Two-End-Member Mixing in the Fluids Emitted From Mud Volcano Lei-Gong-Huo, Eastern Taiwan: Evidence From Sr Isotopes

Mud volcano is one of the most important conduits for deep seated materials to migrate upward in sedimentary basins, convergent margins, and subduction zones. Understanding their temporal and spatial characteristics and variations provides us the important information on fluid sources and chemical compositions at depth. Mud volcano Lei-Gong-Huo (MV LGH) is a unique mud volcano, which is located on the mélange formation lying on the andesitic volcanic arc. Fluids emitted from 46 mud pools in MV LGH in eastern Taiwan were sampled and their major trace constitutes as well as H, O, and Sr isotopes (87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr) were measured. Major constitutes of the fluids are Cl−, Na, and Ca. Compared with seawater, LGH fluids have lower Cl−, δD, δ18O, Na/Cl, K/Cl, and Mg/Cl but higher Ca/Cl ratios, indicating water–rock interaction of igneous rock and the ancient seawater at the source region. This interpretation is further supported by Sr isotopes, which show low value of 87Sr/86Sr ratio down to 0.70708. The result of spatial distribution showing strong negative correlation between Na and Ca concentration as well as Ca and 87Sr/86Sr ratios indicates that two end-member mixing is the major chemical characteristic. The fluids interacting with igneous rock carry high Ca, high δ88Sr, low Na, and low 87Sr/86Sr ratio, while those interacting with sedimentary rock carry low Ca, low δ88Sr, high Na, and high 87Sr/86Sr ratio. The source from the igneous region dominates the eastern and southeastern parts of the mud pools while sedimentary source dominates the western and northwestern parts. Most mud pools show mixing behavior between the two sources. Some of the sedimentary-dominated mud pools reveal existence of residual ancient water as indicated by 87Sr/86Sr. The major factor to fractionate the stable Sr isotopes in LGH waters is the source lithology. In summary, fluids emitted by mud pools in LGH originate from two sources, which are water–rock interactions of igneous rock with the ancient seawater from the east and sedimentary rock from the west at depth, resulting from the complex geologic background of mélange formation.

Karakterisasi Geoteknik Fondasi Kandidat Tapak PLTN dengan Metode Seismik Refraksi

ABSTRAK. Pemerintah Indonesia dalam Peraturan Presiden (Perpres) Nomor 38 Tahun 2018 tentang Rencana Induk Riset Nasional Tahun 2017–2045, menetapkan beberapa bidang utama yang akan menjadi prioritas penelitian nasional, salah satunya adalah bidang energi. Dalam tema riset teknologi kelistrikan berbasis energi baru dan terbarukan rendah/nol karbon terdapat topik riset teknologi Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Nuklir (PLTN) skala komersial. Pada topik riset tersebut, ditetapkan bahwa dalam jangka waktu penelitian tahun 2020–2024, dihasilkan purwarupa PLTN. Pada penelitian ini, karakterisasi geoteknik tapak PLTN dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode seismik refraksi guna melengkapi data penelitian sebelumnya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui profil perlapisan batuan bawah permukaan untuk estimasi pekerjaan terkait fondasi PLTN. Pemetaan geologi dan akuisisi data geofisika, pengolahan, serta interpretasi tanah/batuan berdasarkan parameter kecepatan gelombang kompresi (Vp). Hasil pemetaan geologi menunjukkan adanya 2 satuan batuan beku yaitu diorit kuarsa dan andesit. Hasil pengolahan dan interpretasi data seismik refraksi menghasilkan model penampang Vp pada lapisan batuan bawah permukaan. Terdapat 3 lapisan batuan di lokasi penelitian yaitu lapisan tanah (Vp = 361–715 m/s), lapisan batuan beku lapuk (Vp = 1.386–2.397 m/s), dan lapisan beku segar (Vp = 3.789–6.133 m/s). Perkiraan densitas batuan beku segar berdasarkan perhitungan adalah 2,43–2,74 g/cm3. Hasil pemodelan dapat menunjukkan kedalaman dan struktur bawah permukaan lapisan batuan beku segar yang dapat menjadi fondasi bangunan PLTN.ABSTRACT. Presidential Regulation (Perpres) number 38 of 2018 concerning the National Research Master Plan for 2017–2045, the Government of Indonesia establishes several main areas that will become national research priorities, one of which is the energy sector. In the research theme of electricity technology based on new and renewable low/zero carbon energy, there is the topic of research on commercial-scale Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) technology. On the research topic, it was determined that within the research period of 2020–2024, a prototype nuclear power plant would be produced. Research related to the geotechnical characterization of the nuclear power plant site using the seismic refraction method was carried out to complement the previous research data. The purpose of this study was to determine the subsurface rock layer profile for estimation of work related to nuclear power plant foundations. Geological mapping and geophysical data acquisition, processing, as well as soil/rock interpretation based on the compression wave velocity (Vp) parameter are carried out to achieve this goal. The results of geological mapping show that there are 2 igneous rock units, namely quartz diorite and andesite. The results of processing and interpreting seismic refraction data produced a cross-sectional model of Vp in the subsurface rock layers. There are 3 rock layers in the research location, namely soil layer (Vp = 361–715 m/s), weathered igneous rock layer (Vp = 1.386–2,396 m/s), and fresh igneous layer (Vp = 3.789–6.133 m/s). The estimated density of fresh igneous rock based on calculations is 2.43–2.74 g/cm3. The modeling results can show the depth and structure of the subsurface layer of fresh igneous rock that can be the foundation of nuclear power plants.

A Stand-Off Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) System Applicable for Martian Rocks Studies

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a valuable tool for evaluating the geochemical characteristics of Martian rocks and was applied in the Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission with the payload called Mars Surface Composition Detection Package (MarSCoDe). In this work, we developed a laboratory standoff LIBS system combined with a Martian simulation chamber to examine the geochemical characteristics of igneous rocks, with the intention to provide a reference and a basis for the analysis of LIBS data acquired by MarSCoDe. Fifteen igneous geological standards are selected for a preliminary LIBS spectroscopic study. Three multivariate analysis methods were applied to characterize the geochemical features of igneous standards. First, quantitative analysis was done with Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection (LASSO), where the major element compositions of these samples (SiO2, Al2O3, T Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, K2O, Na2O, and TiO2) were derived. The predicted concentrations ((Fe2O3 + MgO)/SiO2, Fe2O3/MgO, Al2O3/SiO2, and (Na2O + K2O)/Al2O3) were used to identify the geochemical characteristics of igneous rocks. Also, PCA, an unsupervised multivariate method was tested to directly identify the igneous rock lithology with no prior quantification. Higher correlation (0.82–0.88) are obtained using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) scores than using predicted elemental ratios derived by PLS and LASSO, indicating that PCA is better suited to identify igneous rock lithology than via quantitative concentrations. This preliminary study, using this LIBS system, provides suitable methods for the elemental prediction and geochemical identification of martian rocks, and we will use extended geologic standards and continue to build a robust LIBS spectral library for MarSCoDe based on this LIBS system in the future.

Modelling igneous rock mechanics parameter based on logging data in Shunbei oil field

In order to improve the rate of penetration (ROP) in Permian igneous rock strata, the rock mechanics is modeled based on the continuous logging data (acoustic, density, caliper, resistivity and gamma logging) and confirmatory indoor experiments. The model considers the influence of well collapse and expansion on logging data in igneous rock formation to improve the calculation accuracy. Based on this model, the continuous profile of Permian compressive strength, tensile strength, mud content, internal friction angle are calculated, and then the differences of Permian strata in the north, middle and south of the oilfield are further compared and analyzed. The results can provide support for the optimization of efficient rock breaking and reservoir fracturing technology.

Provenance and sedimentary environment of the Ek2 shale in the Cangdong Sag, the central Bohai Bay Basin, China

The second member of the Kongdian Formation (usually abbreviated as the E k2 shale) is one of the most significant exploring targets for shale oil at the Cangdong Sag of the central Bohai Bay Basin. It consists of siliceous shale, mixed shale, and calcareous shale. To better understand why organic matter accumulated in the E k2 shale, we have analyzed major and trace elemental compositions to reconstruct the provenance and sedimentary environment. Tectonic discriminatory diagrams suggest that the tectonic setting of the parental rocks for the E k2 shale belonged to the Continental Island Arc. The distribution patterns of trace elements and rare earth elements + yttrium (REEs + Y) are close to the intermediate igneous rock. The ratios of Al2O3/TiO2 ranging from 21.41 to 27.59 with a mean value of 23.93 also demonstrate a parental rock of the intermediate igneous rock. Siliceous and mixed shales indicate K2O/Al2O3 of 0.17–0.29, chemical index of weathering of 28.79–97.79, plagioclase index of alteration of 38.24–95.57, and chemical index of alteration of 40.29–80.23. These weathering proxies denote that the E k2 shale underwent a low weathering degree in an arid climate and a high weathering degree in a semiarid climate. The V/(V + Ni) ratios and pyrite framboids indicate an anoxic sedimentary condition. The δ18O values of carbonate minerals in the E k2 shale range from −9.8‰ to 0.7‰, and they are positively correlated to the δ13C values. The Sr/Ba ratios, δ18O, and chemical mineral associations indicate that siliceous and mixed shales were deposited in a fresh to brackish anoxic water column under a semiarid climate. Whereas calcareous shale was deposited in a saline to hypersaline anoxic water column under an arid climate.