Distribution and characteristics of gravelly soil liquefaction in the Wenchuan M_s 8.0 earthquake

In this paper,a distribution map of gravelly soil liquefaction that was caused by the Wenchuan M8.0 earthquake in China is proposed based on a detailed field investigation and an analysis of geological soil profiles. The geological background of the earthquake disaster region is summarized by compiling geological cross sections and borehole logs. Meanwhile,four typical liquefied sites were selected to conduct sample drillings,dynamic penetration tests (DPT),and shear wave velocity tests,to understand the features of liquefied gravelly soil. One hundred and eighteen (118) liquefied sites were investigated shortly after the earthquake. The field investigation showed:(1) sandboils and waterspouts occurred extensively,involving thousands of miles of farmland,120 villages,eight schools and five factories,which caused damage to some rural houses,schools,manufacturing facilities and wells,etc.; (2) the Chengdu plain is covered by a gravelly soil layer with a thickness of 0 m to 541 m according to the geological cross sections; (3) there were 80 gravelly soil liquefied sites in the Chengdu plain,shaped as five belt areas that varied from 20 km to 40 km in length,and about ten gravelly soil liquefied sites distributed within Mianyang area; and (4) the grain sizes of the sampled soil were relative larger than the ejected soil on the ground,thus the type of liquefied soil cannot be determined by the ejected soil. The gravelly soil liquefied sites are helpful in enriching the global database of gravelly soil liquefaction and developing a corresponding evaluation method in further research efforts.

Characteristics,Types,and Prospects of Geological Sweet Sections in Giant Continental Shale Oil Provinces in China

“Sweet sections”in giant shale oil provinces are preferential fields that primarily support China to increase the reserves and production of continental shale oil.Based on the study of the geological conditions of shale oil in the continental basins in China,it was found that the shale stratum in major oil generation windows generally has higher degrees of oil and gas accumulation,and mostly contains oil.Hydrocarbon generation and reservoir capacities are the two key parameters for evaluating and optimizing favorable shale oil provinces.The evaluation index(volume of shale stratum multiplied by total organic carbon(TOC)multiplied by total porosity)for the giant continental shale oil provinces is also proposed.It is optimized that the Upper Triassic Chang 7 Member in the southcentral Ordos Basin,Lower Cretaceous Qing 1 Member in the Gulong-Changling Sag in the Songliao Basin,Middle-Lower Permian in the Junggar Basin,Da’anzhai Member of the Ziliujing Formation of Lower Jurassic in the central and northern Sichuan Basin,and Paleogene oil-rich sag in the Bohai Bay Basin are the five giant continental shale oil provinces.The word“geological sweet sections”in continental shale oil provinces of China refers to favorable shale intervals which are relatively rich in oil,with superior physical properties,and more easily modified and developed commercially under applicable economic and technological conditions.After evaluation,there are mainly two types of“geological sweet sections”of giant continental shale oil developed onshore in China.One type of“geological sweet sections”is generally mudstone with optimal physical properties or a thin tight reservoir,to which the shale oil migrates a short distance.They are medium-to-high-mature zones with a thin sandy shale stratum in the Chang 7 Member in the Ordos Basin,mixed shale stratum in the mediummature Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag,and multi-layered mixed Paleogene shale stratum in the Bohai Bay Basin.The other type of“geological sweet sections”is generally shale oil residing in various shale reservoir spaces.This type was developed in the Qing 1 Member in the Gulong Sag and Da’anzhai Member in the north-central Sichuan Basin.Free shale oil mainly occurs in shale,sandycarbonate lamina,micro-lamella structure,and micro-fractures.Layers with lamina,lamination,and micro-fractures are generally shale oil“geological sweet sections.”Starting from field tests and the construction of the“geological sweet sections”in giant continental shale oil provinces,the shale oil industry has been rapidly developing and will become an important supplement to domestic oil production in China.