Unconventional Natural Gas Accumulations in Stacked Deposits:A Discussion of Upper Paleozoic Coal-Bearing Strata in the East Margin of the Ordos Basin, China

The Upper Paleozoic(Carboniferous to Permian) succession in the east margin of the Ordos Basin in the North China Craton has a potential to contain significant hydrocarbon resources, though attention have been mainly attracted for its successful development of coalbed methane(CBM). To improve the previous resource estimates and evaluate the hydrocarbon play possibilities, this study incorporated new discoveries of hydrocarbon units and their stratigraphic relation with source rocks, hydrocarbon migration and trapping configurations. Continuous hydrocarbon accumulation units were identified within the Upper Paleozoic, including the Taiyuan, Shanxi and Xiashihezi formations with great tight gas potential, and the Taiyuan and Shanxi formations also containing shale gas and CBM. Different strata combinations are identified with coal deposition and favour for continuous gas accumulations, including the tidal flat, deltaic and fluvial systems distributed in most of the study areas. Methane was not only generated from the thick coal seams in the Taiyuan and Shanxi formations, but also from shale and dark mudstones. The coal, shale and tight sandstones are proved of remarkable gas content and hydrocarbon indications, and the gas saturation of tight sandstones decreases upward. The stacked deposit combinations vary isochronally in different areas, while the coal seams were developed stably showing good gas sources. Two key stages control the hydrocarbon enrichment, the continuous subsidence from coal forming to Late Triassic and the anomalous paleo-geothermal event happened in Early Cretaceous, as indicated by the fluid inclusions evidence. Extensive areas show good hydrocarbon development potential presently, and more works should be focused on the evaluation and selection of good reservoir combinations.

Depositional and Diagenetic Controls on Sandstone Reservoirs with Low Porosity and Low Permeability in the Eastern Sulige Gas Field, China

In order to determine the genesis and the factors that control the low-porosity and lowpermeability sandstone reservoirs in the eastern Sulige Gas Field in the Ordos Basin, systematic studies on the sedimentary facies and diagenesis were conducted by means of analysis of cores, thin sections, fluid inclusions, X-ray diffraction, cathode luminescence and scanning electron microscope. It was found that the sand bodies of the major gas reservoirs in the Shan1 section(P1S1) and the He8 section(P2H8) were formed during the Permian as sedimentary facies such as braided-channel bars, braided-river channels and point bars of a meandering river. Four types of diagenetic facies developed subsequently: in order from the best to the poorest properties these are type A(weak compaction, early calcite cement-chlorite film facies), type B(moderate compaction, quartz overgrowth-feldspar corrosion-kaolinite filling facies), type C(strong compaction, late calcite cement-quartz corrosion facies) and type D(matrix filling and strong compaction facies). This diagenesis is undoubtedly the main reason for the poor reservoir properties of sandstone reservoirs, but the sedimentary facies are the underlying factors that greatly affect the diagenesis and thus the reservoir performance. Favorable diagenetic facies developed mainly in relatively small lithofacies such as braided-river channels, channel bars and point bars. The vertical distribution of the physical properties and the diagenetic facies of the reservoirs are related to the stratigraphic succession. Most of the sandstones between mudstones and thin beds of sandstone are unfavorable diagenetic facies. Analyses indicate that siliceous cementation can hardly be stopped by hydrocarbon filling. Authigenic chlorite could hardly protect the primary porosity. It not only occupies pore space, but also blocks pathways through sandstone reservoirs, so that it has significant influence on the permeability. Authigenic chlorite cannot be used as a marker for a specific sedimentary facies because it can be formed in different sedimentary facies, but it indicates high hydrodynamic conditions and presence of favorable reservoirs.

Origin of Tafoni in the Late Cretaceous Aeolian Sandstones,Danxiashan UNESCO Global Geopark,South China

Tafoni occur generally in granular rocks around the world, but their origin remains controversial. In this study,the roles of lithology, micro–climate, and organism in tafoni development are investigated in the Danxiashan UNESCO Global Geopark of South China. The Jinshiyan Temple and Luyitang sites along the Jinjiang River are chosen to conduct tafoni morphometry, bedrock petrography, and micro–climate analyses. The research methods used in this study include field observations and measurements, Voronoi diagrams, polarizing microscopic and scanning electron microscopic(SEM)image analysis, and meteorological detection. The tafoni are mostly 2–10 cm in length and elliptical in shape. The Late Cretaceous Jinshiyan sandstones are characterized by a grain–to–grain contact fabric and moderate sorting with a high proportion of soluble grains and cements. The Voronoi diagrams developed through the Arc GIS software are largely consistent with the tafoni openings. Moreover, owing to exposure to solar insolation, the external temperature values are higher than the internal ones, while the external relative humidity values are lower than the internal ones. Therefore, the permeable Jinshiyan sandstones are fundamental for tafoni development, while the abundant moisture from the Jinjiang River and frequent rains is favorable for salt weathering in tandem with biological activities. At last, a five–stage development model is proposed for the tafoni progression in the study area.

Detrital-zircon geochronology of the Jurassic coal-bearing strata in the western Ordos Basin, North China: Evidences for multi-cycle sedimentation

The western Ordos Basin(WOB), situated in a tectonic transition zone in the North China Craton, acts as an excellent example for studying the Mesozoic intraplate sedimentation and deformation in Asia. In this study, U-Pb ages for 1203 detrital zircons of 14 sandstone samples collected from 11 sections are presented to unravel the sediment source locations and paleogeographic environments of the Early-Middle Jurassic coal-bearing Yan'an Formation in the WOB. Data show that there are five prominent age groups in the detrital zircons of the Yan'an Formation, peaking at ca. 282 Ma, 426 Ma, 924 Ma, 1847 Ma, and2468 Ma. Samples from the northern, middle, and southern parts of the WOB contain these five age categories in various proportions. In the northern region, the Yan'an Formation exclusively contains Early Permian detrital zircons with a single age group peaking at 282 Ma, matching well with the crystallizing ages of the widespread Early Permian granites in the Yinshan Belt to the north and the Alxa Block to the northwest. While in the southern region, the Yan'an Formation mainly contains three groups of detrital zircons, with age peaks at 213 Ma, 426 Ma, and 924 Ma. These zircon ages resemble those of the igneous rocks in the Qilian-Qinling Orogenic Belt to the south-southwest. Samples in the middle region, characterized by a mixture age spectrum with peaks at 282 Ma, 426 Ma, 924 Ma, 1847 Ma and 2468 Ma, are previously thought to have mixed derivations from surrounding ranges. However, by referring to the detrital-zircon age compositions of the pre-Jurassic sedimentary successions and combining with paleontological and petrographic analysis, we firstly propose that the sediments of the Yan'an Formation in the middle region were partly recycled from the Triassic and Paleozoic sedimentary strata in the WOB.The occurrence of recycled sedimentation suggests that the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic intraplate compressional deformation was very intense in the WOB, especially for regions in front of the Qilian Orogenic Belt.

Reply to the Comment by Tan Mingxuan et al.(2017), on “A new Discovery of the Early Cretaceous Supercritical Hyperpycnal Flow Deposits on the Lingshan Island, East China”

We thank Tan Mingxuan et al.(2017)for their comments stimulated by our short paper in the recent Acta Geologica Sinica(English edition).We are grateful for the opportunity to expand on the model of the supercritical hyperpycnal flow deposits in the Beilaishi section on the Lingshan Island,and to explain why the model proposed by Tan Mingxuan et al.(2017)cannot explain the bulk

Origin of beaded tafoni in cliffs of Danxia landscapes,Longhushan Global Geopark, South China

The tafoni that develop in sandstone cliffs have attracted the interest of both scientists and the general public. A necklace-like tafone system, referred to here as beaded tafoni, has developed in the prominent cliffs of the Danxia landscapes within the Longhushan Global Geopark in the subtropical zone of South China. This paper presents a new model of the formation of this system of extraordinary beaded tafoni. The cliffs of the Danxia landscapes of the study area are composed of an alluvial conglomerate(i.e.,red beds). These Danxia landscapes have subrounded summits that are covered by vegetation and experience a nearly vertical water flow induced by gravity. Erosion and collapse of the outsized gravels and concentrated pebbles in the red beds give rise to the initial development of the beaded tafoni. The tafoni then become rounded and beaded as a result of reworking and decay by fluvial outwash. During storms, intense water flows run vertically down the cliffs and generate a whirling motion in the tafoni.Consequently, the inside walls of the tafoni gradually become wider and smoother. During the late development stage, the beaded tafoni tend to become indistinct or disappear because of the interconnection of the tafoni and subsequent merging with the bedding-controlled cavities.

Present Terrestrial Heat Flow Measurements of the Geothermal Fields in the Chagan Sag of the YingenEjinaqi Basin,Inner Mongolia,China

Owing to the lack o f terrestrial heat flow data, studying lithospheric thermal structure and geodynamics of the Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin in Inner Mongolia is limited. In this paper, the terrestrial heat flow o f the Chagan sag in the YingenEjinaqi Basin were calculated by 193 system steady-state temperature measurements of 4 wells, and newly measuring 62 rock thermal conductivity and 20 heat production rate data on basis o f the original 107 rock thermal conductivity and 70 heat production data. The results show that the average thermal conductivity and heat production rate are 2.11 ±0.28 W/(m.K) and2.42±0.25 nW/m^3 in the Lower Cretaceous o f the Chagan sag. The average geothermal gradient from the Lower Suhongtu 2 Formation to the Suhongtu 1 Fonnation is 37.6 °C/km, and that o f the Bayingebi 2 Formation is 27.4 °C/km. Meanwhile, the average terrestrial heat flow in the Chagan sag is 70.6 mW/m^2. On the above results, it is clear that there is an obvious negative correlation between the thermal conductivity o f the stratum and its geothermal gradient. Moreover, it reveals that there is a geothermal state between tectonically stable and active areas. This work may provide geothermal parameters for further research o f lithospheric thermal structure and geodynamics in the Chagan sag.

Multiple Dolomitization and Fluid Flow Events in the Precambrian Dengying Formation of Sichuan Basin, Southwestern China

The Precambrian Dengying Formation is a set of large-scale, extensively dolomitized, carbonate reservoirs occurring within the Sichuan Basin. Petrographic and geochemical studies reveal dolomitization was a direct result of precipitation by chemically distinct fluids occurring at different times and at different intensities. Based on this evidence, dolomitization and multiple fluid flow events are analyzed, and three types of fluid evolution models are proposed. Results of analysis show that Precambrian Dengying Formation carbonates were deposited in a restricted peritidal environment(630–542 Ma). A high temperature and high Mg^(2+) concentration seawater was a direct result of dolomitization for the micrite matrix, and for fibrous aragonite in primary pores. Geochemical evidence shows low δ^(18)O values of micritic dolomite varying from-1.29‰ to-4.52‰ PDB, abundant light rare earth elements(REEs), and low dolomite order degrees. Microbes and meteoric water significantly altered dolomite original chemical signatures, resulting in algal micritic dolomite and the fine-grained, granular, dolosparite dolomite having very negative δ^(18)O values. Finely crystalline cement dolomite(536.3–280 Ma) and coarsely crystalline cement dolomite have a higher crystallization degree and higher order degree. The diagenetic sequence and fluid inclusion evidence imply a linear correlation between their burial depth and homogenization temperatures, which closely resemble the temperature of generated hydrocarbon. Compared with finely crystalline dolomite, precipitation of coarsely crystalline dolomite was more affected by restricted basinal fluids. In addition, there is a trend toward a more negative δ^(18)O value, higher salinity, higher Fe and Mn concentrations, REE-rich. Two periods of hydrothermal fluids are identified, as the exceptionally high temperatures as opposed to the temperatures of burial history, in addition to the presence of high salinity fluid inclusions. The early hydrothermal fluid flow event was characterized by hot magnesium-and silicon-rich fluids, as demonstrated by the recrystallized matrix dolomite that is intimately associated with flint, opal, and microcrystalline quartz in intergranular or intercrystalline pores. This event was likely the result of a seafloor hydrothermal chimney eruption during Episode I of the Tongwan Movement(536.3±5.5 Ma). In contrast, later hydrothermal fluids, which caused precipitation of saddle dolomite, were characterized by high salinity(15–16.05 wt% NaCl equivalent) and homogenization temperatures(250 to 265°C), δ^(18)O values that were more enriched, and REE signatures. Geochemical data and the paragenetic sequence indicate that this hydrothermal fluid was related to extensive Permian large igneous province activity(360–280 Ma). This study demonstrates the presence of complicated dolomitization processes occurring during various paleoclimates, tectonic cycles, and basinal fluids flow; results are a useful reference for these dolomitized Precambrian carbonates reservoirs.

Influence of dynamic pressure on deep underground soft rock roadway support and its application

Due to high ground stress and mining disturbance, the deformation and failure of deep soft rock roadway is serious, and invalidation of the anchor net-anchor cable supporting structure occurs. The failure characteristics of roadways revealed with the help of the ground pressure monitoring. Theoretical analysis was adopted to analyze the influence of mining disturbance on stress distribution in surrounding rock,and the change of stress was also calculated. Considering the change of stress in surrounding rock of bottom extraction roadway, the displacement, plastic zone and distribution law of principal stress difference under different support schemes were studied by means of FLAC3D. The supporting scheme of U-shaped steel was proposed for bottom extraction roadway that underwent mining disturbance. We carried out a similarity model test to verify the effect of support in dynamic pressure. Monitoring results demonstrated the change rules of deformation and stress of surrounding rock in different supporting schemes. The supporting scheme of U-shaped steel had an effective control on deformation of surrounding rock. The scheme was successfully applied in underground engineering practice, and achieved good technical and economic benefits.

Water inrush evaluation of coal seam floor by integrating the water inrush coefficient and the information of water abundance

The method of singular coefficient of water inrush to achieve safety mining has limitation and one sidedness. Aiming at the problem above, large amounts of data about water inrush were collected. Then the data, including the maximum water inrush, water inrush coefficient and water abundance in aquifers of working face, were processed by the statistical analysis. The analysis results indicate that both water inrush coefficient and water abundance in aquifers should be taken into consideration when evaluating the danger of water inrush from coal seam floor. The prediction model of safe-mining evaluation grade was built by using the support vector machine, and the result shows that this model has high classification accuracy. A feasible classification system of water-inrush safety evaluation can be got by using the data visualization method which makes the implicit support vector machine models explicit.

Quantitative analysis of the macro-geomorphic evolution of Buyuan Basin, China

Buyuan River, the largest tributary within the Chinese Lancang-Mekong River region downstream of the Jinghong Dam, plays a crucial role in river function and ecosystem service of the Lancang-Mekong River. The geomorphic evolution of a basin exerts a key control on riverine sediment input and transport. In this study, the geomorphic characteristics of Buyuan Basin are analyzed using morphological parameters, hydrodynamic parameters and the stream power river incision model. The results show that: 1) The slight north-south difference of channel density is most likely due to lithology and independent of tectonic activity and climate. 2) The weak tectonic activity and the low hypsometric integral(HI) value suggest that the macroscopic landform condition limits erosion and sediment production. 3) The logarithmic longitudinal profile of the main channel defends that the upstream sediments generated by erosion are easily deposited in the downstream channel, rather than being transported directly into the Lancang-Mekong River. 4) Approximately 74% of the reaches have annual average stream power less than 500 W·m^(-1). The narrow variation ranges of stream power in 50% of the river channel indicate relatively stable hydrodynamic environment. 5) Stream erosion and tectonic activity make the longitudinal profiles of the main channel and most tributary channels unstable. The wide range(between 22.01 and 45.58 with θ=0.43) of steepness index(k_(sn)) of longitudinal profiles implies differential uplift in the basin.

Rb-Sr Dating of Pyrite and Quartz Fluid Inclusions and Origin of Ore-forming Materials of the Jinshan Gold Deposit, Northeast Jiangxi Province, South China

The Jinshan gold deposit is located in the Northeast Jiangxi province,South China,which related to the ductile shear zone.It contains two ore types,i.e.the alteration-type ore and the goldbearing quartz vein ore.Rb-Sr age dating is applied to both gold-bearing pyrite in the alteration-type ore and fluid inclusion in the gold-bearing quartz vein to make clear the time of the gold mineralization of the Jinshan deposit.Analytical results of this study yielded that the age of the alteration-type ore bodies is about 838±110Ma,with an initial87Sr/86Sr value of 0.7045±0.0020.However,the age of the gold-bearing quartz vein-type ore is about 379±49Ma,and the initial87Sr/86Sr is 0.7138±0.0011.Based on the age data from this work and many previous studies,the authors consider that the Jinshan gold deposit is a product of multi-staged mineralization,which may include the Jinninian,Caledonian,Hercynian,and Yanshanian Periods.Among them,the Jinninian Period and the Hercynian Period might be the two most important ore-forming periods for Jinshan deposit.The Jinninian Period is the main stage for the formation of alteration-type ore bodies,while the Hercynian Period is the major time for ore bodies of gold-bearing quartz vein type.The initial values of the87Sr/86Sr from this study,as well as the previous isotope and trace element studies,indicate that the ore-forming materials mainly derived from the metamorphic wall rocks,and the ore-forming fluids mainly originated from the deep metamorphic water.

Resource Potentials of Soda and Boron in the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation of the Mahu Sag in Northwestern Junggar Basin,China

Objective Sodium carbonate and sedimentary boron concentration are commonly relevant to alkaline evaporitic environments. Sodium carbonate minerals are important industrial raw materials for'soda ash (Na2CO3)', which can be obtained by thermal decomposition of various sodium carbonate minerals.

A Discovery of ~3.1 Ga Basement in the Bohai Bay Basin

Objective The North China Craton(NCC)is one of the oldest continental fragments,which underwent multistage crust growth during the early Precambrian from>3.8 Ga to 1.8Ga.In previous studies,many zircon ages have been obtained from the exposed basement rocks.However,we know little about the hidden basement because of Phanerozoic to Cenozoic strata coverage.The drill holes provided a rare opportunity to obtain the basement rocks beneath the Bohai Bay Basin(BBB).In this study。

Effect of Shale Reservoir Characteristics on Shale Oil Movability in the Lower Third Member of the Shahejie Formation, Zhanhua Sag

To reveal the effect of shale reservoir characteristics on the movability of shale oil and its action mechanism in the lower third member of the Shahejie Formation(Es3l), samples with different features were selected and analyzed using N2 adsorption, high-pressure mercury injection capillary pressure(MICP), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), high-speed centrifugation, and displacement image techniques. The results show that shale pore structure characteristics control shale oil movability directly. Movable oil saturation has a positive relationship with pore volume for radius > 2 μm, as larger pores often have higher movable oil saturation, indicating that movable oil is present in relatively larger pores. The main reasons for this are as follows. The relatively smaller pores often have oil-wetting properties because of organic matter, which has an unfavorable effect on the flow of oil, while the relatively larger pores are often wetted by water, which is helpful to shale oil movability. The rich surface provided by the relatively smaller pores is beneficial to the adsorption of immovable oil. Meanwhile, the relatively larger pores create significant pore volume for movable oil. Moreover, the larger pores often have good pore connectivity. Pores and fractures are interconnected to form a complex fracture network, which provides a good permeability channel for shale oil flow. The smaller pores are mostly distributed separately;thus, they are not conducive to the flow of shale oil. The mineral composition and fabric macroscopically affect the movability of shale oil. Calcite plays an active role in shale oil movability by increasing the brittleness of shale and is more likely to form micro-cracks under the same stress background. Clay does not utilize shale oil flow because of its large specific surface area and its block effect. The bedding structure increases the large-scale storage space and improves the connectivity of pores at different scales, which is conducive to the movability of shale oil.

Discovery of Large Bubble-Like Caves in the Laoshan Granites and Its Significance

Objective In recent years,the dispute regarding the Quaternary glacier of eastern China has become a research focus again,and one of the important focuses is the'glacial pothole'.In fact,the micro-topographic genesis of the rocky surface mortar may be interpreted differently in different places,including pothole,weathering pit,sea cave and wind-eroding pot.It is very controversial to determine this'glacial pothole'.

Discovery of Late Cretaceous-Paleocene faulted basins developed on the Yandang Low Uplift, East China Sea Shelf Basin

1.Objective The East China Sea Shelf Basin (ECSSB) is a typical Meso-Cenozoic superimposed basin which consists several tectonic units including the Changjiang Sag, Oujiang Sag, Hupijiao Uplift, Haijiao Uplift, Yandang Low Uplift (YDLU), Minjiang Sag, Taipei Low Uplift, Xihu Sag, Jilong Sag and so on.

Experimental Investigation on Hydrothermal Reduction of Sulfates to H₂S and Organic Sulfides by Ethene

The kinetic characteristics of alkenes involved in thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) have been never reported in geological literature. In this study, TSR by ethene under hydrothermal conditions was performed in the constrained simulation experiments. Typical TSR products consisted of H2S, CO2, mercaptans, sulfides, thiophenes derivatives and benzothiophene. The apparent activation energy E and apparent frequency factor A for TSR by ethene were determined as 76.370 kJ/mol and 4.579 s-1, respectively. The lower activation energy for ethene involved in TSR relative to ethane suggested that the reactivity of ethene is much higher than that of ethane, in accordance with the thermodynamic analysis. Rate constants were determined experimentally using first-order kinetics extrapolate to MgSO4 half-lives of 67.329 years - 3.053 years in deep burial diagenetic settings (120°C - 180°C). These values demonstrate that the reaction rate for TSR by ethene is extraordinarily fast in high-temperature gas reservoirs (120°C - 180°C). Consequently, the newly formed ethene from thermal cracking and TSR alteration of natural gas and/or petroleum could not survive after TSR process and were rarely detected in natural TSR reservoirs.

Characteristics and genesis of microbial lumps in the Maozhuang Stage(Cambrian Series 2),Shandong Province,China

Microbial lumps have been found in the Maozhuang Stage(Cambrian Series 2) in the Liangcheng section,Shandong Province,China.Their macro-and micro-scale features distinguish them from other carbonate particles such as intraclasts and oncoids.Most lumps have a coarse sand to pebble size.They were mostly rounded during sedimentation or combined to form irregular shapes.A distinct boundary is present between the lumps and the surrounding cement of sparry calcite.The lumps contain either no core at all or several irregular "cores",without a distinct inner texture.They are composed mainly of calcified(micritized) microbes,most likely cyanobacteria.The microbes drilled holes in carbonate grains,after which lumps formed by micritization,cementation,and agglutination by an extracellular polymeric substance(EPS) in a high-energy shallow-marine,subtidal environment.As the lumps are directly related to microbes,they should be considered as microbialites.

Sedimentary Facies, Sequence Stratigraphic Patterns in Pre-Cenozoic Inland Compressional Basin: Example from Early Yanshanian Succession of Eastern Yihezhuang Salient, Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China

To improve the success rate of locating hydrocarbon reservoirs in pre-Cenozoic inland compressional basins, taking the Early Yanshanian succession of eastern Yihezhuang salient as an example, this paper studied the sedimentary facies and sequence stratigraphic patterns. First, through seismic profiles, well logs, cores and outcrops, the sequence framework was established and internal sedimentary facies were identified. Further, according to analysis of single-wells and connecting-wells, the vertical evolution and horizontal distribution of sedimentation inside the sequence frameworks were discussed. The following results were acquired:(1) meandering river characterized by dual structures superposing each other was developed, and the dual structures can be further divided into three kinds;(2) the entire Early Yanshanian succession was interpreted as one first-order sequence, composed of three third-order sequences, including SQ-Fz1, SQ-Fz2 and SQ-St from bottom to top. Each third-order sequence can be further divided into three system tracts;(3) in different system tracts, different types of dual structures developed separately, and sedimentary bodies showed different horizontal distribution scales and vertical superposition patterns. Finally, the model of sequence stratigraphic patterns was established. This study enhanced the use of sequence stratigraphy to inland tectonically active basins, and would be helpful to predict reservoirs in pre-Cenozoic residual basins.