoirs.Comprehensive analysis suggests that the Fuyu reservoir in the Qijia-Gulong Sag has good conditions for tight oil enrichment and has been less explored,and it is an important new zone for tight oil exploration in the future.

Crude oil cracking in deep reservoirs:A review of the controlling factors and estimation methods

The natural cracking of crude oils in deep reservoirs has gained great interest due to continuously increasing depth of petroleum exploration and exploitation.Complex oil compositions and surroundings as well as complicated geological evolutions make oil cracking in nature much more complex than industrial pyrolysis.So far,numerous studies,focused on this topic,have made considerable progress although there still exist some drawbacks.However,a comprehensive review on crude oil cracking is yet to be conducted.This article systematically reviews the controlling factors of oil cracking from six aspects,namely,oil compositions,temperature and time,pressure,water,minerals and solid organic matter.We compare previous experimental and modelling results and present new field cases.In the following,we evaluate the prevailing estimation methods for the extent of oil cracking,and elucidate other factors that may interfere with the application of these estimation methods.This review will be helpful for further investigations of crude oil cracking and provides a guide for estimation of the cracking extent of crude oils.

Controlling factors and models of shale oil enrichment in Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation,Mahu Sag,Junggar Basin,NW China

Based on the combination of core observation,experimental analysis and testingand geological analysis,the main controlling factors of shale oil enrichment in the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag of the Junggar Basin are clarified,and a shale oil enrichment model is established.The results show that the enrichment of shale oil in the Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag is controlled by the organic abundance,organic type,reservoir capacity and the amount of migration hydrocarbon in shale.The abundance of organic matter provides the material basis for shale oil enrichment,and the shales containing typesⅠandⅡorganic matters have good oil content.The reservoir capacity controls shale oil enrichment.Macropores are the main space for shale oil enrichment in the Fengcheng Formation,and pore size and fracture scale directly control the degree of shale oil enrichment.The migration of hydrocarbons in shale affects shale oil enrichment.The shale that has expelled hydrocarbons has poor oil content,while the shale that has received hydrocarbons migrated from other strata has good oil content.Lithofacies reflect the hydrocarbon generation and storage capacity comprehensively.The laminated felsic shale,laminated lime-dolomitic shale and thick-layered felsic shale have good oil content,and they are favorable lithofacies for shale oil enrichment.Under the control of these factors,relative migration of hydrocarbons occurred within the Fengcheng shale,which leads to the the difference in the enrichment process of shale oil.Accordingly,the enrichment mode of shale oil in Fengcheng Formation is established as"in-situ enrichment"and"migration enrichment".By superimposing favorable lithofacies and main controlling factors of enrichment,the sweet spot of shale oil in the Fengcheng Formation can be selected which has great significance for the exploration and development of shale oil.

Behavior and controlling factors of methane adsorption in Jurassic continental shale,northeastern Sichuan Basin

The behavior and controlling factors of natural gas adsorption in the Jurassic continental shale in the northeastern Sichuan Basin are studied based on the organic geochemical features,mineral compositions and pore structure parameters through a series of experiments on samples from the shale.Results show that the total gas content of the shale measured on-site is 0.1-5.3 cm^(3)/g,with an average of 0.7 cm^(3)/g.The methane isothermal adsorption curves show a trend of increasing first and then decreasing,indicating an obvious excessive adsorption.The shale has a maximum adsorption capacity(V^(L))of 0.44-3.59 cm^(3)/g,with an average of 1.64 cm^(3)/g,lower than that of marine shale in the same basin.The organic matter content and pore structure characteristics are identified as the two main factors controlling the adsorption capacity of the shale.Micropores in the shale are the main storage space for gas to be adsorbed.Due to well developed shell laminae and interlayers in the shale,calcite plays a more important role than clay minerals in affecting the adsorption of gas to the rock.The formation temperature and water content also significantly inhibit the gas adsorption to the shale.Compared with marine shale in the basin,the Jurassic continental shale is more heterogeneous and lower in TOC values.Furthermore,with a more widely developed clayey shale lithofacies and shell limy shale lithofacies as well as relatively less developed organic pores and micropores,the continental shale is inferior to marine shale in terms of gas adsorption capacity.

Distribution Characteristics and Controlling Factors of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments from the Bay-Island-Estuary System(BIES):A Case Study in Coastal Waters of Fujian Province,China

Based on the contents of six heavy metal elements in surface sediments from coastal areas of Fujian Province,the distribution characteristics and controlling factors of six heavy metals in a bay-island-estuary system(BIES)were studied.This paper focuses on the influence of the hydrodynamic environment,and systematically discusses how grain size compositions,chemical environment,tidal current,ocean circulation and human activities influence the distribution and transportation of the heavy metals.The results indicated that the distribution and migration of Cu,Pb,Zn and Cr elements were mainly controlled by natural factors such as regional geological background,grain size compositions,and tidal residual currents.In contrast,As and Hg was mainly affected by human factors such as agriculture and industrial manufacturing.In the BIES,where the chemical environment exerted limited influence,the accumulation and migration of heavy metals are mainly influenced by human activities and enhanced by estuary processes as well as the complex sedimentary dynamic environment caused by many bays and islands.

Spatial and temporal variations and controlling factors of potential evapotranspiration in China:1956-2000

Based on the climatic data of 580 stations in China during 1956 and 2000, potential evapotranspiration are calculated using the Penman-Monteith Method recommended by FAO. The spatial and temporal distributions of the potential evapotranspiration over China and the temporal trends of the regional means for 10 major river basins and whole China are analyzed. Through a partial correlation analysis, the major climate factors which affect the temporal change of the potential evapotranspiration are analyzed. Major results are drawn as follows： 1） The seasonal and annual potential evapotranspiration for China as a whole and for most basins show decline tendencies during the past 45 years; for the Songhua River Basin there appears a slightly increasing trend. 2） Consequently, the annual potential evapotranspirations averaged over 1980-2000 are lower than those for the first water resources assessment （1956-1979） in most parts of China. Exceptions are found in some areas of Shandong Peninsula, western and middle basins of the rivers in Southwest China, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region as well as the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, which may have brought about disadvantages to the exploration and utilization of water resources. 3） Generally, sunshine duration, wind speed and relative humidity have greater impact on the potential evapotranspiration than temperature. Decline tendencies of sunshine duration and/or wind speed in the same period appear to be the major causes for the negative trend of the potential evapotranspiration in most areas.

Differential Hydrocarbon Enrichment and its Main Controlling Factors in Depressions of the Bohai Bay Basin Differential Hydrocarbon Enrichment and its Main Controlling Factors in Depressions of the Bohai Bay Basin

Significant differential hydrocarbon enrichment occurs in depressions in a petroliferous basin.There are multiple depressions in the Bohai Bay Basin, and each depression as a relatively independent unit of hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation, contains significantly different hydrocarbon generation conditions and enrichment degree. On the basis of previous documents and a large number of statistical data, this work comparatively analyzed the differential hydrocarbon enrichment and its major controlling factors in depressions of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results show that depressions in the Bohai Bay Basin have various hydrocarbon enrichment degrees, and can be categorized into four types, namely enormously oil-rich, oil-rich, oily and oil-poor depressions. In general, the enormously oil-rich and oil-rich depressions are distributed in the eastern part of the basin along the Tan-Lu and Lan-Liao faults, whereas depressions in the western part of the basin are poor in hydrocarbons. Moreover, the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons is also highly heterogeneous, with Pre-Paleogene strata rich in hydrocarbons in the northern and western depressions, Paleogene strata rich in hydrocarbons in the entire basin, and Neogene strata rich in hydrocarbons in the off-shore areas of the Bohai Bay Basin. From early depressions in onshore areas to the late depressions in offshore areas of the Bohai Bay Basin, the source rocks and source-reservoir-cap rock assemblages gradually become younger and shallower, and the hydrocarbon resource abundance gradually increases. Hydrocarbon supplying condition is the key factor constraining the hydrocarbon enrichment for different depressions,while the main source-reservoir-cap rock assemblage, sufficient hydrocarbons and the transportation capacity of faults control the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons. The main factors controlling hydrocarbon enrichment are different for different layers. The hydrocarbon supplying condition of source rocks is the key controlling factor, whereas the source-reservoir configuration, the main sourcereservoir-cap rock assemblages, and the fault transportation are the main factors of hydrocarbon enrichment in the Paleogene, Paleogene and Neogene, respectively.

Origin and controlling factors of chlorite coatings—an example from the reservoir of T_3x Group of the Baojie area,Sichuan Basin,China

The study of the chlorite coatings always attracts scholars in China and other countries because the chlorite coatings play an important role in the preservation of residual primary pores in sandstone reservoirs.At present,the study of the origin and the controlling factors is relatively few.The occurrence,time of formation,genesis,controlling factors,and the mechanism of chlorite coatings inhibiting quartz overgrowths were studied in detail with thin section and SEM analysis.Samples were from the sandstone reservoirs of the T3x Group in the Baojie area,the transitional zone from the middle to the south of Sichuan Basin.The results indicate that the chlorite coatings on the walls of the pore spaces are oriented perpendicular to grain surfaces in the form of isopachous(even-thickness) grain-coating,while the chlorite coatings at the contacts between adjacent detrital grains are arranged with a preferred orientation tangential to the surface of detrital grains.The chlorite coatings were formed in the eogenetic stage.They were formed by recrystallization of Fe-rich clay films during the syndepositional period,and chlorite cements would be recrystallized after the coatings’ formation.The formation of chlorite coatings was mainly controlled by the depositional environment,provenance conditions,and diagenetic environment.The presence of chlorite coatings could result in the preservation of primary pores in deeply buried sandstone reservoirs by effectively inhibiting quartz overgrowths and the development of compaction and pressure solution.

Air-sea carbon fluxes and their controlling factors in the Prydz Bay in the Antarctic

The Prydz Bay in the Antarctic is an important area in the Southern Ocean due to its unique geographic feature. It plays an important role in the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the distributions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and surface seawater and its air-sea exchange rates in this region, the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition （CHINARE） had set up several sections in the Prydz Bay. Here we present the results from the CHINARE-XVI cruises were presented onboard R/V Xue/ong from November 1999 to April 2000 and the main driving forces were discussed controlling the distributions of partial pressure of carbon dioxide. According to the partial pressure of carbon dioxide distributions, the Prydz Bay can be divided into the inside and outside regions. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide was low in the inside region but higher in the outside region during the measurement period. This distribution had a good negative correlation with the concentrations of ehlorophyll-a in general, suggesting that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide was substantially affected by biological production. The results also indicate that the biological produetion is most likely the main driving force in the marginal ice zone in the Southern Ocean in summer. However, in the Antarctic divergence sector of the Prydz Bay （about 64°S）, the hydrological processes become the controlling factor as the sea surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide is much higher than the atmospheric one due to the upwelling of the high DIC CDW, and this made the outside of Prydz Bay a source of carbon dioxide. On the basis of the calculations, the CO2 flux in January （austral summer） was -3.23 mmol/（m^2 · d） in the inner part of Prydz Bay, i.e. , a sink of atmospheric CO2, and was 0.62 mmol/（m^2 · d） in the outside part of the bay, a weak source of atmospheric CO2. The average air-sea flux of CO2 in the Prydz Bay was 2.50 mmol/（m^2 · d）.

Diurnal and Seasonal Variations of CO2Fluxes and Their Climate Controlling Factors for a Subtropical Forest in Ningxiang

In this study, the diurnal and seasonal variations of CO2 fluxes in a subtropical mixed evergreen forest in Ningxiang of Hunan Province, part of the East Asian monsoon region, were quantified for the first time. The fluxes were based on eddy covariance measurements from a newly initiated flux tower. The relationship between the CO2 fluxes and climate factors was also analyzed. The results showed that the target ecosystem appeared to be a clear carbon sink in 2013, with integrated net ecosystem CO2exchange（NEE）, ecosystem respiration（RE）, and gross ecosystem productivity（GEP） of-428.8, 1534.8 and1963.6 g C m^-2yr^-1, respectively. The net carbon uptake（i.e. the-NEE）, RE and GEP showed obvious seasonal variability,and were lower in winter and under drought conditions and higher in the growing season. The minimum NEE occurred on12 June（-7.4 g C m^-2d^-1）, due mainly to strong radiation, adequate moisture, and moderate temperature; while a very low net CO2 uptake occurred in August（9 g C m^-2month^-1）, attributable to extreme summer drought. In addition, the NEE and GEP showed obvious diurnal variability that changed with the seasons. In winter, solar radiation and temperature were the main controlling factors for GEP, while the soil water content and vapor pressure deficit were the controlling factors in summer. Furthermore, the daytime NEE was mainly limited by the water-stress effect under dry and warm atmospheric conditions, rather than by the direct temperature-stress effect.

Controlling Factors of Organic Nanopore Development: A Case Study on Marine Shale in the Middle and Upper Yangtze Region, South China

The Upper Ordovician Wufeng-Lower Silurian Longmaxi and the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi shales are the major targets for shale gas exploration and development in China.Although the two organic-rich shales share similar distribution ranges and thicknesses,they exhibit substantially different exploration and development results.This work analyzed the nanopore structures of the shale reservoirs in this region.Pore development of 51 shale samples collected from various formations and locations was compared using the petromineralogical,geochemical,structural geological and reservoir geological methods.The results indicate that the reservoir space in these shales is dominated by organic pores and the total pore volume of micropores,mesopores,macropores in different tectonic areas and formations show different trends with the increase of TOC.It is suggested that organic pores of shale can be well preserved in areas with simple structure and suitable preservation conditions,and the shale with smaller maximum ancient burial depth and later hydrocarbongeneration-end-time is also more conducive to pore preservation.Organic pore evolution models are established,and they are as follows:①Organic matter pore development stage,②Early stage of organic matter pore destruction,and③late stage of organic matter pore destruction.The areas conducive to pore development are favorable for shale gas development.Research results can effectively guide the optimization and evaluation of favorable areas of shale gas.

Distribution pattern of marine flagellate and its controlling factors in the central and north part of the Huanghai Sea in early summer

A survey was carried out in the central and north part of the Huanghai Sea (34.5° -37.0°N, 120.5°-124.0°E) during June 12-27, 2000. It was found that the abundance of marine flagellate ranged from 45 to 1 278 cell/ml, 479 cell/ml in average. Flagellate was more abundant in the central part than in the north part of Huanghai Sea, and the abundance decreased with the increasing distance from the coast, showing a similar distribution pattern with isotherm. Vertically, high density of flagellate was always presented in the bottom of thermocline, and formed a dense accumulation in the central area of the Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass. The effects of physical and biological factors on the distribution of marine flagellate in early summer were discussed. Water temperature (especially the existence of thermocline) rather than salinity showed significant effect on the distribution pattern of marine flagellate in the Huanghai Sea in early summer. When comparing the abundance of marine flagellate with that of other microorganisms, it revealed a comparatively stable relationship among these organ-hisms, with a ratio of heterotrophic bacteria: cyanobacteria: flagellate: dinoflagellate: ciliate being 105 :103:102:101:100.

Micro-geological causes and macro-geological controlling factors of low-resistivity oil layers in the Puao Oilfield

Low-resistivity oil layers are often missed in logging interpretation because of their resistivity close to or below the resistivity of nearby water layers. Typical low-resistivity oil layers have been found in the past few years in the Putaohua reservoir of the Puao Oilfield in the south of the Daqing placanticline by detailed exploration. Based on a study of micro-geological causes of low-resistivity oil layers, the macro-geological controlling factors were analyzed through comprehensive research of regional depositional background, geological structure, and oil-water relations combined with core, water testing, well logging, and scanning electron microscopy data. The results showed that the formation and distribution of Putaohua low-resistivity oil layers in the Puao Oilfield were controlled by depositional environment, sedimentary facies, diagenesis, motive power of hydrocarbon accumulation, and acidity and alkalinity of reservoir liquid. The low-resistivity oil layers caused by high bound-water saturation were controlled by deposition and diagenesis, those caused by high free-water saturation were controlled by structural amplitude and motive power of hydrocarbon accumulation. Those caused by formation water with high salinity were controlled by the ancient saline water depositional environment and faulted structure and those caused by additional conductivity of shale were controlled by paleoclimate and acidity and alkalinity of reservoir liquid. Consideration of both micro-geological causes and macro-geological controlling factors is important in identifying low-resistivity oil layers.

Spatial variability and its main controlling factors of the permafrost soil-moisture on the northern-slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The soil moisture movement is an important carrier of material cycle and energy flow among the various geo-spheres in the cold regions.Thus, this research takes the north slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study.The present study firstly investigates the change of permafrost moisture in different slope positions and depths. Based on this investigation, this article attempts to investigate the spatial variability of permafrost moisture and identifies the key influence factors in different terrain conditions. The method of classification and regression tree(CART) is adopted to identify the main controlling factors influencing the soil moisture movement. The relationships between soil moisture and environmental factors are revealed by the use of the method of canonical correspondence analysis(CCA). The results show that: 1) Due to the terrain slope and the freezing-thawing process, the horizontal flow weakens in the freezing period. The vertical migration of the soil moisture movement strengthens. It will lead to that the soil-moisture content in the up-slope is higher than that in the down-slope. The conclusion is contrary during the melting period. 2) Elevation, soil texture, soil temperature and vegetation coverage are the main environmental factors which affect the slopepermafrost soil-moisture. 3) Slope, elevation and vegetation coverage are the main factors that affect the slope-permafrost soil-moisture at the shallow depth of 0-20 cm. It is complex at the middle and lower depth.

Gully erosion spatial modelling: Role of machine learning algorithms in selection of the best controlling factors and modelling process

This investigation assessed the efficacy of 10 widely used machine learning algorithms(MLA)comprising the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO),generalized linear model(GLM),stepwise generalized linear model(SGLM),elastic net(ENET),partial least square(PLS),ridge regression,support vector machine(SVM),classification and regression trees(CART),bagged CART,and random forest(RF)for gully erosion susceptibility mapping(GESM)in Iran.The location of 462 previously existing gully erosion sites were mapped through widespread field investigations,of which 70%(323)and 30%(139)of observations were arbitrarily divided for algorithm calibration and validation.Twelve controlling factors for gully erosion,namely,soil texture,annual mean rainfall,digital elevation model(DEM),drainage density,slope,lithology,topographic wetness index(TWI),distance from rivers,aspect,distance from roads,plan curvature,and profile curvature were ranked in terms of their importance using each MLA.The MLA were compared using a training dataset for gully erosion and statistical measures such as RMSE(root mean square error),MAE(mean absolute error),and R-squared.Based on the comparisons among MLA,the RF algorithm exhibited the minimum RMSE and MAE and the maximum value of R-squared,and was therefore selected as the best model.The variable importance evaluation using the RF model revealed that distance from rivers had the highest significance in influencing the occurrence of gully erosion whereas plan curvature had the least importance.According to the GESM generated using RF,most of the study area is predicted to have a low(53.72%)or moderate(29.65%)susceptibility to gully erosion,whereas only a small area is identified to have a high(12.56%)or very high(4.07%)susceptibility.The outcome generated by RF model is validated using the ROC(Receiver Operating Characteristics)curve approach,which returned an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.985,proving the excellent forecasting ability of the model.The GESM prepared using the RF algorithm can aid decision-makers in targeting remedial actions for minimizing the damage caused by gully erosion.

Natural Gas Types,Distribution Controlling Factors,and Future Exploration in the Western Qaidam Basin

The Paleogene and Neogene oil and gas in the western Qaidam basin have a regular distribution in three concentric zones from the edge to the center of the basin. Natural gas mainly occurs in the inner zone, and the gas-oil ratio of the northern area of the basin is significantly higher than that of the southern area. Large amounts of carbon isotope data of natural gas, plotted in X- shaped and comprehensive identification diagrams for the southern area and northern area, respectively, were used to identify the types of natural gas. The large-scale distribution of natural gas is highly consistent with the Ro values of major source rocks, but is poorly correlated with the type of organic matter. This indicates that the main controlling factor of natural gas distribution is organic matter maturity, and the kerogen types act as the basis for the formation of different types of natural gas. Paleouplifts and squeezed anticlines near hydrocarbon generation depression centers, which are major natural gas-rich regions, control the migration directions of natural gas, while hydrocarbon migration pathways and fault systems connecting gas sources are the most important factors for natural gas reservoir formation in the inner basin. Therefore, favorable zones for natural gas distribution can be predicted on the basis of the distribution of thermal evolution and the gas generation intensity of major source rocks as well as the structural map. The Shizigou-Youshashan- Yingdong-Dawusi, Youquanzi -Kaitemilike - Youdunzi, and Xiaoliangshan - Nanyishan - Dafengshan structural belts are favorable zones for natural gas accumulation. This study has important theoretical and practical significance for future natural gas exploration.

Morphology and controlling factors of the longitudinal profile of gullies in the Yuanmou dry-hot valley

The morphology of the gully longitudinal profile （GLP） is an important topographic index of the gully bottom associated with the evolution of the gullies. This index can be used to predict the development trend and evaluate the eroded volumes and soil losses by gullying. To depict the morphology of GLP and understand its controlling factors, the Global Positioning System Real-time Kinematic （GPS RTK） and the total station were used to measure the detail points along the gully bottom of 122 gullies at six sites of the Yuanmou dry-hot Valley. Then, nine parameters including length （Lt）, horizontal distance （Dh）, height （H）, vertical erosional area （A）, vertical curvature （Co）, concavity （Ca）, average gradient （Ga）, gully length-gradient index （GL）, normalized gully length-gradient index （Ngl）, were calculated and mapped using CASS, Excel and SPSS. The results showed that this study area is dominated by slightly concave and medium gradient GLPs, and the lithology of most gullies is sandstone and siltstone. Although different types of GLPs appear at different sites, all parameters present a positively skewed distribution. There are relatively strong correlations between several parameters： namely Lt and H, Dh and H, Lt and A, Dh and A, H and GL. Most GLPs, except three, have a best fit of exponential functions with quasi- straight shapes. Soil properties, vegetation coverage, piping erosion and topography are important factors to affect the GLP morphology. This study provides useful insight into the knowledge of GLP morphology and its influential factors that are of critical importance to prevent and control gully erosion.

Simulation for the Controlling Factors of Structural Deformation in the Southern Margin of the Junggar Basin

According to the differences of structural deformation characteristics, the southern margin of the Junggar basin can be divided into two segments from east to west. Arcnate thrust-and-fold belts that protrude to the north are developed in the eastern segment. There are three rows of en echelon thrust-and-fold belts in the western segment. Thrust and fold structures of basement-involved styles are developed in the first row, and decollement fold structures are formed from the second row to the third row. In order to study the factors controlling the deformation of structures, sand-box experiments have been devised to simulate the evolution of plane and profile deformation. The planar simulation results indicate that the orthogonal compression coming from Bogeda Mountain and the oblique compression with an angle of 75° between the stress and the boundary originating from North Tianshan were responsible for the deformation differences between the eastern part and the western part. The Miquan-Uriimqi fault in the basement is the pre-existing condition for generating fragments from east to west. The profile simulation results show that the main factors controlling the deformation in the eastern part are related to the decollement of Jurassic coal beds alone, while those controlling the deformation in the western segment are related to both the Jurassic coal beds and the Eogene clay beds. The total amount of shortening from the Yaomoshan anticline to the Gumudi anticline in the eastern part is -19.57 km as estimated from the simulation results, and the shortening rate is about 36.46%; that from the Qingshuihe anticline to the Anjihai anticline in the western part is -22.01 km as estimated by the simulation results, with a shortening rate of about 32.48%. These estimated values obtained from the model results are very close to the values calculated by means of the balanced cross section.