Influence of Drilling Fluid Components on Shear Strength at Cement-aquifuge Interface in Coalbed Methane Wells

The hydraulic fracturing is still an effective technology for the exploitation of coalbed methane （CBM）. However, after the hydraulic fracturing operation, the high water cut or sudden water flooding of CBM well usually occurs due to upward migration of bottom water, which is called water channeling （water inrush）. This problem has been severely limiting the hydraulic fracturing effect of CBM wells. Some studies show that the aquifuge and cement paste themselves will not crush under hydraulic fracturing pressure. Water channeling often occurs at cement- aquifuge interface （CAI）.

Ultrasensitive magnetic field sensor based on an in-fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer with a magnetic fluid component

An ultrasensitive magnetic field sensor based on a compact in-fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer(MZI) created in twin-core fiber(TCF) is proposed, and its performance is experimentally demonstrated. A section of TCF was spliced between two sections of standard single-mode fibers, and then a microchannel was drilled through one core of the TCF by means of femtosecond laser micromachining. The TCF with one microchannel was then immersed in a water-based Fe_3O_4 magnetic fluid(MF), forming a direct component of the light propagation path,and then sealed in a capillary tube, achieving a magnetic sensing element, which merges the advantages of an MZI with an MF. Experiments were conducted to investigate the magnetic response of the proposed sensor. The developed magnetic field sensor exhibits a linear response within a measurement range from 5 to 9.5 m T and an ultrahigh sensitivity of 20.8 nm/m T, which, to our best knowledge, is 2 orders of magnitude greater than other previously reported magnetic sensors. The proposed sensor is expected to offer significant potential for detecting weak magnetic fields.

Major and trace element composition of surface sediments from the Southwest Indian Ridge:evidence for the incorporation of a hydrothermal component

Hydrothermal materials in deep-sea sediments provide a robust tracer to the localized hydrothermal activity at mid-ocean ridges. Major, trace and rare earth element（REE） data for surface sediments collected from the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge are presented to examine the existence of hydrothermal component.Biogenic carbonate oozes dominate all the sediment samples, with CaO content varying from 85.5% to 89.9% on a volatile-free basis. The leaching residue of bulk sediments by ~5% HCl is compositionally comparable to the Upper Continental Crust（UCC） in SiO_2, Al_2O_3, CaO, MgO, alkali elements（Rb, Cs） and high field strength elements（Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti）. These detritus-hosted elements are inferred to be prominently derived from the Australian continent by means of eolian dust, while the contribution of local volcaniclastics is insignificant. In addition, the residual fraction shows a clear enrichment in Fe, Mn, and Ba compared with the UCC. Combining the positive Eu anomaly of residual fraction which is opposed to the UCC but the characteristic of hydrothermal fluids and associated precipitates occurred at mid-ocean ridges, the incorporation of localized hydrothermal component can be constrained. REE mixing calculations indicate that more than half REE within the residual fraction（~55%–60%） are derived from a hydrothermal component, which is inferred to be resulted from a diffuse fluid mineralization. The low-temperature diffuse flow may be widely distributed along the slow-ultraslow spreading ridges where crustal faults and fissures abound, and probably have a great mineralization potential.