Petrogenesis and Significance of the Jebel Dumbier Alkaline-Carbonatite Complex from North Margin of Nuba Mountains, Sudan

1 Introduction Scientific study of the geology and mineral resources in Sudan is rather limited.Jebel Dumbier is the first identified carbonatite-bearing alkaline complex in Sudanby El Sharkawi&El Raba’a in 1973.It is located in Northern Kordofan Province on the northeastern margin of the Nuba Mountains.The complex exposed as small

The Role of the Tenir-Too Relief Steps in the Formation of High-Altitude Belts

The article discusses regularity of the formation of high-altitude zones on the mountain territories of Tenir-Too and their relationship with geomorphological complexes and the relief steps. The main purpose was to classify geomorpho-logical complexes and to concretize their morphological characteristics. The belt structure consisting of two mixed rows is analyzed. Excess, elevated, medium-moistened, semi-moistened, semi-arid, and arid types of altitudinal belts were proposed.

Geohazard Recognition and Inventory Mapping Using Airborne LiDAR Data in Complex Mountainous Areas

Geohazard recognition and inventory mapping are absolutely the keys to the establishment of reliable susceptibility and hazard maps. However, it has been challenging to implement geohazards recognition and inventory mapping in mountainous areas with complex topography and vegetation cover. Progress in the light detection and ranging(Li DAR) technology provides a new possibility for geohazard recognition in such areas. Specifically, this study aims to evaluate the performances of the Li DAR technology in recognizing geohazard in the mountainous areas of Southwest China through visually analyzing airborne Li DAR DEM derivatives. Quasi-3 D relief image maps are generated based on the sky-view factor(SVF), which makes it feasible to interpret precisely the features of geohazard. A total of 146 geohazards are remotely mapped in the entire 135 km^(2) study area in Danba County, Southwest China, and classified as landslide, rock fall, debris flow based on morphologic characteristics interpreted from SVF visualization maps. Field validation indicate the success rate of Li DAR-derived DEM in recognition and mapping geohazard with higher precision and accuracy. These mapped geohazards lie along both sides of the river, and their spatial distributions are related highly to human engineering activities, such as road excavation and slope cutting. The minimum geohazard that can be recognized in the 0.5 m resolution DEM is about 900 m^(2). Meanwhile, the SVF visualization method is demonstrated to be a great alternative to the classical hillshaded DEM method when it comes to the determination of geomorphological properties of geohazard. Results of this study highlight the importance of Li DAR data for creating complete and accurate geohazard inventories, which can then be used for the production of reliable susceptibility and hazard maps and thus contribute to a better understanding of the movement processes and reducing related losses.

Reservoir formation conditions and key exploration & development technoloiges in the Yingdong Oilfield in western Qaidam Basin

Located in east part of Yingxiongling structural belt in the Qaidam Basin,the Yingdong oilfield has a extremely complicated ground condition.Due to no significant discovery,this oilfield was considered to have no favorable geologic conditions for formation of oil or gas reservoir.In the past few years,with continuous improvement in the mountain 3D seismic surveys and logging data interpretation,some breakthroughs were obtained in 2010,and the Yingdong oilfield,the largest-scale reserves of a single reservoir with highest organic matter abundance,most favorable physical property and optimal development efficiencies in the Qaidam Basin,had been discovered,the production capacity was up to 0.55×10^(6) t.Through detailed analyses of the Yingdong oilfield,some studies,such as hydrocarbon accumulation conditions and technical challenges,are carried out,and following conclusions can be achieved.The Yingxiongling area is located in Mangya hydrocarbon-generation sag in the west part of the Qaidam Basin,its oil sources are rich;the Neogene Xiayoushashan Formation and Shangyoushashan Formation are dominated by wide and gentle delta frontdshore-shallow lacustrine sediments with interbeds of sandstone and mudstone,the sandbodies are widely distributed with favorable physical condition,and the mudstone is the key caprock,combined with high-quality Paleogene hydrocarbon source rocks,a complete source-reservoir-cap assemblage can be formed.Large-scale detachment faults of the Yingdong area connect high-quality Paleogene hydrocarbon source rocks with middle-shallow buried structural traps,thus,reservoirs formed in the early stage are modified,and at the same time,hydrocarbons formed in the later stage continue to migrate and accumulate;in this way,the deep and shallow faults form a relay-style hydrocarbon transport system,and hydrocarbons are accumulated in the shallow structural traps in the later stage;in this area,the middle-shallow faults have good lateral plugging performance which is favorable for preservation of oil and gas.For complex landforms and reservoir features in the Yingdong area,the integral 3D seismic acquisition,processing and interpretation technology is developed for complex mountain areas to provide a reliable foundation for hydrocarbon exploration.For some problems in the Yingdong oilfield like long oil/gas-bearing intervals,great diffi-culty in identification of fluids,the development mode of multiple oil/gas/water systems in the long intervals is established,and the geologic modeling technology with constraint of multiple conditions on complex fault blocks is also developed.Thus,hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism in the Yingdong oilfield is clear,and some complex key technology of engineering are well solved,providing necessary geologic theories and technical supports for high-efficiency development and rapid production construction in the Yingdong oilfield.