Low-amplitude BSRs and gas hydrate concentration on the northern margin of the South China Sea

The passive northern continental margin of the South China Sea is rich in gas hydrates, as inferred from the occurrence of bottom-simulating reflectors (BSR) and from well logging data at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drill sites. Nonetheless, BSRs on new 2D multichannel seismic reflection data from the area around the Dongsha Islands (the Dongsha Rise) are not ubiquitous. They are confined to complex diapiric structures and active fault zones located between the Dongsha Rise and the surrounding depressions, implying that gas hydrate occurrence is likewise limited to these areas. Most of the BSRs have low amplitude and are therefore not clearly recognizable. Acoustic impedance provides information on rock properties and has been used to estimate gas hydrate concentration. Gas hydrate-bearing sediments have acoustic impedance that is higher than that of the surrounding sediments devoid of hydrates. Based on well logging data, the relationship between acoustic impedance and porosity can be obtained by a linear regression, and the degree of gas hydrate saturation can be determined using Archie's equation. By applying these methods to multichannel seismic data and well logging data from the northern South China Sea, the gas hydrate concentration is found to be 3-25% of the pore space at ODP Site 1148 depending on sub-surface depth, and is estimated to be less than values of 5% estimated along seismic profile 0101. Our results suggest that saturation of gas hydrate in the northern South China Sea is higher than that estimated from well resistivity log data in the gas hydrate stability zone, but that free gas is scarce beneath this zone. It is probably the scarcity of free gas that is responsible for the low amplitudes of the BSRs.

Petroleum geological framework and hydrocarbon potential in the Yellow Sea

Sedimentary basins in the Yellow Sea can be grouped tectonically into the North Yellow Sea Basin (NYSB), the northern basin of the South Yellow Sea (SYSNB) and the southern basin of the South Yellow Sea (SYSSB). The NYSB is connected to Anju Basin to the east. The SYSSB extends to Subei Basin to the west. The acoustic basement of basins in the North Yellow Sea and South Yellow Sea is disparate, having different stratigraphic evolution and oil accumulation features, even though they have been under the same stress regime since the Late Triassic. The acoustic basement of the NYSB features China-Korea Platform crystalline rocks, whereas those in the SYSNB and SYSSB are of the Paleozoic Yangtze Platform sedimentary layers or metamorphic rocks. Since the Late Mesozoic terrestrial strata in the eastern of the NYSB (West Korea Bay Basin) were discovered having industrial hydrocarbon accumulation, the oil potential in the Mesozoic strata in the west depression of the basin could be promising, although the petroleum exploration in the South Yellow Sea has made no break-through yet. New deep reflection data and several drilling wells have indicated the source rock of the Mesozoic in the basins of South Yellow Sea, and the Paleozoic platform marine facies in the SYSSB and Central Rise could be the other hosts of oil or natural gas. The Mesozoic hydrocarbon could be found in the Mesozoic of the foredeep basin in the SYSNB that bears potential hydrocarbon in thick Cretaceous strata, and so does the SYSSB where the same petroleum system exists to that of oil-bearing Subei Basin.

Evolution and variability of the East Asian summer monsoon during the Pliocene: Evidence from clay mineral records of the South China Sea

The Late Pliocene is thought to be characterized by the simultaneous intensification of both the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) and East Asian summer monsoon (EASM). However, the evolution of the EASM during the Pliocene remains still controversial and only little is known about the dynamics of the EASM during the Pliocene on orbital time scales. Here we use clay mineral assemblages in sediments from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1143 in the southern South China Sea (SCS) to obtain proxy records of past changes in the EASM climate during the Pliocene. Provenance analysis suggests that illite, chlorite and kaolinite originated mainly from the Mekong River drainage area. Smectite was derived mainly from the Indonesian islands. The kaolinite/illite ratio and the chemical index of alteration (CIA) of siliciclastic sediments allowed us to reconstruct the history of chemical weathering and physical erosion of the Mekong River drainage area and thus, the evolution of,the EASM during the Pliocene. Our clay minerals proxy data suggests a stronger EASM during the Early Pliocene than during the Late Pliocene. We propose that the long-term evolution of the EASM has been driven by global cooling rather than the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. Spectral analysis of kaolinite/ illite ratio displays a set of strong periodicities at 100 ka, 30 ka, 28 ka, 25 ka, and 22 ka. with no clear obliquityrelated signal. Our study suggests that the Pliocene EASM intensity on orbital time scales is not only controlled by the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation, but also strongly influenced by equatorial Pacific ENSO-like ocean atmosphere dynamics. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

碳酸盐岩缝洞型储层地球物理响应特征及预测方法研究

Proven by the petroleum exploration activities, the karsts-fissure reservoir in carbonate rocks is significant to find out the large scale oil & gas field. They are made up of the four reservoir types: karsts-cave, karsts-crack, crack-cave and fracture-pore-cave. Each reservoir space and each reservoir bed has different features of reservoir heterogeneity and small scale of pore-crack-cave. The fracture-cave reservoir in carbonate rocks is characteristic by multi-types and long oiliness well. The reservoir shape is controlled by the irregular pore-crack-cave. The development level of fracture and karst-cave is the key element of hydrocarbon enriching, high productivity and stable production. However, most of Carbonate formation are buried deeply and the signal-ration-noise of seismic reflection are very low. It is reason why the fracture-cave reservoir are difficult to be predicted effectively. In terms of surveyed and studied lots of the former research outcome, The author applied the methods of synthetical reservoir geophysical prediction from two ways including macrosopic and microcomic technics in terms of the reservoir-cap condition, geophysics and geology feature and difficulty of prediction in carbonate rocks. It is guiden by the new ideas of stratigraphy, sedimentology, sedimentography, reservoir geology and karst geology. The geophysics technology is key technics. In aspects of macroscopic studies, starting off the three efficiencies of controlling the reservoir distribution including sedimental facies, karst and fracture, by means of comprehensive utilization of geology, geophysics, boring well and well log, the study of reservoir features and karst inside story are developed in terms of data of individual well and multiple well. Through establishing the carbonate deposition model, karstic model and fracture model, the macro-distribution laws of carbonatite are carried out by the study of coherence analysis, seismic reflection feature analysis and palaeotectonics analysis. In aspects of microcosmic studies, starting off analysis in reservoir geophysical response feature of fracture and karst-cave model according to guidance of the macroscopic geological model in carbonate reservoir, the methods of the carbonate reservoir prediction are developed by comprehensively utilization of seismic multi-attribution intersection analysis, seismic inversion restricted by log, seismic discontinuity analysis, seimic spectrum attenuation gradient, moniliform reflection feature analysis and multiparameter karst reservoir appraisement.Through application of carbonate reservoir synthetical geophysics prediction, the author r successfully develops the beneficial reservoir distribution province in Ordovician of Katake block 1in middle Tarim basin. The fracture-cave reservoir distributions are delineated. The prospect direction and favorable aims are demonstrated. There are a set of carbonate reservoir prediction methods in middle Tarim basin. It is the favorable basic technique in predicting reservoir of the Ordovician carbonate in middle Tarim. Proven by exploration drilling, the favorable region of moniliform reflection fracture and pore-cave and cave-fracture in lower-middle Ordovician are coincidence with the region of hydrocarbon show. It’s indicated that the reservoir prediction methods described in the study of Ordovician carbonate formation are feasible practicably.