scholarly journals Fault-Related Fluid Flow Implications for Unconventional Hydrocarbon Development, Beetaloo Sub-Basin (Northern Territory, Australia)

Geosciences ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Emanuelle Frery ◽  
Conor Byrne ◽  
Russell Crosbie ◽  
Alec Deslandes ◽  
Tim Evans ◽  
...  

This study assesses potential geological connections between the unconventional petroleum plays in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, regional aquifers in overlying basins, and the near surface water assets in the Beetaloo Sub-basin Northern Territory, Australia. To do so, we built an innovative multi-disciplinary toolbox including multi-physics and multi-depth imaging of the geological formations, as well as the study of potentially active tectonic surface features, which we combined with measurement of the helium content in water sampled in the aquifer systems and a comparative analysis of the surface drainage network and fault lineaments orientation. Structures, as well as potential natural active and paleo-fluid or gas leakage pathways, were imaged with a reprocessing and interpretation of existing and newly acquired Beetaloo seismic reflection 2D profiles and magnetic datasets to determine potential connections and paleo-leakages. North to north-northwest trending strike slip faults, which have been reactivated in recent geological history, are controlling the deposition at the edges of the Beetaloo Sub-basin. There are two spring complexes associated with this system, the Hot Spring Valley at the northern edge of the eastern Beetaloo Sub-basin and the Mataranka Springs 10 km north of the western sub-basin. Significant rectangular stream diversions in the Hot Spring Valley also indicates current or recently active tectonics. This suggests that those deep-rooted fault systems are likely to locally connect the shallow unconfined aquifer with a deeper gas or fluid source component, possibly without connection with the Beetaloo unconventional prospective plays. However, the origin and flux of this deeper source is unknown and needs to be further investigated to assess if deep circulation is happening through the identified stratigraphic connections. Few north-west trending post-Cambrian fault segments have been interpreted in prospective zones for dry gas plays of the Velkerri Formation. The segments located in the northern part of the eastern Beetaloo Sub-basin do not show any evidence of modern leakages. The segments located around Elliot, in the south of the eastern Beetaloo Sub-basin, as well as low-quality seismic imaging of potential faults in the central part of the western sub-basin, could have been recently reactivated. They could act as open pathways of fluid and gas leakage, sourced from the unconventional plays, deeper formations of the Beetaloo Sub-basin or even much deeper origin, excluding the mantle on the basis of low 3He/4He ratios. In those areas, the data are sparse and of poor quality; further field work is necessary to assess whether such pathways are currently active.

Author(s):  
Bjørn Thomassen ◽  
Johannes Kyed ◽  
Agnete Steenfelt ◽  
Tapani Tukiainen

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Thomassen, B., Kyed, J., Steenfelt, A., & Tukiainen, T. (1999). Upernavik 98: reconnaissance mineral exploration in North-West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 183, 39-45. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v183.5203 _______________ The Upernavik 98 project is a one-year project aimed at the acquisition of information on mineral occurrences and potential in North-West Greenland between Upernavik and Kap Seddon, i.e. from 72°30′ to 75°30′N (Fig. 1A). A similar project, Karrat 97, was carried out in 1997 in the Uummannaq region 70°30′–72°30′N (Steenfelt et al. 1998a). Both are joint projects between the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum (BMP), Government of Greenland, and wholly funded by the latter. The main purpose of the projects is to attract the interest of the mining industry. The field work comprised systematic drainage sampling, reconnaissance mineral exploration and spectroradiometric measurements of rock surfaces.


Author(s):  
Henrik Stendal ◽  
Wulf Mueller ◽  
Nicolai Birkedal ◽  
Esben I. Hansen ◽  
Claus Østergaard

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Stendal, H., Mueller, W., Birkedal, N., Hansen, E. I., & Østergaard, C. (1997). Mafic igneous rocks and mineralisation in the Palaeoproterozoic Ketilidian orogen, South-East Greenland: project SUPRASYD 1996. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 176, 66-74. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v176.5064 _______________ The multidisciplinary SUPRASYD project (1992–96) focused on a regional investigation of the Palaeoproterozoic Ketilidian orogenic belt which crosses the southern tip of Greenland. Apart from a broad range of geological and structural studies (Nielsen et al., 1993; Garde & Schønwandt, 1994, 1995; Garde et al., 1997), the project included a mineral resource evaluation of the supracrustal sequences associated with the Ketilidian orogen (e.g. Mosher, 1995). The Ketilidian orogen of southern Greenland can be divided from north-west to south-east into: (1) a border zone in which the crystalline rocks of the Archaean craton are unconformably overlain by Ketilidian supracrustal rocks; (2) a major polyphase pluton, referred to as the Julianehåb batholith; and (3) extensive areas of Ketilidian supracrustal rocks, divided into psammitic and pelitic rocks with subordinate interstratified mafic volcanic rocks (Fig. 1). The Julianehåb batholith is viewed as emplaced in a magmatic arc setting; the supracrustal sequences south of the batholith have been interpreted as either (1) deposited in an intra-arc and fore-arc basin (Chadwick & Garde, 1996), or (2) deposited in a back-arc or intra-arc setting (Stendal & Swager, 1995; Swager, 1995). Both possibilities are plausible and infer subduction-related processes. Regional compilations of geological, geochemical and geophysical data for southern Greenland have been presented by Thorning et al. (1994). Mosher (1995) has recently reviewed the mineral exploration potential of the region. The commercial company Nunaoil A/S has been engaged in gold prospecting in South Greenland since 1990 (e.g. Gowen et al., 1993). A principal goal of the SUPRASYD project was to test the mineral potential of the Ketilidian supracrustal sequences and define the gold potential in the shear zones in the Julianehåb batholith. Previous work has substantiated a gold potential in amphibolitic rocks in the south-west coastal areas (Gowen et al., 1993.), and in the amphibolitic rocks of the Kutseq area (Swager et al., 1995). Field work in 1996 was focused on prospective gold-bearing sites in mafic rocks in South-East Greenland. Three M.Sc. students mapped showings under the supervision of the H. S., while an area on the south side of Kangerluluk fjord was mapped by H. S. and W. M. (Fig. 4).


Author(s):  
Bjørn Thomassen ◽  
Peter R. Dawes ◽  
Agnete Steenfelt ◽  
Johan Ditlev Krebs

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Thomassen, B., Dawes, P. R., Steenfelt, A., & Krebs, J. D. (2002). Qaanaaq 2001: mineral exploration reconnaissance in North-West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 191, 133-143. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v191.5141 _______________ Project Qaanaaq 2001, involving one season’s field work, was set up to investigate the mineral occurrences and potential of North-West Greenland between Olrik Fjord and Kap Alexander (77°10´N – 78°10´N; Fig. 1). Organised by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum (BMP), Government of Greenland, the project is mainly funded by the latter and has the overall goal of attracting the interest of the mining industry to the region. The investigated region – herein referred to as the Qaanaaq region – comprises 4300 km2 of ice-free land centred on Qaanaaq, the administrative capital of Qaanaap (Thule) municipality. Much of the region is characterised by a 500–800 m high plateau capped by local ice caps and intersected by fjords and glaciers. High dissected terrain occurs in Northumberland Ø and in the hinterland of Prudhoe Land where nunataks are common along the margin of the Inland Ice.


1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.F. Devlin ◽  
W.A. Gorman

Abstract The Gloucester Landfill is located near Ottawa, Ontario, on a northeast trending ridge of Quaternary age. The ridge comprises outwash sediments which make up two aquifer systems. A confined system exists next to bedrock, and is overlain by a silty-clayey stratum (the confining layer) which is, in turn, overlain by an unconfined aquifer system. Two independent volatile organic plumes have previously been identified at the landfill: the southeast plume, which has penetrated the confined aquifer system, and the northeast plume which is migrating in the unconfined aquifer. The distribution of volatile organic contaminants at the northeast plume site appears to be a function of two factors: (1) heterogeneities in the aquifer sediments are causing the channeling of contaminants through a narrow path; (2) the low fraction of organic carbon in the unconfined aquifer sediments at the northeast site is resulting in little retardation of the contaminants there, relative to those at the southeast site. Acetate was the only volatile fatty acid detected in the leachate. It was measurable only in areas where the volatile organic contamination was significant. Although methane was detected in the contaminated sediments, suggesting that microbial activity was present, the high concentration of acetate (>1000 ppm) which was detected down-gradient from the source area indicates that any biodegradation which is occurring is proceeding at a very slow rate.


2014 ◽  
Vol 599-601 ◽  
pp. 1605-1609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Zeng ◽  
Zhan Xie Wu ◽  
Qing Hao Meng ◽  
Jing Hai Li ◽  
Shu Gen Ma

The wind is the main factor to influence the propagation of gas in the atmosphere. Therefore, the wind signal obtained by anemometer will provide us valuable clues for searching gas leakage sources. In this paper, the Recurrence Plot (RP) and Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA) are applied to analyze the influence of recurrence characteristics of the wind speed time series under the condition of the same place, the same time period and with the sampling frequency of 1hz, 2hz, 4.2hz, 5hz, 8.3hz, 12.5hz and 16.7hz respectively. Research results show that when the sampling frequency is higher than 5hz, the trends of recurrence nature of different groups are basically unchanged. However, when the sampling frequency is set below 5hz, the original trend of recurrence nature is destroyed, because the recurrence characteristic curves obtained using different sampling frequencies appear cross or overlapping phenomena. The above results indicate that the anemometer will not be able to fully capture the detailed information in wind field when its sampling frequency is lower than 5hz. The recurrence characteristics analysis of the wind speed signals provides an important basis for the optimal selection of anemometer.


1971 ◽  
Vol 10 (59) ◽  
pp. 211-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Dorrer

AbstractThe movement at a marginal location on the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, northern Ellesmere Island, was determined by repeated survey measurements with theodolite and geodimeter. The purpose and duration of the field work, and reduction of the observational data are described, and the resulting mean ice velocity of 0.53 m year-1is discussed. Strain-rates of a 1 km by 1 km deformation figure are determined. The parametersnandBof Glen’s power flow law are determined by using the equations given by Nye and Weertman. The results are compared with experimental data. Computed ice stresses show that the “ridge-and-trough" structure on the ice shelf surface is not originated by internal ice forces. The elevations of all survey markers have been determined from vertical-angle measurements, and the peculiarities of atmospheric refraction in near-surface layers are discussed.


Polar Record ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 18 (115) ◽  
pp. 378-378
Author(s):  
Roger Daynes

A seven-man party from the Polytechnic of Central London spent from 25 July to 26 August in north-west Spitsbergen. Field work included botanical survey and sampling, recording of human sleep patterns, and the making of a 16 mm colour film. The party had the support facility of a former Scottish fishing vessel, the Copious, which it shared with the Cambridge Spitsbergen Expedition. The group landed in the far north of Vasahalvøya on Makarovbreen. Overland glacier journeys were made from Makarovbreen south to Liefdef jorden and Bockf jorden, and from the lower end of Woodf jorden across to Kongsf jorden via Blomstrandbreen—roughly 160 km in all.


2019 ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
E. A. Rogozhin ◽  
A. V. Gorbatikov ◽  
Yu. V. Kharazova ◽  
M. Yu. Stepanova ◽  
J. Chen ◽  
...  

In the period from 2007 to 2017 complex geological and geophysical studies were carried out in the three largest flexural-rupture fault zones in the North-West Caucasus (Anapa, Akhtyrka and Moldavan). The micro-seismic sounding (MSM) was used as the main geophysical method. Studies with the help of MSM allowed us to identify the features of the deep structure of the earth’s crust in the study area and to associate them with specific tectonic structures on the surface.The binding was carried out by harmonizing the results of the MSM and the parameters of the section of the sedimentary cover and crustal boundaries according to the drilling data and the work previously performed by the reflected wave method (MOVZ). It was found that the Anapa flexure and longitudinal tectonic zones have clear deep roots, and also separate the pericline of the North-Western Caucasus from the Taman Peninsula and from the lowered blocks of the Northern slope of the folded system.Faults in the study area are divided into: (1) deep faults of the Caucasian stretch, penetrating into the lower crust and even to the upper mantle, and (2) near-surface faults, do not extend to the depths beyond the thickness of the sedimentary cover. The seismogenic role of these tectonic disturbances in the studied seismically active region has been determined.


Author(s):  
Б.Л. Пхарое ◽  
А.Н. Евдокимов

Северо-западный регион ЮАР до недавнего времени не являлся промышленно марганценосным. Однако результаты изучения последних лет дают основание думать, что здесь могут быть залежи марганцевых руд. Марганцевое оруденение в этом регионе встречается в виде марганцевых конкреций, порошкообразного марганцевого вада и марганцевых корок в коре выветривания. Марганцевые конкреции приурочены к аллювиальной части «Westwits alluvium» рудного разреза и марганцевый вад накоплялся в карстовых структурах, образовавшихся в результате приповерхностного выветривания, выщелачивания и растворения подстилающих марганценосных неоархейских доломитов. Предполагается два потенциальных источника марганца: первый расположен непосредственно под рудным телом, а второй – на существенном удалении от него. Если первый источник рудного вещества поставлял марганец из подстилающих доломитов в процессе их выветривания, то второй вариант подразумевает существенный перенос металла из неизвестных коренных источников, расположенных на значительном удалении от области рудонакопления. Таким образом, для решения этого вопроса, необходимо провести экспериментальные исследования, изучающие природу, минералогию и источник сноса терригенных отложений «вмещающих материалов» верхнего рудного разреза. Цель работы – уточнить природу марганценосных терригенных залежей «Westwits alluvium» и, что самое важное, определить их коренной источник поступления и собственно минеральный состав. Методики исследования включали: петрографическое описание пород, геохимические анализы методами XRF и SEM, подсчеты объемного состава детритовых минералов и анализ дискриминационных диаграмм. Результаты. В результате проведенных исследований было установлено, что терригенные зёрна в основном представлены кварцем. Содержание полевых шпатов, минералов цемента и глинистых минералов не более 20 %. Использована классификация составов терригенного материала, основанная на подсчете в объемных процентах зерен кварца, полевого шпата, обломочных зерен других пород (вулканических, магматических и метаморфических пород), слюды и др. По этим данным были определены вероятные источники сноса, которыми являются породы Рэнд-Антиклинального хребта, расположенного к югу от изучаемого региона, а также архейские граниты, гнейсы и мафические-ультрамафические породы Каапваальского кратона. Осадконакопление происходило в низменной равнине с тропическим умеренно влажным и субгумидным климатом. Здесь, при повышенном рН воды происходило интенсивное выщелачивание пород и замещение детритовых зерен разного минерального состава диоксидом марганца. Ключевые слова: марганцовистый аллювий, третичный, терригенные отложения, Каапваальский кратон, Южная Африка The North-West region of the Republic of South Africa was previously not considered to constitute of manganese mineralization of industrial value. However, recently published articles indicated the presence of secondary manganese mineralization in the weathering crust, underlain by the manganiferous Neoarchean dolomites. Manganese mineralization in this region occurs in the form of manganese nodules, powdered manganese wad, and manganese crusts. Manganese nodules are confined to the alluvial part of the ore section known as the «Westwits alluvium» and manganese wad is accumulated in karstic structures formed as a result of near-surface weathering, leaching, and dissolution of underlying manganese-bearing Neoarchean dolomites. Two potential sources of manganese are assumed: the first relates to the dolomites which are located directly under the ore body, and the second relates to the source areas of terrigenous deposits. If the first hypothesis suggests that manganese ore substances were supplied from the underlying dolomites during their weathering, the second option then implies a significant transfer of metal from unknown root sources located at a considerable distance from the area of ore accumulation. Thus, it is necessary to conduct petrographic study to reconstruct their source regions and understand the close relations with Mn mineralization. Aim is to clarify the nature of the manganese-bearing terrigenous deposits «Westwits alluvium» and, most importantly, to determine their root source of supply and the actual mineral composition. Methodology of study includes mainly: petrographic study of rocks, geochemical analyses with the use of XRF and SEM methods, modal compositional analysis of the detrital minerals, and analysis of discrimination diagrams. Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that terrigenous grains consist mainly of detrital quartz grains. The content of feldspars, cement minerals and clay minerals seldom exceeds 20 %. The classification of terrigenous material based on the calculation of the volumetric percentage of the detrital framework grains: quartz, feldspar, clastic grains of other rocks types (volcanic, igneous and metamorphic rocks), mica, indicated probable source areas of the terrigenous sediments. These include metasedimentary rocks of the Rand Anticline Ridge which is located south of the studied region, and Archean granites, gneisses, and mafic-ultramafic rocks of the Kaapvaal Craton. In the basin of deposition, sedimentation occurred in a lowland plain within tropical region, characterized by moderately humid and sub-humid climatic conditions. These conditions, combined with oxidation and increased pH of the basin waters, contributed to the replacement of detrital grains with manganese dioxide


1983 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
B Chadwick ◽  
M.A Crewe ◽  
J.F.W Park

The programme of field investigations in the north of the Ivisartoq region begun in 1981 by Chadwick & Crewe (1982) was continued in 1982. Julia Park began mapping the Taserssuaq granodiorite, its host rocks and the Ataneq fault in the north-west. Dur team was joined by D. Bellur, Geological Survey of India, nominally as an assistant. In this report we present only summary notes of new findings relevant to the interpretation of the geometry and chronology of this segment of the Archaean crust in southern West Greenland. We use the established terminology for the Archaean rocks of the Godthåbsfjord region.


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