Objective method for analysis of mineral resources supply on the example of Russia

A forecast of nonfuel mineral production in Russia is considered, based on the integration of the expected life of specific deposits currently exploited and developed. It is shown that mineral safety is fully ensured for copper, nickel, lead, tungsten and tin, whose reserves are sufficient for their extraction, at least at the current level, for 40–50 years and there are real prospects for its significant growth. The sufficiency of other minerals is much lower: for molybdenum and chromium, it is limited to about 30 years, and the extraction of zinc and uranium in Russia may significantly decrease in 20 years. The situation is more difficult with the most liquid solid minerals, like gold and diamonds. The commissioning of mining enterprises at the developed gold deposits can ensure a rapid growth in the production of the precious metal in the coming years. However, at the beginning of the next decade, the resource base depletion of the Olimpiada field and a number of other exploited deposits is predicted. The projects currently implemented for the development of new fields do not compensate for the lost capacity. This may account for a long-term (until the beginning of the 2050s) decline in the Russian gold production, which may be halved against the current level by the end of this period. Such a scenario can only be avoided with the intensification of geological exploration in the coming years. The earlier decrease in the number of diamonds mined in Russia, associated with the depletion of reserves of exploited pipes, is predicted (since 2025). Unless new deposits are discovered and developed, the domestic production of precious stones will steadily decline and, in the 2040s, may be reduced fourfold.

Principal scheme of step-by-step study of non-anticlinal traps of oil and gas (types of work and research methods)

The article scientifically substantiates and systematizes the types of work and research methods to identify and search for hydrocarbon accumulations associated with non-anticlinal traps, consistently at all stages of geological exploration. The tasks and criteria for forecasting and identifying non-anticlinal traps at each stage of geological exploration are formulated. New research methods are proposed. Keywords: oil; gas; non-anticlinal traps; study scheme; types of work; research methods; forecast criteria; stages of geological exploration.

Forecast and assessment of hydrocarbon potential of cretaceous and jurassic deposits of the Kara Sea shelf based on the results of geological exploration

According to the oil and geological zoning, the water area of the Kara Sea, including the Ob and Taz Bays, is located on the border of three oil and gas-bearing regions: Yamal, Gydan and Nadym-Purskaya, having different characteristics of oil and gas potential by section and by area. As a result of geological exploration carried out in the water area and on the adjacent land, a wide age range of oil and gas potential was revealed. Seven fields have been discovered in the waters of the Yuzhno-Kara NGO: six gas condensate fields in Cretaceous Cenomanian-Albian deposits and one oil and gas condensate field in Cretaceous and Jurassic deposits. Large gas condensate fields have been explored in the Ob and Taz bays in the Cenomanian-Alb-Apt complex. The water area of the lips is one of the most important areas in terms of the growth of economically viable natural gas resources. According to the research results, it has been established that the UV potential of the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous complexes of the Ob and Taz Bays is characterized as highly promising. Keywords: Kara Sea; shelf; cretaceous and jurassic deposits.

Web technologies in cartographic support of geological exploration

Web technologies are now an integral part of the implementation of research work in various branches of science. The geological and geophysical direction is no exception, where the planning and execution of geological and geophysical surveys depend on the accuracy, reliability and relevance of the transmitted information.The article deals with the possibilities of web technologies for cartographic support of geological exploration – a complex of scientific and production works, designed to determine the industrial significance of mineral deposits (ore, hydrocarbon, etc.). Examples are given of the use of geoportal solutions for the publication of data on the territory of study.Taking into account the current level of web technologies development, a proprietary web-service was created to provide operational access to geodata during geological and geophysical work. The presented solution is implemented using PostgreSQL DBMS, PostGIS geospatial data processing module, Leaflet JavaScript library. The resulting interactive map allows to perform operational monitoring of field crews during seismic exploration, provides information on the stages of data processing and interpretation. Also it allows to implement a unified geoinformation space for joint work of specialists from different industries.

CAPITALIZATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES AS AN INNOVATION ECOLOGICAL STRATEGY

The paper presents issues of evaluation objects of subsoil usage and reflecting information of mineral assets for oil and gas companies. Estimation of the objects in the mineral resources sector is regulated by IFRS 6 «Exploration for and Evaluation of Mineral Resources», Russian Financial Standard, US GAAP and other normative documents. The authors` idea is to capitalize costs connected with the stages of geological exploration process, what is considered as an innovative component. Concepts of natural and environmental capital are overviewed. Different classifications of reserves and mineral resources of various categories of oil and gas are analyzed. The results of the study show that capitalizing reserves as mineral assets in oil and gas companies is possible and economically profitable.

Design method of blasthole charge structure based on lithology distribution

The density of geological exploration boreholes is one of the main bases for blasthole charge structure design. Due to the low density of geological exploration boreholes, it is impossible to obtain the blast hole rock formations' distribution accurately. With the development and application of intelligent drilling rigs, the lithology distribution data of the blasthole can be accurately obtained, and a blasthole charge structure design method based on the lithology distribution is proposed. The blasthole lithology data collected by the intelligent drilling rig is divided into 7 categories according to the rock hardness, and the adjacent strata with similar lithology are combined and divided into two groups of soft rocks and hard rocks. According to the rock stratum grouping data of the blasthole and the unit explosive consumption of each type of lithology, the explosive amount and charge length required for the soft rock group and the hard rock group can be calculated, respectively. Finally, the blasthole charge structure is designed according to the thickness and charge position of the hard rocks. With the C++ programming language, this method is realized and applied in the Shengli Open-pit Coal Mine of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The application results show that, compared with the traditional hole charging structure design method, this method can realize accurate segmented charging of the hole, improve the blasting effect and the degree of rock fragmentation, and reduce the blasting cost.

Seismic gravimetric modeling in geological problems of Saratov region sections

Geological and geophysical modeling is a modern and classic method of processing and interpretation, which is relevant in the segment of geological exploration of any geophysical method. The article presents the material of two-dimensional modeling based on the results of gravity and seismic exploration in the licensed areas of the Saratov region.

NON-DESTRUCTIVE CONTROL OF A HYDRAULIC HAMMER PISTON, DESIGNED FOR GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES

The piston part provided to us by the Bulgarian company to clarify the reason for its breakage.

Identification of Preferential Recharge Zones in Karst Systems Based on the Correlation between the Spring Level and Precipitation: A Case Study from Jinan Spring Basin

The Jinan spring basin is located in the karst area of northern China, where springs serve as important sources of water supply. Several studies on spring protection and water supply have been carried out, and scholars have developed some laws on local groundwater flow dynamic and characteristics of aquifer structures. Unfortunately, there is a lack of detailed research on preferential recharge zones, which are the main recharge pathways of springs. Therefore, this research focuses on identifying preferential recharge zones based on the correlation between the spring level and precipitation. The results show that when precipitation is more intense or lasts longer, there is a stronger correlation between spring level and precipitation. It has been established that the precipitation at Donghongmiao station has the closest relationship with the dynamic of Baotu spring, which is found to be the most significant contribution to spring preservation. Two potential preferential recharge zones in the Jinan spring basin are detected through correlation analysis and geological exploration data. These findings support spring protection and water supply projects in karst regions.