Adaptation analysis and fusion correction method of CMIP6 precipitation simulation data on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

In order to obtain more accurate precipitation data and better simulate the precipitation on the Tibetan Plateau,the simulation capability of 14 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6(CMIP6)models of historical precipitation(1982-2014)on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was evaluated in this study.Results indicate that all models exhibit an overestimation of precipitation through the analysis of the Taylor index,temporal and spatial statistical parameters.To correct the overestimation,a fusion correction method combining the Backpropagation Neural Network Correction(BP)and Quantum Mapping(QM)correction,named BQ method,was proposed.With this method,the historical precipitation of each model was corrected in space and time,respectively.The correction results were then analyzed in time,space,and analysis of variance(ANOVA)with those corrected by the BP and QM methods,respectively.Finally,the fusion correction method results for each model were compared with the Climatic Research Unit(CRU)data for significance analysis to obtain the trends of precipitation increase and decrease for each model.The results show that the IPSL-CM6A-LR model is relatively good in simulating historical precipitation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(R=0.7,RSME=0.15)among the uncorrected data.In terms of time,the total precipitation corrected by the fusion method has the same interannual trend and the closest precipitation values to the CRU data;In terms of space,the annual average precipitation corrected by the fusion method has the smallest difference with the CRU data,and the total historical annual average precipitation is not significantly different from the CRU data,which is better than BP and QM.Therefore,the correction effect of the fusion method on the historical precipitation of each model is better than that of the QM and BP methods.The precipitation in the central and northeastern parts of the plateau shows a significant increasing trend.The correlation coefficients between monthly precipitation and site-detected precipitation for all models after BQ correction exceed 0.8.

Characteristics and main controlling factors of intra-platform shoal thin-layer dolomite reservoirs:A case study of Middle Permian Qixia Formation in Gaoshiti-Moxi area of Sichuan Basin,SW China

Based on the study of the distribution of intra-platform shoals and the characteristics of dolomite reservoirs in the Middle Permian Qixia Formation in the Gaoshiti–Moxi area of the Sichuan Basin,SW China,the controlling factors of reservoir development were analyzed,and the formation model of“intra-platform shoal thin-layer dolomite reservoir”was established.The Qixia Formation is a regressive cycle from bottom to top,in which the first member(Qi1 Member)develops low-energy open sea microfacies,and the second member(Qi2 Member)evolves into intra-platform shoal and inter-shoal sea with decreases in sea level.The intra-platform shoal is mainly distributed near the top of two secondary shallowing cycles of the Qi2 Member.The most important reservoir rock of the Qixia Formation is thin-layer fractured-vuggy dolomite,followed by vuggy dolomite.The semi-filled saddle dolomite is common in fracture-vug,and intercrystalline pores and residual dissolution pores combined with fractures to form the effective pore-fracture network.Based on the coupling analysis of sedimentary and diagenesis characteristics,the reservoir formation model of“pre-depositional micro-paleogeomorphology controlling shoal,sedimentary shoal controlling dolomite,penecontemporaneous dolomite benefiting preservation of pores,and late hydrothermal action effectively improving reservoir quality”was systematically established.The“first-order high zone”micro-paleogeomorphology before the deposition of the Qixia Formation controlled the development of large area of intra-platform shoals in Gaoshiti area during the deposition of the Qi2 Member.Shoal facies is the basic condition of early dolomitization,and the distribution range of intra-platform shoal and dolomite reservoir is highly consistent.The grain limestone of shoal facies is transformed by two stages of dolomitization.The penecontemporaneous dolomitization is conducive to the preservation of primary pores and secondary dissolved pores.The burial hydrothermal fluid enters the early dolomite body along the fractures associated with the Emeishan basalt event,makes it recrystallized into medium–coarse crystal dolomite.With the intercrystalline pores and the residual vugs after the hydrothermal dissolution along the fractures,the high-quality intra-platform shoal-type thin-layer dolomite reservoirs are formed.The establishment of this reservoir formation model can provide important theoretical support for the sustainable development of Permian gas reservoirs in the Sichuan Basin.

Characteristics and control factors of feldspar dissolution in gravity flow sandstone of Chang 7 Member,Triassic Yanchang Formation,Ordos Basin,NW China

To clarify the formation and distribution of feldspar dissolution pores and predict the distribution of high-quality reservoir in gravity flow sandstone of the 7^(th) member of Triassic Yanchang Formation(Chang 7 Member)in the Ordos Basin,thin sections,scanning electron microscopy,energy spectrum analysis,X-ray diffraction whole rock analysis,and dissolution experiments are employed in this study to investigate the characteristics and control factors of feldspar dissolution pores.The results show that:(1)Three types of diagenetic processes are observed in the feldspar of Chang 7 sandstone in the study area:secondary overgrowth of feldspar,replacement by clay and calcite,and dissolution of detrital feldspar.(2)The feldspar dissolution of Chang 7 tight sandstone is caused by organic acid,and is further affected by the type of feldspar,the degree of early feldspar alteration,and the buffering effect of mica debris on organic acid.(3)Feldspars have varying degrees of dissolution.Potassium feldspar is more susceptible to dissolution than plagioclase.Among potassium feldspar,orthoclase is more soluble than microcline,and unaltered feldspar is more soluble than early kaolinized or sericitized feldspar.(4)The dissolution experiment demonstrated that the presence of mica can hinder the dissolution of feldspar.Mica of the same mass has a significantly stronger capacity to consume organic acids than feldspar.(5)Dissolution pores in feldspar of Chang 7 Member are more abundant in areas with low mica content,and they improve the reservoir physical properties,while in areas with high mica content,the number of feldspar dissolution pores decreases significantly.

Analysis of rockburst mechanism and warning based on microseismic moment tensors and dynamic Bayesian networks

One of the major factors inhibiting the construction of deep underground projects is the risk posed by rockbursts.A study was conducted on the access tunnel of the Shuangjiangkou hydropower station to determine the evolutionary mechanism of microfractures within the surrounding rock mass during rockburst development and develop a rockburst warning model.The study area was chosen through the combination of field studies with an analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of microseismic(MS)events.The moment tensor inversion method was adopted to study rockburst mechanism,and a dynamic Bayesian network(DBN)was applied to investigating the sensitivity of MS source parameters for rockburst warnings.A MS multivariable rockburst warning model was proposed and validated using two case studies.The results indicate that fractures in the surrounding rock mass during the development of strain-structure rockbursts initially show shear failure and are then followed by tensile failure.The effectiveness of the DBN-based rockburst warning model was demonstrated using self-validation and K-fold cross-validation.Moment magnitude and source radius are the most sensitive factors based on an investigation of the influence on the parent and child nodes in the model,which can serve as important standards for rockburst warnings.The proposed rockburst warning model was found to be effective when applied to two actual projects.

Microseismic monitoring and forecasting of dynamic disasters in underground hydropower projects in southwest China:A review

The underground hydropower projects in Southwest China is characterized by large excavation sizes,high geostresses,complicated geological conditions and multiple construction processes.Various disasters such as collapses,large deformations,rockbursts are frequently encountered,resulting in serious casualties and huge economic losses.This review mainly presents some representative results on microseismic(MS)monitoring and forecasting for disasters in hydropower underground engineering.First,a set of new denoising,spectral analysis,and location methods were developed for better identification and location of MS signals.Then,the tempo-spatial characteristics of MS events were analyzed to understand the relationship between field construction and damages of surrounding rocks.Combined with field construction,geological data,numerical simulation and parametric analysis of MS sources,the focal mechanism of MS events was revealed.A damage constitutive model considering MS fracturing size was put forward and feedback analysis considering the MS damage of underground surrounding rocks was conducted.Next,an MS multi-parameter based risk assessment and early warning method for dynamic disasters were proposed.The technology for control of the damage and deformation of underground surrounding rocks was proposed for underground caverns.Finally,two typical underground powerhouses were selected as case studies.These achievements can provide significant references for prevention and control of dynamic disasters for underground engineering with similar complicated geological conditions.

Evaluation of the oil and gas preservation conditions, source rocks, and hydrocarbongenerating potential of the Qiangtang Basin: New evidence from the scientific drilling project

The Qiangtang Basin of the Tibetan Plateau,located in the eastern Tethys tectonic domain,is the largest new marine petroliferous region for exploration in China.The scientific drilling project consisting primarily of well QK-1 and its supporting shallow boreholes for geological surveys(also referred to as the Project)completed in recent years contributes to a series of new discoveries and insights into the oil and gas preservation conditions and source rock evaluation of the Qiangtang Basin.These findings differ from previous views that the Qiangtang Basin has poor oil and gas preservation conditions and lacks high-quality source rocks.As revealed by well QK-1 and its supporting shallow boreholes in the Project,the Qiangtang Basin hosts two sets of high-quality regional seals,namely an anhydrite layer in the Quemo Co Formation and the gypsum-bearing mudstones in the Xiali Formation.Moreover,the Qiangtang Basin has favorable oil and gas preservation conditions,as verified by the comprehensive study of the sealing capacity of seals,basin structure,tectonic uplift,magmatic activity,and groundwater motion.Furthermore,the shallow boreholes have also revealed that the Qiangtang Basin has high-quality hydrocarbon source rocks in the Upper Triassic Bagong Formation,which are thick and widely distributed according to the geological and geophysical data.In addition,the petroleum geological conditions,such as the type,abundance,and thermal evolution of organic matter,indicate that the Qiangtang Basin has great hydrocarbon-generating potential.

Sedimentary elements,evolutions and controlling factors of the Miocene channel system:a case study of the deep-water Taranaki Basin in New Zealand

Deep-water channel systems are important petroleum reservoirs,and many have been discovered worldwide.Understanding deep-water channel sedimentary elements and evolution is helpful for deep-sea petroleum exploration and development.Based on high-resolution 3D seismic data,the Miocene channel system in the deep-water Taranaki Basin,New Zealand,was analyzed by using seismic interpretation techniques such as interlayer attribute extraction and strata slicing.The channel system was divided into five composite channels(CC-I to CC-V)according to four secondary level channel boundaries,and sedimentary elements such as channels,slump deposits,inner levees,mass transport deposits,and hemipelagic drape deposits were identified in the channel system.The morphological characteristics of several composite channels exhibited stark variances,and the overall morphology of the composite channels changed from relatively straight to highly sinuous to relatively straight.The evolution of the composite channels involved a gradual and repeated process of erosion and filling,and the composite channels could be divided into three evolutionary stages:initial erosion-filling,later erosion-filling(multistage),and channel abandonment.The middle Miocene channel system may have formed as a consequence of combined regional tectonic activity and global climatic change,and its intricate morphological alterations may have been influenced by the channel's ability to self-regulate and gravity flow properties.When studying the sedimentary evolution of a large-scale deep-water channel system in the Taranaki Basin during the Oligocene-Miocene,which transitioned from a passive margin to plate convergence,it can be understood how tectonic activity affected the channel and can also provide a theoretical reference for the evolution of the deepwater channels in areas with similar tectonic conversion environments around the world.

Generation of irregular particle packing with prescribed statistical distribution, spatial arrangement, and volume fraction

A method for packing irregular particles with a prescribed volume fraction is proposed.Furthermore,the generated granular material adheres to the prescribed statistical distribution and satisfies the desired complex spatial arrangement.First,the irregular geometries of the realistic particles were obtained from the original particle images.Second,the Minkowski sum was used to check the overlap between irregular particles and place an irregular particle in contact with other particles.Third,the optimised advance front method(OAFM)generated irregular particle packing with the prescribed statistical dis-tribution and volume fraction based on the Minkowski sum.Moreover,the signed distance function was introduced to pack the particles in accordance with the desired spatial arrangement.Finally,seven biaxial tests were performed using the UDEC software,which demonstrated the accuracy and potential usefulness of the proposed method.It can model granular material efficiently and reflect the meso-structural characteristics of complex granular materials.This method has a wide range of applications where discrete modelling of granular media is necessary.

Spatiotemporal variation of ecological environment quality and extreme climate drivers on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Protecting the ecological security of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)is of great importance for global ecology and climate.Over the past few decades,climate extremes have posed a significant challenge to the ecological environment of the QTP.However,there are few studies that explored the effects of climate extremes on ecological environment quality of the QTP,and few researchers have made quantitative analysis.Hereby,this paper proposed the Ecological Environmental Quality Index(EEQI)for analyzing the spatial and temporal variation of ecological environment quality on the QTP from 2000 to 2020,and explored the effects of climate extremes on EEQI based on Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression(GTWR)model.The results showed that the ecological environment quality in QTP was poor in the west,but good in the east.Between 2000 and 2020,the area of EEQI variation was large(34.61%of the total area),but the intensity of EEQI variation was relatively low and occurred mainly by a slightly increasing level(EEQI change range of 0.05-0.1).The overall ecological environment quality of the QTP exhibited spatial and temporal fluctuations,which may be attributed to climate extremes.Significant spatial heterogeneity was observed in the effects of the climate extremes on ecological environment quality.Specifically,the effects of daily temperature range(DTR),number of frost days(FD0),maximum 5-day precipitation(RX5day),and moderate precipitation days(R10)on ecological environment quality were positive in most regions.Furthermore,there were significant temporal differences in the effects of consecutive dry days(CDD),consecutive wet days(CWD),R10,and FD0 on ecological environment quality.These differences may be attributed to variances in ecological environment quality,climate extremes,and vegetation types across different regions.In conclusion,the impact of climate extremes on ecological environment quality exhibits complex patterns.These findings will assist managers in identifying changes in the ecological environment quality of the QTP and addressing the effects of climate extremes.

Visualization and early warning analysis of damage degree of surrounding rock mass in underground powerhouse

Based on the underground powerhouse of Shuangjiangkou hydropower station,Octree theory is adopted to define the indices of the microseismic(MS)spatial aggregation degree and the deviation values of MS count and energy.The relationship between the MS multiple parameters and surrounding rock mass instability is established from three aspects:time,space,and strength.Supplemented by the center frequency of the signal evolution characteristics,A fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model and the evolution trend of the MS event center frequency are constructed to quantitatively describe the early warning state of the surrounding rock mass instability.The results show that the multilevel tree structure and voxels generated based on the Octree theory fit relatively well with the set of MS points in threedimensional space.The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model based on MS spatial aggregation and MS count and energy deviation values enables three-dimensional visualization of the potential damage area and damage extent of the surrounding rock mass.The warning time and potential damage zone quantified are highly consistent with the characteristics of MS precursors,with wide recognition and field investigation results,which fully validate the rationality and applicability of the proposed method.These findings can provide references for the early warning of surrounding rock mass instability in similar underground engineering.

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.

Intelligent geochemical interpretation of mass chromatograms:Based on convolution neural network

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)is an extremely important analytical technique that is widely used in organic geochemistry.It is the only approach to capture biomarker features of organic matter and provides the key evidence for oil-source correlation and thermal maturity determination.However,the conventional way of processing and interpreting the mass chromatogram is both timeconsuming and labor-intensive,which increases the research cost and restrains extensive applications of this method.To overcome this limitation,a correlation model is developed based on the convolution neural network(CNN)to link the mass chromatogram and biomarker features of samples from the Triassic Yanchang Formation,Ordos Basin,China.In this way,the mass chromatogram can be automatically interpreted.This research first performs dimensionality reduction for 15 biomarker parameters via the factor analysis and then quantifies the biomarker features using two indexes(i.e.MI and PMI)that represent the organic matter thermal maturity and parent material type,respectively.Subsequently,training,interpretation,and validation are performed multiple times using different CNN models to optimize the model structure and hyper-parameter setting,with the mass chromatogram used as the input and the obtained MI and PMI values for supervision(label).The optimized model presents high accuracy in automatically interpreting the mass chromatogram,with R2values typically above 0.85 and0.80 for the thermal maturity and parent material interpretation results,respectively.The significance of this research is twofold:(i)developing an efficient technique for geochemical research;(ii)more importantly,demonstrating the potential of artificial intelligence in organic geochemistry and providing vital references for future related studies.

Episodic hydrothermal alteration on Middle Permian carbonate reservoirs and its geological significance in southwestern Sichuan Basin,SW China

To analyze the episodic alteration of Middle Permian carbonate reservoirs by complex hydrothermal fluid in southwestern Sichuan Basin,petrology,geochemistry,fluid inclusion and U-Pb dating researches are conducted.The fractures and vugs of Middle Permian Qixia–Maokou formations are filled with multi-stage medium-coarse saddle dolomites and associated hydrothermal minerals,which indicates that the early limestone/dolomite episodic alteration was caused by the large-scale,high-temperature,deep magnesium-rich brine along flowing channels such as basement faults or associated fractures under the tectonic compression and napping during the Indosinian.The time of magnesium-rich hydrothermal activity was from the Middle Triassic to the Late Triassic.The siliceous and calcite fillings were triggered by hydrothermal alteration in the Middle and Late Yanshanian Movement and Himalayan Movement.Hydrothermal dolomitization is controlled by fault,hydrothermal property,flowing channel and surrounding rock lithology,which occur as equilibrium effect of porosity and permeability.The thick massive grainstone/dolomites were mainly altered by modification such as hydrothermal dolomitization/recrystallization,brecciation and fracture-vugs filling.Early thin-medium packstones were mainly altered by dissolution and infilling of fracturing,bedding dolomitization,dissolution and associated mineral fillings.The dissolved vugs and fractures are the main reservoir space under hydrothermal conditions,and the connection of dissolved vugs and network fractures is favorable for forming high-quality dolomite reservoir.Hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs are developed within a range of 1 km near faults,with a thickness of 30–60 m.Hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs with local connected pore/vugs and fractures have exploration potential.

Diagenesis of the Triassic Yanchang Formation Tight Sandstone Reservoir in the Xifeng–Ansai Area of Ordos Basin and its Porosity Evolution

This work aims to reveal the evolution of the porosity in the Triassic Yanchang Formation tight sandstone reservoir of the Xifeng-Ansai area of Ordos Basin. Based on destructive diagenesis （compaction and cementation） and constructive diagenesis （dissolution） of sandstone reservoirs, this study analyzed the diagenesis characteristics of the tight sandstone reservoirs in this area, and discussed the relationship between sandstone diagenesis and porosity evolution in combination with present porosity profile characteristics of sandstone reservoir. The effect simulation principle was employed for the mathematical derivation and simulation of the evolution of porosity in the Yanchang Formation tight sandstone reservoirs. The result shows that compaction always occurs in tight sandstone reservoirs in the Yanchang Formation, and cementation occurs when the burial depth increases to a certain value and remains ever since. Dissolution occurs only at a certain stage of the evolution with window features. In the corresponding present porosity profile, diagenesis is characterized by segmentation. From the shallow to the deep, compaction, compaction, cementation and dissolution, compaction and cementation occur successively. Therefore, the evolution of sandstone porosity can be divided into normal compaction section, acidification and incremental porosity section, and normal compaction section after dissolution. The results show that the evolution of sandstone porosity can be decomposed into porosity reduction model and porosity increase model. The superposition of the two models at the same depth in the three stages or in the same geological time can constitute the evolution simulation of the total porosity in sandstone reservoirs. By simulating the evolution of sandstone reservoir porosity of the eighth member in Xifeng area and the sixth member in Ansai area, it shows that they are similar in the evolution process and trend. The difference is caused by the regional uplift or subsidence and burial depth.

Paleoporosity and critical porosity in the accumulation period and their impacts on hydrocarbon accumulation—A case study of the middle Es3 member of the Paleogene formation in the Niuzhuang Sag, Dongying Depression, Southeastern Bohai Bay Basin, East Chi

Similar reservoir sandbodies and fault conduit systems in the sandstone reservoirs in the middle Es3 member of the Niuzhuang Sag have been problematic for a long time. The following problems remain unsolved： 1） The distribution of sandstone porosity is inconsistent with the hydrocarbon accumulation. The oil sandstones have low porosity instead of high porosity. 2） Sandstones, which have the same properties, have different levels of oiliness, and the sandstones with almost the same properties show different degrees of oil-bearing capacity. This study analyzes the condition of reservoirs in the research area during the accumulation period in terms of paleoporosity estimation and discusses the critical porosity of the sandstone reservoirs during the same period. The following conclusions can be drawn from the results. 1） Although reservoir properties are low at present and some reservoirs have become tight, the paleoporosity ranging from 18% to 25% is greater than the critical porosity of 13.9%. As the： loss of porosity is different in terms of burial history, the present porosity cannot reflect porosity during the accumulation period. Similar/y, high porosity during the accumulation period does not indicate that tbe present porosity is high. 2） The present reservoir location is consistent with the distribution of high paleoporosity during the accumulation period. This result indicates that high porosity belts are prone to hydrocarbon accumulation because of the dominant migration pathways generated as a result of property discrepancies under similar fault conduit conditions. Consequently, the hydrocarbon mainly accumulates in high porosity belts. Paleoporosity during the accumulation period is found to be a vital controlling factor. Therefore, high paleoporosity sandstones in the middle Es3 member of the Niuzhuang Sag have great potential for future exploration.

Geological Factors Controlling the Accumulation and High Yield of Marine-Facies Shale Gas: Case Study of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation in the Dingshan Area of Southeast Sichuan, China

The main geological factors controlling the accumulation and yield of marine-facies shale gas reservoirs are the focus of the current shale gas exploration and development research.In this study,the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation in the Dingshan area of southeast Sichuan was investigated.Shale cores underwent laboratory testing,which included the evaluation of total organic carbon(TOC),vitrinite reflectance(Ro),whole-rock X-ray diffraction(XRD),pore permeability,and imaging through field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM).Based on the results of natural gamma ray spectrum logging,conventional logging,imaging logging,and seismic coherence properties,the exploration and development potential of shale gas in the Dingshan area have been discussed comprehensively.The results showed that(1)layer No.4(WF2-LM4)of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation has a Th/U ratio<2 and a Th/K ratio of 3.5–12.Graptolites and pyrite are relatively abundant in the shale core,indicating sub-high-energy and low-energy marine-facies anoxic reducing environments.(2)The organic matter is mainly I-type kerogen with a small amount of II1-type kerogen.There is a good correlation among TOC,Ro,gas content,and brittle minerals;the fracturing property(brittleness)is 57.3%.Organic and inorganic pores are moderately developed.A higher pressure coefficient is correlated with the increase in porosity and the decrease in permeability.(3)The DY1 well of the shale gas reservoir was affected by natural defects and important latestage double destructive effects,and it is poorly preserved.The DY2 well is located far from the Qiyueshan Fault.Large faults are absent,and upward fractures in the Longmaxi Formation are poorly developed.The well is affected by low tectonic deformation intensity,and it is well preserved.(4)The Dingshan area is located at the junction of the two sedimentary centers of Jiaoshiba and Changning.The thickness of the high-quality shale interval(WF2-LM4)is relatively small,which may be an important reason for the unstable production of shale gas thus far.Based on the systematic analysis of the geological factors controlling high-yield shale gas enrichment in the Dingshan area,and the comparative analysis with the surrounding typical exploration areas,the geological understanding of marine shale gas enrichment in southern China has been improved.Therefore,this study can provide a useful reference for shale gas exploration and further development.

Development Phases and Mechanisms of Tectonic Fractures in the Longmaxi Formation Shale of the Dingshan Area in Southeast Sichuan Basin, China

Shale gas has currently attracted much attention during oil and gas exploration and development. Fractures in shale have an important influence on the enrichment and preservation of shale gas. This work studied the developmental period and formation mechanism of tectonic fractures in the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Dingshan area of southeastern Sichuan Basin based on extensive observations of outcrops and cores, rock acoustic emission(Kaiser) experiments, homogenization temperature of fracture fill inclusions, apatite fission track, thermal burial history. The research shows that the fracture types of the Longmaxi Formation include tectonic fractures, diagenetic fractures and horizontal slip fractures. The main types are tectonic high-angle shear and horizontal slip fractures, with small openings, large spacing, low densities, and high degrees of filling. Six dominant directions of the fractures after correction by plane included NWW, nearly SN, NNW, NEE, nearly EW and NW. The analysis of field fracture stage and fracture system of the borehole suggests that the fractures in the Longmaxi Formation could be paired with two sets of plane X-shaped conjugate shear fractures, i.e., profile X-shaped conjugate shear fractures and extension fractures. The combination of qualitative geological analysis and quantitative experimental testing techniques indicates that the tectonic fractures in the Longmaxi Formation have undergone three periods of tectonic movement, namely mid-late Yanshanian movement(82–71.1 Ma), late Yanshanian and middle Himalaya movements(71.1–22.3 Ma), and the late Himalayan movement(22.3–0 Ma). The middle-late period of the Yanshanian movement and end of the Yanshanian movement-middle period of the Himalayan movement were the main fractureforming periods. The fractures were mostly filled with minerals, such as calcite and siliceous. The homogenization temperature of fracture fill inclusions was high, and the paleo-stress value was large; the tectonic movement from the late to present period was mainly a slight transformation and superposition of existing fractures and tectonic systems. Based on the principle of tectonic analysis and theory of geomechanics, we clarified the mechanism of the fractures in the Longmaxi Formation, and established the genetic model of the Longmaxi Formation. The research on the qualitative and quantitative techniques of the fracture-phase study could be effectively used to analyze the causes of the marine shale gas fractures in the Sichuan Basin. The research findings and results provide important references and technical support for further exploration and development of marine shale gas in South China.

The tectonic fracture modeling of an ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoir based on an outcrop analogy: A case study in the Wangyao Oilfield of Ordos Basin, China

Due to inherent limits of data acquisition and geophysical data resolution, there are large uncertainties in the characterization of subsurface fractures. However, outcrop analogies can provide qualitative and quantitative information on a large number of fractures, based on which the accuracy of subsurface fracture characterization can be improved. Here we take the tectonic fracture modeling of an ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoir based on an outcrop analogy, a case study of the Chang6t~ Formation of the Upper Triassic Yanchang Group of the Wangyao Oilfield in the Ordos Basin of China. An outcrop at the edge of the basin is a suitable analog for the reservoir, but the prerequisite is that they must have equivalent previous stress fields, similar final structural characteristics, relative timing and an identical depositional environment and diagenesis. The relationship among fracture density, rock type and bed thickness based on the outcrop is one of the most important fracture distribution models, and can be used to interpret fracture density in individual wells quantitatively. Fracture orientation, dip, geometry and scale, also should be described and measured in the outcrop, and can be used together with structure restoration and single well fracture density interpretation to guide fracture intensity prediction on bed surfaces and to constrain the construction of the 3D fracture geometry model of the subsurface reservoir. The application of the above principles shows the outcrop-based tectonic fracture models of the target ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoir are consistent with fractures inferred from microseismic interpretation and tracer tests. This illustrated that the fracture modeling based on the outcrop analogy is reliable and can reduce the uncertainty in stochastic fracture modeling.

Geochemical characteristics and genetic mechanism of the high-N2 shale gas reservoir in the Longmaxi Formation, Dianqianbei Area, China

As an important pilot target for shale gas exploration and development in China,the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Dianqianbei Area is characterized by high content of nitrogen,which severely increases exploration risk.Accordingly,this study explores the genesis of shale gas reservoir and the mechanism of nitrogen enrichment through investigating shale gas compositions,isotope features,and geochemical characteristics of associated gases.The high-nitrogen shale gas reservoir in the Longmaxi Formation is demonstrated to be a typical dry gas reservoir.Specifically,the alkane carbon isotope reversal is ascribed to the secondary cracking of crude oil and the Rayleigh fractionation induced by the basalt mantle plume.Such a thermogenic oil-type gas reservoir is composed of both oil-cracking gas and kerogen-cracking gas.The normally high nitrogen content(18.05%-40.92%) is attributed to organic matter cracking and thermal ammoniation in the high-maturity stage.Specifically,the high heat flow effect of the Emeishan mantle plume exacerbates the thermal cracking of organic matter in the Longmaxi Formation shale,accompanied by nitrogen generation.In comparison,the abnormally high nitrogen content(86.79%-98.54%) is ascribed to the communication between the atmosphere and deep underground fluids by deep faults,which results in hydrocarbon loss and nitrogen intrusion,acting as the key factor for deconstruction of the primary shale gas reservoir.Results of this study not only enrich research on genetic mechanism of high-maturity N_@ shale gas reservoirs,but also provide theoretical guidance for subsequent gas reservoir resource evaluation and well-drilling deployment in this area.

Occurrences and Formation Mechanisms of Botryoidai Structures from the Sinian Dengying Formation,Sichuan Basin,China

ObjectiveThis study aims to characterize the occurrences and interior structural features of botryoidal structures from the Sinian Dengying Formation in the Sichuan Basin of Southwestern China, and to shed light on their formation mechanism.