Sedimentary characteristics of tide-dominated estuary in Donghetang Formation（Upper Devonian）, central Tarim Basin

The Donghetang Formation （Upper Devonian） in central Tarim Basin has been thought an important oil and gas reservoir since the abundant oil and gas resources were found in the wells W16, W20, W34, and other fields. However, the sedimentary environment of the Donghetang Formation has been disputed because it suffered from both tidal and fluvial actions and there were not rich fossils in the sandstone. After the authors analyzed sedimentary features by means of drill cores, well logging data, paleosols, and with SEM obseruations, three kinds of sedimentary environments were distinguished： alluvial fan, tide-dominated estuary, and shelf. Particularly, the sedimentary features of tide-dominated estuary were studied in detail. Besides, the authors discussed sedimentary characteristics of the Donghetang Formation which was divided into two fourth-order sequences and five system tracts. At the same time, according to the forming process of five system tracts, the whole vertical evolution and lateral transition of tide-dominated estuary were illustrated clearly. Finally, the reservoir quality was evaluated based on porosity and permeability.     

Upscaling of elastic properties for large scale geomechanical simulations

Large scale geomechanical simulations are being increasingly used to model the compaction of stress dependent reservoirs, predict the long term integrity of under‐ground radioactive waste disposals, and analyse the viability of hot‐dry rock geothermal sites. These large scale simulations require the definition of homogenous mechanical properties for each geomechanical cell whereas the rock properties are expected to vary at a smaller scale. Therefore, this paper proposes a new methodology that makes possible to define the equivalent mechanical properties of the geomechanical cells using the fine scale information given in the geological model. This methodology is implemented on a synthetic reservoir case and two upscaling procedures providing the effective elastic properties of the Hooke's law are tested. The first upscaling procedure is an analytical method for perfectly stratified rock mass, whereas the second procedure computes lower and upper bounds of the equivalent properties with no assumption on the small scale heterogeneity distribution. Both procedures are applied to one geomechanical cell extracted from the reservoir structure. The results show that the analytical and numerical upscaling procedures provide accurate estimations of the effective parameters. Furthermore, a large scale simulation using the homogenized properties of each geomechanical cell calculated with the analytical method demonstrates that the overall behaviour of the reservoir structure is well reproduced for two different loading cases. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

舞阳、襄城盐湖盆地未熟-低熟油成藏模式

舞阳、襄城凹陷下第三生活费为膏、盐岩相盐湖沉积。半咸水-咸水湖相、盐湖相是形成未熟-低熟油的良好环境，沉积旋回中期断坳式沉积形成了主要油源层系，其高丰度未熟烃类推岩体是形成未熟-低熟油藏的物质基础，中-高孔、中-高渗碎屑岩层构成了未熟-低熟油藏的重要储集层，并发育了较好的生储盖组合，这些有利条件为舞阳、襄城凹陷形成未熟-低熟油藏提供了重要保证。指出凹陷陡坡带为背斜、断鼻型油藏分布区，还可能有混合型油藏；中部洼陷带为岩性油藏、裂隙型油藏发育区；斜坡带主要发育断鼻型油藏。     

欧北-大湾地区火山岩储层成因机制的研究

从分布、成分组成、形成机制等几个方面探讨了辽河油田东部凹陷中段最主要的火山岩储层－－粗面岩的成因机制，并对其成为该区良好储层的原因进行了探讨，通过对比说明了另一类火山岩－－玄武岩不含油的原因，并建立了成因模式，最后得出结论：粗面岩呈喷发状态产出，由于其硅质含量高，流动性小，容易在构造高部位形成巨厚的火山岩锥或火山岩钏，从而造成其大部分在水上，结晶较好且储层物性极佳，同时因其裂缝发育，这些因素结合起来使其成为良好的会层。从供油方式来看，其成藏方式属于侧生式，而从生储盖组合方式来看，其属于自生、自储、自盖式成藏组合。同时给出了其成藏模式。     

Post-mid-Cretaceous eastern North Sea evolution inferred from 3D thermo-mechanical modelling

The Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic evolution of the eastern North Sea region is investigated by 3D thermo-mechanical modelling. The model quantifies the integrated effects on basin evolution of large-scale lithospheric processes, rheology, strength heterogeneities, tectonics, eustasy, sedimentation and erosion.

The evolution of the area is influenced by a number of factors: (1) thermal subsidence centred in the central North Sea providing accommodation space for thick sediment deposits; (2) 250-m eustatic fall from the Late Cretaceous to present, which causes exhumation of the North Sea Basin margins; (3) varying sediment supply; (4) isostatic adjustments following erosion and sedimentation; (5) Late Cretaceous–early Cenozoic Alpine compressional phases causing tectonic inversion of the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone (STZ) and other weak zones.

The stress field and the lateral variations in lithospheric strength control lithospheric deformation under compression. The lithosphere is relatively weak in areas where Moho is deep and the upper mantle warm and weak. In these areas the lithosphere is thickened during compression producing surface uplift and erosion (e.g., at the Ringkøbing–Fyn High and in the southern part of Sweden). Observed late Cretaceous–early Cenozoic shallow water depths at the Ringkøbing–Fyn High as well as Cenozoic surface uplift in southern Sweden (the South Swedish Dome (SSD)) are explained by this mechanism.

The STZ is a prominent crustal structural weakness zone. Under compression, this zone is inverted and its surface uplifted and eroded. Contemporaneously, marginal depositional troughs develop. Post-compressional relaxation causes a regional uplift of this zone.

The model predicts sediment distributions and paleo-water depths in accordance with observations. Sediment truncation and exhumation at the North Sea Basin margins are explained by fall in global sea level, isostatic adjustments to exhumation, and uplift of the inverted STZ. This underlines the importance of the mechanisms dealt with in this paper for the evolution of intra-cratonic sedimentary basins.