Sedimentary architecture of submarine channel-lobe systems under different seafloor topography:Insights from the Rovuma Basin offshore East Africa

Seafloor topography plays an important role in the evolution of submarine lobes.However,it is still not so clear how the shape of slope affects the three-dimensional(3-D)architecture of submarine lobes.In this study,we analyze the effect of topography factors on different hierarchical lobe architectures that formed during Pliocene to Quaternary in the Rovuma Basin offshore East Africa.We characterize the shape,size and growth pattern of different hierarchical lobe architectures using 3-D seismic data.We find that the relief of the topographic slope determines the location of preferential deposition of lobe complexes and single lobes.When the topography is irregular and presents topographic lows,lobe complexes first infill these depressions.Single lobes are deposited preferentially at positions with higher longitudinal(i.e.across-slope)slope gradients.As the longitudinal slope becomes higher,the aspect ratio of the single lobes increases.Lateral(i.e.along-slope)topography does not seem to have a strong influence on the shape of single lobe,but it seems to affect the overlap of single lobes.When the lateral slope gradient is relatively high,the single lobes tend to have a larger overlap surface.Furthermore,as the average of lateral slope and longitudinal slope gets greater,the width/thickness ratio of the single lobe is smaller,i.e.sediments tend to accumulate vertically.The results demonstrate that the shape of slopes more comprehensively influences the 3-D architecture of lobes in natural deep-sea systems than previously other lobe deposits and analogue experiments,which helps us better understand the development and evolution of the distal parts of turbidite systems.

Submarine Landslide Identified in DLW3102 Core of the Northern Continental Slope, South China Sea

In this paper, we take DLW3101 core obtained at the top of the canyon(no landslide area) and DLW3102 core obtained at the bottom of the canyon(landslide area) on the northern continental slope of the South China Sea as research objects. The chronostratigraphic framework of the DLW3101 core and elemental strata of the DLW3101 core and the DLW3102 core since MIS5 are established by analyzing oxygen isotope, calcium carbonate content, and X-Ray Fluorescence(XRF) scanning elements. On the basis of the information obtained by analyzing the sedimentary structure and chemical elements in the landslide deposition, we found that the DLW3102 core shows four layers of submarine landslides, and each landslide layer is characterized by high Si, K, Ti, and Fe contents, thereby indicating terrigenous clastic sources. L1(2.15–2.44 m) occurred in MIS2, which is a slump sedimentary layer with a small sliding distance and scale. L2(15.48–16.00 m) occurred in MIS5 and is a debris flow-deposited layer with a scale and sliding distance that are greater than those of L1. L3(19.00–20.90 m) occurred in MIS5; its upper part(19.00–20.00 m) is a debris flow-deposited layer, and its lower part(20.00–20.90 m) is a sliding deposition layer. The landslide scale of L3 is large. L4(22.93–24.27 m) occurred in MIS5; its upper part(22.93–23.50 m) is a turbid sedimentary layer, and its lower part(23.50–24.27m) is a slump sedimentary layer. The landslide scale of L4 is large.

Multi-factor sensitivity analysis on the stability of submarine hydrate-bearing slope

There are many factors affecting the instability of the submarine hydrate-bearing slope (SHBS),and the interaction with hydrate is very complicated.In this paper,the mechanical mechanism of the static liquefaction and instability of submarine slope caused by the dissociation of natural gas hydrate (NGH) resulting in the rapid increase of pore pressure of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) and the decrease of effective stress are analyzed based on the time series and type of SHBS.Then,taking the typical submarine slope in the northern South China Sea as an example,four important factors affecting the stability of SHBS are selected,such as the degree of hydrate dissociation,the depth of hydrate burial,the thickness of hydrate,and the depth of seawater.According to the principle of orthogonal method,25 orthogonal test schemes with 4 factors and 5 levels are designed and the safety factors of submarine slope stability of each scheme are calculated by using the strength reduction finite element method.By means of the orthogonal design range analysis and the variance analysis,sensitivity of influential factors on stability of SHBS are obtained.The results show that the degree of hydrate dissociation is the most sensitive,followed by hydrate burial depth,the thickness of hydrate and the depth of seawater.Finally,the concept of gas hydrate critical burial depth is put forward according to the influence law of gas hydrate burial depth,and the numerical simulation for specific submarine slope is carried out,which indicates the existence of critical burial depth.

Comprehensive Investigation of Submarine Slide Zones and Mass Movements at the Northern Continental Slope of South China Sea

Multi-beam bathymetry and seismic sequence surveys in the northern slope of the South China Sea reveal detailed geomorphology and seismic stratigraphy characteristics of canyons, gullies, and mass movements. Modern canyons and gullies are roughly elongated NNW–SSW with U-shaped cross sections at water depths of 400–1000 m. Mass movements include slide complexes, slide scars, and debris/turbidity flows. Slide complexes and slide scars are oriented in the NE–SW direction and cover an area of about 1790 and 926 km^2, respectively. The debris/turbidity flows developed along the lower slope. A detailed facies analysis suggests that four seismic facies exist, and the late Cenozoic stratigraphy above the acoustic basement can be roughly subdivided into three sequences separated by regional unconformities in the study area. The occurrence of gas hydrates is marked by seismic velocity anomalies, bottom-simulating reflectors, gas chimneys, and pockmarks in the study area. Seismic observations suggest that modern canyons and mass movements formed around the transition between the last glacial period and the current interglacial period. The possible existence and dissociation of gas hydrates and the regional tectonic setting may trigger instability and mass movements on the seafloor. Canyons may be the final result of gas hydrate dissociation. Our study aims to contribute new information that is applicable to engineering construction required for deep-water petroleum exploration and gas hydrate surveys along any marginal sea.

Stability analysis of submarine slopes in the area of the test production of gas hydrate in the South China Sea

In this paper, the mechanical properties of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) were summarized and the instability mechanism of submarine hydrate-bearing slope (SHBS) was analyzed under the background of the test production of gas hydrate in the northern part of the South China Sea. The strength reduction finite element method (SRFEM) was introduced to the stability analysis of submarine slopes for the safety of the test production. Two schemes were designed to determine the physical and mechanical parameters of four target wells. Through the division of the hydrate dissociation region and the design of four working conditions, the range and degree of hydrate dissociation at different stages during the test production were simulated. Based on the software ABAQUS, 37 FEM models of SHBS were set up to analyze and assess the stability of the submarine slopes in the area of the test production. Necessary information such as safety factors, deformation, and displacement were obtained at different stages and under different working conditions. According to the calculation results, the submarine slope area is stable before the test production, and the safety factors almost remains the same during and after the test production. All these indicate that the test production has no obvious influence on the area of the test production and the submarine slopes in the area are stable during and after the test production.

Numerical Modelling for Dynamic Instability Process of Submarine Soft Clay Slopes Under Seismic Loading

Marine geological disasters occurred frequently in the deep-water slope area of the northern South China Sea,especially submarine landslides,which caused serious damage to marine facilities.The cyclic elastoplastic model that can describe the cyclic stress-strain response characteristic for soft clay,is embedded into the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian(CEL)algorithm of ABAQUS by means of subroutine interface technology.On the basis of CEL technique and undrained cyclic elastoplastic model,a method for analyzing the dynamic instability process of marine slopes under the action of earthquake load is developed.The rationality for cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model is validated by comparing its calculated results with those of von Mises model built in Abaqus.The dynamic instability process of slopes under different conditions are analyzed.The results indicate that the deformation accumulation of soft clay have a significant effect on the dynamic instability process of submarine slopes under earthquake loading.The cumulative deformation is taken into our model and this makes the calculated final deformation of the slope under earthquake load larger than the results of conventional numerical method.When different contact conditions are used for analysis,the smaller the friction coefficient is,the larger the deformation of slopes will be.A numerical analysis method that can both reflect the dynamic properties of soft clay and display the dynamic instability process of submarine landslide is proposed,which could visually predict the topographies of the previous and post failure for submarine slope.

Study on the Submarine Slope Stability of the Deep Channel in the Caofeidian Harbor

Objective The greatest advantage of the Caofeidian Harbor is its deep channel facing the Bohai Bay. The deep channel is a natural port hub for shipping of the Caofeidian Habor. The construction of the Caofeidian Harbor has impacted the hydrodynamic environment and the sediments movement, which has attracted much attention about the geomorphic evolution, slope stability and the evolution trend after submarine slope destruction. Insight from this study might be significant for the future development of the Caofeidian Habor, including planning, operation and maintenance.

Geotechnical properties and stability of the submarine canyon in the northern South China Sea

The upper part of the continental slope in the northern South China Sea is prone to submarine landslide disasters,especially in submarine canyons.This work studies borehole sediments,discusses geotechnical properties of sediments,and evaluates sediment stability in the study area.The results show that sediment shear strength increases with increasing depth,with good linear correlation.Variations in shear strength of sediments with burial depth have a significantly greater rate of change in the canyon head and middle part than those in the canyon bottom.For sediments at the same burial depth,shear strength gradually increased and then decreased from the head to the bottom of the canyon,and has no obvious correlation with the slope angle of the sampling site.Under static conditions,the critical equilibrium slope angle of the sediments in the middle part of the canyon is 10°to 12°,and the critical slope angle in the head and the bottom of the canyon is 7°.The results indicate that potential landslide hazard areas are mainly distributed in distinct spots or narrow strips on the canyon walls where there are high slope angles.

Slope Instability Analysis of the Qiongdongnan Basin in the Northern Part of the South China Sea:Implications for the Risk Evaluation of Deepwater Drilling

The instability of continental slopes damages marine engineering equipment,such as submarine pipelines,resulting in the generation of tsunamis,which endangers the safety of nearshore personnel.Therefore,research on the instability of continental slopes where submarine landslides usually occur is crucial to the risk evaluation of deepwater drilling.Previous studies were mainly based on simplified 2D and 3D models,which extend the 2D model applied on submarine slopes with complex topography.In this study,a numerical model with bathymetric data from the Qiongdongnan Basin was established.Furthermore,3D slope stability analysis and static and dynamic analyses were conducted.The static analysis found two discussions where slopes are most likely to occur.Through the analysis of different seismic forces,the dynamic result showed that an instability area is added to the two positions where the static analysis is unstable.Topography scatters and transmits seismic waves and controls the accumulation and diffusion of seismic energy.3D calculations and analysis revealed that the direction of slope instability is closely related to terrain inclination,slope,terrain effect,and terrain curvature.Data showed that instability situations could not be derived from a single direction or profile data.Such situations are an important factor in slope stability analysis and are critical to the prediction and evaluation of marine geological disasters.

Morphometric analysis of the Andaman outer shelf and upper slope——Implications for the recent slope failure events

The devastating 2004 tsunamis that hit the southwestern coast of Thailand pose a serious threat to people along the coastal zone. A major aim for the tsunami hazard prediction is better prediction of the next tsunamis and their impacts. In this paper, we present the first implications of recent slope failure events of the Andaman outer shelf and upper slope based on a new detailed bathymetric data and subbottom profiler records acquired during two cruises of the MASS project in 2006 and 2007. Morphometric analysis reveals a variety of anomalous features,including: three large plateaus surrounded by moats, ruggedness and unevenness of slope morphology, and two translational submarine landslides. Two submarine landslides are studied from the detailed bathymetric data and subbottom profiler record covering the upper slope of the Andaman Sea shelf break within Thai exclusive economic zone. Maximum approximated volumes of both displaced masses are 4.8×10~7 m~3 and 2.2×10~7 m~3.Considering the data, there is no evidence that landslides have been the sources for tsunami hazard potential in recent geological time. These prerequisites will allow better study of slope failure events in the area. Further investigation is required to better understand obvious geotectonic phenomena.

基于边坡稳定性的海底采砂坑边界识别方法研究

海底采砂坑通常具有陡峭的边坡,在海洋动力环境下采砂坑边坡可能会发生滑坡导致采砂坑范围扩大。因此准确探测识别海底采砂坑边界对于分析评估采砂坑对邻近海底管道的影响具有重要意义。目前采砂坑边界识别常用方法是基于海底地貌图像识别和基于海底地形图识别,均是对海底表面进行分析,未考虑到采砂坑边坡稳定性的影响。通过构建采砂坑边坡稳定性分析模型,计算了采砂坑边坡的稳定坡角与坡度,综合采砂坑边坡稳定坡角、采砂坑边坡坡度、海底地形进行综合分析可知:对于坡度大于4.3°的区域,海底边坡不稳定,将边坡顶部的等深线作为采砂坑的不稳定边界;在边坡坡度小于4.3°的区域,海底边坡发生过滑坡,已经稳定,将其内部坡度为4.3°的区域作为采砂坑的不稳定边界。此种方法具有地形和地质的实际意义,可作为识别采砂坑边界的方法。

Stratigraphic Sequence and Sedimentary Systems in the Middle-Southern Continental Slope of the East China Sea from Seismic Reflection Data: Exploration Prospects of Gas Hydrate

Many evidences for gas hydrate bearing sediments had been found in the continental slope of the East China Sea,such as bottom simulating reflections(BSRs),undersea gas springs,pyrite associated with methane leakage,mud diapirs/mud volcanos,bottom-water methane anomalies and so on.In this study,six key stratigraphic interfaces including T_0(seafloor),T_1(LGM,23 kyr B.P.),T_2(2.58 Myr),T_3(5.33 Myr),T_4(11.02 Myr)and T_5(16.12 Myr)were identified,and then five third-order sequences of SQIII1 to SQIII5 were divided.However,T5 in southern continental slope is not found,which shows that the middle-northern Okinawa Trough had begun to rift in the early Miocene,earlier than the southern segment.Four system tracts including lowstand systems tract(LST),transgressive systems tract(TST),highstand systems tract(HST)and falling stage systems tract(FSST)are further divided.The marine erosion interface of 11.02 Myr and regressive unconformity interface of 23 kyr B.P.indicate two large-scale sea level drop events in the research area.Seven typical seismic facies identified in the continental slope are continental shelf-edge deltas,littoral fluvial-delta plains,incised channels or submarine canyons,slope fans,submarine fans or coastal sandbars,littoral-neritic finegrained sediments,mud volcanos and some other geological bodies respectively.The minimum water depth for hydrate occurrence in the Okinawa Trough is 630 m,and the thickness of gas hydrate stability zone in continental slope is between 0 and 590 m.The calculated bottom boundary of hydrate stability zone is slightly deeper than BSRs on the seismic sections.The re-depositional turbidite sand bodies,such as canyon channels,slope fans and submarine fans developed in Quaternary strata,are the predominant hydrate reservoirs.According to developing process,the dynamic accumulation of hydrate systems can be divided into three evolutionary stages including canyon erosion and hydrate stability zone migration stage,sediments destabilizing and methane leakage stage,and channel filling and hydrate re-occurrence stage.

Dissociation of gas hydrates by hydrocarbon migration and accumulation-derived slope failures:An example from the South China Sea

The mechanism of slope failure associated with overpressure that is caused by hydrocarbon migration and accumulation remains unclear.High-resolution seismic data and gas hydrate drilling data collected from the Shenhu gas hydrate field(site SH5)offer a valuable opportunity to study the relations between submarine slope failure and hydrocarbon accumulation and flow that is associated with a~2 kmdiameter gas chimney developed beneath site SH5 where none gas hydrates had been recovered by drilling and sampling despite the presence of distinct bottom simulating reflectors(BSRs)and favorable gas hydrate indication.The mechanism of submarine slope failure resulted from buoyancy extrusion and seepage-derived deformation which were caused by overpressure from a~1100 m-high gas column in a gas chimney was studied via numerical simulation.The~9.55 MPa overpressure caused by hydrocarbons that migrated through the gas chimney and then accumulated beneath subsurface gas hydratebearing impermeable sediments.This may have resulted in a submarine slope failure,which disequilibrated the gas hydrate-bearing zone and completely decomposed the gas hydrate once precipitated at site SH5.Before the gas hydrate decomposition,the largely impermeable sediments overlying the gas chimney may have undergone a major upward deformation due to the buoyancy extrusion of the overpressure in the gas chimney,and slope failure was initiated from plastic strain of the sediments and reduced internal strength.Slope failure subsequently resulted in partial gas hydrate decomposition and sediment permeability increase.The pressurized gas in the gas chimney may have diffused into the overlying sediments controlled by seepage-derived deformation,causing an effective stress reduction at the base of the sediments and significant plastic deformation.This may have formed a new cycle of submarine slope failure and finally the total gas hydrate dissociation.The modeling results of buoyancy extrusion and seepage-derived deformation of the overpressure in the gas chimney would provide new understanding in the development of submarine slope failure and the link between slope failure and gas hydrate accumulation and dissociation.

Study of Wave and Tide Influence on Slope Stability of the Navigation Channel of Tianjin Port

The Tianjin Port is the largest man-made port in China. Since the navigation channel of the Tianjin Port is constructed by dredging, a very important problem, as many people concerned, is the submarine slope stability. As the environment on land is different from that in submarine, it is necessary to evaluate the influence of the environmental loading, such as wave and tide, on the stability of navigation channel slope. In the present study, based on the observed results, the characteristics of the navigation channel slope are summarized, and the causes of creating the special slope shape are analyzed. The ioles of waves and tides are evaluated, and failure mechanics are discussed to helq us predict what will happen in the future.

南海北部陆坡区典型峡谷陡坡群地震稳定性

南海北部陆坡是一个呈条带状分布的大规模海底斜坡,西起海南岛东南部海域,向东延伸至中国台湾岛西南部海域。该区域分布了多个峡谷陡坡群,地质构造复杂、地震易发多发,滑坡地质灾害活跃。特别是该区域地形起伏较大,地震灾害可能诱发区域大面积的海底滑坡,科学评估其地震稳定性显得十分重要。本文以南海北部陆坡区神狐海域典型峡谷陡坡群为例,基于Scoops3D和GIS技术建立了三维计算模型,开展了海底陡坡群的地震稳定性研究,获得了峡谷区不同陡坡的地震稳定性安全系数及其分布特征。结果表明:峡谷剖面大多呈“U”字形,推断研究区峡谷为Ⅱ型海底峡谷系统;强震作用可以大幅削弱海底斜坡稳定性,其中对于C1峡谷区陡坡群,随着水平拟静力地震系数增大至0.40,区域最小安全系数则陡降至0.50;地震作用下西部峡谷陡坡群的失稳范围明显高于东部区域,大部分滑坡发生在两侧谷壁靠近峰顶的位置,另有相当一部分滑坡位于C1和C2峡谷区南段的东侧谷壁,整体呈带状分布。

鄂尔多斯盆地西南缘上奥陶统平凉组岩石特征及沉积环境

为研究鄂尔多斯盆地西南缘上奥陶统平凉组岩石特征及沉积环境,基于沉积学相关理论和方法,根据野外露头、古生物及粒度分析等资料,对研究区岩石特征、沉积相及主控因素开展了研究。结果表明:①研究区平凉组可划分3种岩相和2种岩相组合。②通过综合研究岩性、古生物、沉积构造及粒度参数等资料,确定平凉组沉积环境为深水斜坡。③沉积相为海底扇,在此基础上可划分为中扇和下扇2个亚相,近端朵叶和远端朵叶2个微相。④海底扇的主控因素为相对海平面升降、构造运动和物源供给。

南海北部深水井场稳定性评价

海底滑坡是海洋中常见的地质灾害,为避免深水油气钻井在钻进过程中触发海底滑坡,需要对井场及周缘地区的海底稳定性进行评价。通过海底滑坡触发因素分析,认为海底土物理力学性质和钻井相关载荷在钻井过程中是触发海底滑坡的重要因素。利用南海北部陆坡区A区实际海底地形建立三维模型,构建海底土力学参数与波阻抗的函数关系,将地震反演的波阻抗数据体转换为海底土力学参数数据体。经基于折算强度法的数值模拟法计算出安全系数,定量评估了A区海底的稳定性。评价结果表明,A区中部地区存在潜在滑坡风险,应避免在该区域内部署油气钻井。

东海海底地形分区特征和成因研究

东海一直以其特殊的大地构造地位受到国内外地学界的关注,但作为主要受构造控制的东海海底地形的研究,以往简单趋势性描述居多,专门深入系统的研究尚不多见。不久前完成的高精度、全覆盖多波束海底地形勘测覆盖了东海部分外陆架、大陆坡全部、冲绳海槽和东部岛坡的一部分,取得了海量的测深数据。据此编绘的勘测多波束水深图和结合测区外的传统资料编绘的海底地形图使我们有机会可以重新审视和系统研究东海的海底地形特征。在定量确定了陆架坡折线、陆坡坡脚线和东部槽坡坡脚线的基础上划分出了大陆架、大陆坡、冲绳海槽平原和东部岛坡4大地形区,继之对各区的海底地形特征进行了研究和描述,并在区内选取了有代表性的5条剖面进行了剖析。另外,从地球内营力和外营力两方面分析了影响东海海底地形发育的因素。调查分析表明:整个东海地形分带明显,地形类型多样:大陆架十分宽阔,总体北宽南窄,从大陆向海平缓倾斜,发育了广泛的NW-SE向沙脊群,自大陆向东南呈扇形发散;大陆坡呈NE-SW向条带展布,海底地形陡峻,呈阶梯状下掉,总体北缓南陡,其上峡谷密布,上穿切外陆架,下直达海槽,同时坡麓上海台沟谷伴生发育;冲绳海槽北浅南深,其内在平坦的背景上发育了众多的海山和海丘,其中心又有槽中槽地形;东槽坡地形复杂。

大陆边缘深水区海底滑坡及其不稳定性风险评估

海底滑坡是大陆坡一种常见的沉积作用过程。这种沉积作用包括滑塌和碎屑流等重力流作用过程,它能将沉积物运移数百公里,严重危害深水油气开发平台、油气管线、海底电缆等设施;同时,还可能导致巨大破坏性的海啸。虽然导致海底滑坡的因素很多,但近年来发现海底滑坡的触发机制可能与地震作用和海底天然气水合物的分解关系密切。随着深水油田的开发和深海工程的日益增多,这种地质作用越来越引起学术界和工业界的重视。在介绍大陆边缘深水区海底滑坡的构成、识别和触发机制的基础上,提出海底滑坡的地质风险评估方法。

南海北部白云大型海底滑坡的几何形态与变形特征

利用二维、三维地震资料,结合多波束水深测量,在南海北部白云凹陷发现大型海底滑坡。白云大型海底滑坡可分为滑坡根部、滑坡主体和滑坡前缘3个主要部分,广泛发育滑坡陡壁、滑塌沟谷、滑移面、滑坡台阶等典型滑坡地貌。地震相特征表现为楔状弱振幅杂乱地震相,块状平行或波状弱振幅中连续地震相,席状亚平行/波状弱振幅连续地震相,谷状水平充填中振幅、中连续地震相和丘状/透镜体状前积地震相等5种典型地震相特征。初步估算白云海底滑坡范围约为13000km2,滑坡分布受地形和海底沉积物岩性控制,晚期活动在中更新世。白云大型海底滑坡位于深水油气和天然气水合物的富集区,对油气和天然气水合物成藏作用和勘探开发具有重要的影响。