Methane-derived authigenic carbonates from the Ulleung basin sediments, East Sea of Korea

Authigenic carbonates were sampled in methane-enriched piston core sediments collected from gas venting sites on the western continental slope of the Ulleung Basin, East Sea of Korea. Multidisciplinary investigations on these carbonates, including the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) observations and mineralogical-geochemical compositions, were carried out to identify the carbon and oxygen sources and the forming mechanism of these carbonates. The authigenic carbonates from the study area correspond to semi-consolidated, compact concretions or nodules ranging from 2 to 9 cm in size. X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analyses showed that most of the sampled carbonate concretions were composed of almost purely authigenic high-Mg calcite (10.7-14.3 mol% MgCO3). Characteristically, microbial structures such as filaments and rods, which were probably associated with the authigenic minerals, were abundantly observed within the carbonate matrix. The carbonates were strongly depleted in delta C-13 (-33.85 parts per thousand to -39.53 parts per thousand Peedee Belemnite (PDB)) and were enriched in delta O-18 (5.16-5.60 parts per thousand PDB), indicating that the primary source of carbon is mainly derived from the anaerobic oxidation of methane. Such methane probably originated from the destabilization of the underlying gas hydrates as strongly supporting from the enriched O-18 levels. Furthermore, the strongly depleted delta C-13 values (-60.7 parts per thousand to -61.6 parts per thousand PDB) of the sediment void gases demonstrate that the majority of the gas venting at the Ulleung Basin is microbial methane by CO2 reduction. This study provides another example for the formation mechanism of methane-derived authigenic carbonates associated with gas-hydrate decomposition in gas-seeping pockmark environments. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

鄂尔多斯盆地陇东地区长8段砂岩输导体定量表征研究

Migration carriers act as the “Bridges” connecting source rock and traps and play important roles in petroleum migration and accumulation system. Among various types of carriers, sandstone carrier constitutes the basis of carrier system consisting of connected sandstone bodies, of sand-bodies connected with other carriers, such as faults and/or unconformities. How do we understand sandstone carrier beyond the traditional reservoirs concept? How could we characterize quantitatively this kind of carriers for petroleum migration? Such subjects are important and difficult contents in dynamic studies on hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. Sandstone carrier of Chang 8 member in Longdong area of Ordos Basin is selected as the research target in this thesis. Through conducting integrated reservoir analysis on many single wells, the correlation between single sandstone thickness and oil thickness seems good. Sketch sandstone is defined in this thesis as the principal part of carrier based on systematical analysis on lithology and sandstone thickness. Geometry connectivity of sandstone bodies was identified by the spatial superposition among them and was proved by the oil property features in oilfields. The connectivity between sandstone carriers is also hydrodynamically studied by observing and analyzed various diagenetic phenomena, especially the authigenic minerals and their forming sequence. The results were used to characterize transporting capability of sandstone carriers during the key petroleum migration periods. It was found that compaction and cementation are main causes to reduce pore space, and resolution may but not so importantly increases pore space after the occurrence of first migration. The cements of ferrocalcite and kiesel seem like the efficient index to demonstrate the hydraulic connection among sandy bodies. Diagenetic sequence and its relationship with petroleum migration phases are analyzed. Sandstone carrier of Chang 8 member was then characterized by studying their pore space and permeable properties. The results show an average porosity and permeability of Chang 8 carriers are respectively 8% and 0.50md, belongs to low porosity - low permeability reservoirs. Further, the physical properties of Chang 81 member are commonly better than those of Chang 82 member. Methods to reconstruct property of sandstone carrier during petroleum migration phase (late Jurassic) are built based on diagenetic sequence. Planal porosity, porosity and permeability of sandstone carrier in this period are statistically analyzed. One combining index - product of thickness and ancient porosity - is selected as the idea parameter to characterize sandstone carrier of late Jurassic after contrast with other parameters. Reservoirs of Chang 8 member in Longdong area are lithological reservoir controlled by sand body in which oil layers in middle part are clamped with dry layers in upper and lower parts, in a sandwich way. Based a newly proposed “migration-diagensis-remigration” model in low permeability sandstone of Chang 8 member in Longdong area, oil migration and accumulation processes during different periods are simulated with the reconstructed sandstone carriers system. Results match well with current reservoir distributions. Finally, suggestions for next favorable exploration areas are given based on all research achievements.

Authigenic sulfide minerals and their sulfur isotopes in sediments of the northern continental slope of the South China Sea and their implications for methane flux and gas hydrate formation

This is a report of the study of the authigenic sulfide minerals and their sulfur isotopes in a sediment core (NH-1) collected on the northern continental slope of the South China Sea, where other geophysical and geochemical evidence seems to suggest gas hydrate formation in the sediments. The study has led to the findings: (1) the pyrite content in sediments was relatively high and its grain size relatively large compared with that in normal pelagic or hemipelagic sediments; (2) the shallowest depth of the acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content maximum was at 437.5 cm (> 2 mu mol/g), which was deeper than that of the authigenic pyrite content maximum (at 141.5-380.5 cm); (3) delta S-34 of authigenic pyrite was positive (maximum: +15 parts per thousand) at depth interval of 250-380 cm; (4) the positive delta S-34 coincided with pyrite enrichment. Compared with the results obtained from the Black Sea sediments by Jorgensen and coworkers, these observations indicated that at the NH-1 site, the depth of the sulfate-methane interface (SMI) would be or once was at about 437.5-547.5 cm and the relatively shallow SMI depth suggested high upward methane fluxes. This was in good agreement with the results obtained from pore water sulfate gradients and core head-space methane concentrations in sediment cores collected in the area. All available evidence suggested that methane gas hydrate formation may exist or may have existed in the underlying sediments.