International Journal of Coal Geology最新文献

{"title":"Near surface lithium isotopic fractionation and lithium enrichment in coal-hosted Li-rich clays from the South China Block","authors":"Rongjie Wang ,&nbsp;Shifeng Dai ,&nbsp;David French ,&nbsp;Ian T. Graham ,&nbsp;Victor P. Nechaev ,&nbsp;Robert B. Finkelman","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104803","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104803","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Surficial low-temperature sedimentary clay-type Li deposit is one of three major types of Li deposits in the world; however, its formation and corresponding Li isotope fractionation mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrate an unusually high Li concentration (89.1 ppm to 520 ppm) within a Late Triassic coal-hosted clay Li deposit from the Sichuan Basin, China. In-situ mapping of the Li distribution combined with isotopic analysis of Li occurring as clay-hosted ion-exchangeable and structurally bound Li was carried out to investigate low temperature Li migration and enrichment processes near the Earth's surface. The in-situ mapping shows that the dominant host of Li is fracture-fill and vermicular chlorite, while massive illite aggregate and fracture-fill paragonite contains lesser amounts of Li. Kaolinite and chlorite also absorbed a part of Li on surface/interlayer sites. The Li enrichment processes involve a contribution from detrital clastics (aggregate illite and kaolinite), especially felsic pyroclastics (vermicular-kaolinite) from collisional- and subduction setting, as well as the water-rock interactions during peat accumulation/burial stage between the acidic groundwater and primary Li-bearing clays. The primary kaolinite and illite was replaced with chlorite and paragonite accompanied with Li isotopic fractionation (Δ⁷Li: +2.67 ‰ to +15.4 ‰).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104803"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mitigation of geothermal energy drilling risks in the presence of hydrocarbons: A basin scale approach applied to the eastern Swiss Plateau area (Schlattingen-1, Herdern-1 and St. Gallen-GT-1 geothermal transect)","authors":"S. Omodeo-Salé ,&nbsp;T. Cassola ,&nbsp;A. Moscariello","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Geothermal exploration can be complicated by the presence of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. This is a well-known issue in Switzerland, where geothermal projects were affected by the consequences of an unexpected finding of hydrocarbons during drilling operations. This was the case of the Schlattingen-1 well in 2011 and the St. Gallen-GT-1 well in 2013, both located in the north-eastern part of the Swiss Plateau. To confidently predict the potential of hydrocarbon occurrence in the subsurface, a 2D basin and petroleum system modelling (BPSM) was performed along a regional geological section of the eastern sector of the Swiss Plateau, including the Schlattingen-1, Herdern-1 and St. Gallen-GT-1 wells.</div><div>The BPSM reconstructs the temperature history of the basin by considering the geodynamic, structural and stratigraphic evolution of the basin. The modelling results were calibrated with present-day borehole temperature, porosity and vitrinite reflectance data. To calculate the hydrocarbon generation and accumulation potential in the studied area, the source rocks were geochemically and petrographically characterized. In the southern part of the section, gas accumulations are predicted by the model at the top of the Permo-Carboniferous graben, just beneath the St. Gallen GT-1 well. In the northern part, around the Schlattingen-1 and Herdern-1 well sites, the model indicates the migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons within the Mesozoic units. Migration to the uppermost Molasse units also occurs along faults, thrust planes and permeable units, when present.</div><div>The main uncertainties of the modelling results include: i) distribution and characteristics of faults; ii) thickness and hydrocarbon potential of the source rocks; iii) lithological and petrophysical properties of potential reservoir and seal units; iv) calibration data with big ranges and not uniformly measured. To refine the assumptions and enhance the understanding of the basin's evolution, further data should be collected and existing data reanalysed. Building risk analysis and probabilistic models would also help to plan drilling mitigation measures aimed at reducing these uncertainties. The workflow presented in this study can be highly valuable to geothermal projects. It allows more effective planning of the drilling procedure, thus reducing the operational risks and contributing to the overall project success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104806"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143947696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solid bitumen formation and resulting differential porosity development in the Mesoproterozoic Xiamaling shale during artificial thermal maturation","authors":"Ji Chen ,&nbsp;Jingwen Zheng ,&nbsp;Daxiang He ,&nbsp;Peng Cheng ,&nbsp;Qin Zhou ,&nbsp;Tengfei Li ,&nbsp;Haifeng Gai","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104812","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104812","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solid bitumen constitutes a predominant organic component in thermally mature source rocks, yet its role in shale reservoirs remains poorly constrained. This study integrated hydrocarbon expulsion simulation via sequential solvent extraction with isothermal pyrolysis experiments conducted on an early mature bituminite-rich shale sample from the Mesoproterozoic Xiamaling Formation in North China. Organic petrography and gas adsorption were applied to characterize the solid bitumen and pore structure in pyrolysis residues, respectively. The primary objective was to advance the understanding of the solid bitumen formation and its influence on the porosity development of shales within the dry gas window. Quantitative petrographic evidence confirms that the composition of retained extractable organic matter exerts fundamental control over the yield and properties of solid bitumen. Notably, the polar fraction (e.g., asphaltene component) exhibits superior solid bitumen-generating capacity, indicating that expulsion-driven compositional fractionation of residual hydrocarbons serves as the primary determinant of intraformational solid bitumen heterogeneity. Furthermore, empirical data demonstrate an inverse relationship between solid bitumen content and porosity development of shales across the investigated maturity spectrum (vitrinite reflectance 1.02 %–3.62 %), manifested through depressed specific surface area and diminished pore volume metrics. Our findings suggest that provenance-controlled variations in solid bitumen occurrence and subsequent pore architecture may induce complex reservoir quality modifications, potentially accounting for divergent porosity trends observed in natural shale systems. While this investigation provides fundamental insights into organo-petrophysical relationships, the general applicability of these conclusions warrants further validation through subsequent research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104812"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144170242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relating systematic molecular and textural properties of graptolite pyrolyzed via gold tube hydrous pyrolysis: Implications for thermal proxies in lower Paleozoic marine shales","authors":"Xiaowei Zheng ,&nbsp;Hamed Sanei ,&nbsp;Fujie Jiang ,&nbsp;Qingyong Luo ,&nbsp;Ye Wang ,&nbsp;Jennifer L. Nedzweckas ,&nbsp;Brett J. Valentine ,&nbsp;M. Rebecca Stokes ,&nbsp;Liu Cao ,&nbsp;Paul C. Hackley","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A series of gold tube pyrolysis experiments (72 h, 300–550 °C, 50 MPa) conducted on a graptolite-rich lower Paleozoic marine shale generated pyrolysis residues for a comprehensive evaluation of the molecular and structural variability of three types of graptolite periderm. Organic petrology, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were combined to evaluate the thermal evolution process. The three types of graptolite periderm, namely granular, non-granular, and nodular graptolite, were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy wherein point measurements were obtained after the maceral was identified and the location verified by organic petrology. Distinct thermal evolution pathways among non-granular, granular, and nodular graptolite periderms were recorded. The evolution patterns of the Raman parameters, particularly D1 and G bands, highlight the differences in geochemical composition of the graptolite periderm types and the alteration of molecular structure with increasing thermal maturity. Raman parameters D1 (position of the D1 peak), G-FWHM (full width at half maximum of the G peak), and ratios D1-FWHM/G-FWHM (full width at half maximum of the D1 peak ratioed to G-FWHM) and A_D1/A_G (ratio of D1 and G peak intensities) showed effectiveness in assessing thermal maturity. Bireflectance with increasing gold tube pyrolysis temperature followed a hierarchy: non-granular &gt; granular &gt; nodular, reflecting different molecular alignment intensities. Qualitative FE-SEM evaluation showed that fine-grained mineral inclusions (primarily Fe-sulfide as determined via EDS) were associated with the graptolite populations, with granular graptolite containing greater amounts of coarser-grained (e.g., ∼300–1400 nm) mineral inclusions relative to non-granular and nodular graptolite, which contain finer-grained (e.g., ∼100–200 nm) inclusions difficult to resolve with optical microscopy. These findings are investigated to highlight the mechanisms that drive organic matter evolution within graptolite during thermal maturation, as well as to explore some of the limitations of using spectroscopic parameters as thermal maturity proxies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104793"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of image analysis to quantify maceral composition of source rocks: Examples from the Devonian New Albany Shale and Marcellus Shale","authors":"Hao Yuan ,&nbsp;Maria Mastalerz ,&nbsp;Bei Liu ,&nbsp;Simon Brassell","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The composition of sedimentary organic matter (OM) is an important parameter that determines the hydrocarbon potential and reveals the depositional conditions of organic-rich shales. Several automated analysis methods have been developed to determine the maceral composition of coals, but few studies have applied these techniques to assess the composition of OM in source rocks. This research developed an image evaluation method that combines maceral identification with machine-learning algorithms to quantify OM compositions. Three Devonian shales, two samples of New Albany Shale and one of Marcellus Shale, ranging from marginally mature to overmature were selected to evaluate the thermal evolution of maceral components, including vitrinite, inertinite, liptinite, and secondary products (i.e., solid bitumen and pyrobitumen). The method provides an efficient approach for identifying pyrobitumen and alginite in samples and is superior to automated coal analysis methods. Comparison of traditional point-counting methods with the new approach validates the effectiveness of image analysis in quantifying vitrinite and inertinite contents. However, the challenge of extracting amorphous OM mixed with mineral matter from the background requires further refinement. This methodological advancement provides a new tool for assessing the composition, sources, and thermal evolution of OM, offering valuable data to complement organic geochemical interpretations of depositional environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104800"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143931675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selective trace element uptake in iron sulfides during burial metamorphism of coal: Insights from the coal-bearing Socka Beds, Northeastern Slovenia","authors":"Aleš Šoster ,&nbsp;Viktor Bertrandsson Erlandsson ,&nbsp;Stephen Ajuaba ,&nbsp;Nastja Rogan Šmuc","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coal-bearing basal section of the Late Eocene Socka Beds in northeastern Slovenia exhibits iron sulfide mineralization associated with coal. Detailed petrographic analyses have identified five distinct textural and geochemical varieties of pyrite and marcasite. Geochemical analyses reveal that pyrite is notably enriched in Cu, Zn, and Mo, while marcasite shows enrichment in Co, Ni, As, Se, and Sb. Geochemical proxies suggest that marcasite formed under relatively higher temperatures, significantly more reducing conditions, and lower pH compared to pyrite, a distinction that is reflected in their contrasting geochemical signatures. Pyrite incorporates trace elements linked to seawater incursions, while marcasite contains trace elements associated with the progressive degradation of organic matter and the release of organically-bound trace elements. This study demonstrates that iron sulfide speciation is not confined to a single precipitation phase but involves multiple generations of minerals that reflect shifts in physicochemical conditions over time. Additionally, it demonstrates that the incorporation of trace elements is primarily governed by the availability of metals and fluid chemistry, rather than by mineral-specific selective sequestration. These findings offer new insights into the physicochemical pathways that govern sulfide formation in coal-forming environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104805"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Li concentration and isotopes in kaolinite and organic of coals determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry","authors":"Jia Song ,&nbsp;Beilei Sun ,&nbsp;Sandra Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Chao Liu ,&nbsp;Zhanming Guo ,&nbsp;David French","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithium (Li) enrichment in coal has attracted significant attention due to its economic potential and complex geochemical behavior during coal formation. This study investigates the concentration and isotopic composition of Li in kaolinite and organic matter from three high-Li coals from North China using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), complemented by TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Confocal Raman Microscopy (Raman). Results reveal that kaolinite is the primary host of Li, with concentrations exceeding 1516 μg/g. Lithium isotopic compositions (δ⁷Li) in kaolinite from high-rank coals exhibit narrow ranges, suggesting Li isotopic homogenization as a result of the elevated paleotemperature. In contrast, δ⁷Li values in lower-rank coals show greater variability, influenced by pore fluids and depth-dependent fractionation processes. Organic material, characterized by lower lithium concentrations (mostly &lt;100 μg/g) and highly variable δ⁷Li values, exhibits a heavier lithium isotopic composition in high-rank coal compared to δ⁷Li values in low-rank coal. These findings highlight the role of kaolinite in this isotopic fractionation. and emphasize the role of kaolinite as a major Li carrier. This study provides critical insights into Li enrichment mechanisms and isotopic fractionation during coalification, contributing to a better understanding of Li sources and mobility in coal-bearing strata.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104815"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144184395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the coal-forming conditions during Oligocene in Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria: Implications for organic matter preservation and hydrocarbons potential","authors":"J.E. Ogala ,&nbsp;K. Perleros ,&nbsp;E. Kyriazaki ,&nbsp;M. Angelopoulos ,&nbsp;O.I. Ejeh ,&nbsp;M. Wojtaszek-Kalaitzidi ,&nbsp;S. Kalaitzidis ,&nbsp;K. Christanis","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104807","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Twenty eight (7 coal, 12 organic-rich and 9 inorganic) cutting samples obtained from six boreholes drilled over a &lt;em&gt;c&lt;/em&gt;. 60-km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;-large area in the alluvial plain of Niger River between Obomkpa and Issele-Azagba, southern Nigeria, were examined and evaluated by means of coal-petrography, mineralogical (XRD) and geochemical (CHNS, Rock Eval, XRF) analyses. This study aimed to provide an initial assessment of the palaeoenvironmental conditions during the Oligocene-Miocene peat accumulation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;As the samples were received a long time after sampling, moisture could not be determined. The ash and the volatile matter yields of the samples vary from 19.9 to 88.5 wt% (db) and 63.5–67.9 wt% (daf), respectively. Huminite is the dominant maceral group ranging from 60.6 to 90.6 vol% (on mineral matter-free basis), with detrohuminite being the major sub-group. The inertinite content is very low (&lt;1.5 %), whereas liptinite macerals are frequent to quite enriched (8.8–37.9 %) with alginite and liptodetrinite being the most common. The mean random huminite reflectance of all the coal samples varies between 0.32 % and 0.39 %.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;As mainly sandstones, intercalated with siltstones and claystones are the main sedimentary rocks deposited in the Niger-River alluvial plain, the inorganic part of all the studied coaly and carbonaceous samples consists primarily of quartz and kaolinite, whereas goethite, mixed clay layers (illite-montmorillonite), anatase and gypsum occur in minor amounts. Accordingly, SiO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and Al&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; display values ranging from 9 to 58 % and up to 23 wt%, respectively, while Fe&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; up to 12 wt% and TiO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; up to 2 wt%.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Palaeoenvironmental geochemical proxies indicate a mixed source area for the siliciclastic facies, with significant recycling and weathering, deposited under a pure freshwater regime. The carbonaceous layers seem to have been deposited in a relative semi-arid climate, while the palaeomires were established under a more humid regime, promoting anaerobic conditions, which is in agreement with the observed very low inertinite content. Facies diagrammes based on the maceral contents were applied to reconstruct the environmental conditions in the palaeomires. According to the TPI &lt;em&gt;vs.&lt;/em&gt; GI diagramme, the peat-forming vegetation was mostly herbaceous yielding low TPI and medium GI values, and the conditions were fluvial-limnotelmatic. The GWI &lt;em&gt;vs.&lt;/em&gt; VI diagramme points to herbaceous vegetation on the palaeomire surface and mesotrophic water conditions with intense mineral matter influx from palaeo-Niger River. The area received frequent rainfall along with river flooding; thus, peat remained water-logged. Within the several hundred metres thick alluvial sediments, only short periods of limnotelmatic conditions prevailed in the area, yielding coal beds less than 17 m thick. The small number of the available cores distribut","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104807"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A critical review of experimental and theoretical studies on shale geomechanical and deformation properties, fluid flow behavior, and coupled flow and geomechanics effects during production","authors":"Ifeanyi Valerian Nwankwo ,&nbsp;Morteza Dejam ,&nbsp;Scott Austin Quillinan","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104777","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flow in shale differs substantially from that in conventional reservoirs due to unfavorable reservoir features such as ultra-low permeability and very poor porosity. Shale also exhibits considerable anisotropy and heterogeneity, with clay laminae and bedding angle being the primary variables influencing anisotropy. As a result, shale is subjected to high stress sensitivity and deformation during depressurization, which affects fluid flow. Furthermore, non-Darcy flow mechanisms exist thereby making flow in shale a complex phenomenon. Nonetheless, many studies have recently focused on the geophysical and geomechanical characterization of shale. Various works have equally examined the complexity of fluid flow. Numerous studies were particularly interested in the influence of non-linear flow parameters and stress sensitivity on apparent permeability, intrinsic permeability, and porosity during pressure depletion. However, relatively few works, mostly theoretical, have been carried out on coupled flow and geomechanical reactions. This review thus includes a report on fluid flow and geomechanical characterization of shale formation, as well as an identification of the factors that influence rock deformation and fluid flow during production. The review showed that flow regimes are predominantly dependent on pore pressure and pore size, whereas flow regimes regulate apparent permeability. For example, at low pressures and pore radius less than 10 nm, flow regims were found to significantly increase the apparent permeability. However, at higher bulk modulus (&gt;10 GPa), pore radius has essentially no impact, hence, pore pressure becomes the dominant factor influencing flow. In addition, the review shows that during depressurization, geophysical metrics are more sensitive to pressure changes than geomechanical properties. Finally, some results in literature revealed that the impact of geomechanical characteristics on cumulative production can be ignored in competent formations with high Young's modulus (about 6 × 10⁶-10 × 10⁶ psi). In conclusion, recovery from shale could be optimized by integrating experimental studies with hydromechanical models during initial reservoir studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104777"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143917670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterizing hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions using CLSM-based microspectrometry with application to the Upper Permian rock salt in the Gorleben and Morsleben sites, Germany","authors":"J. Kus,&nbsp;L. Richter,&nbsp;G. Scheeder,&nbsp;C. Ostertag-Henning,&nbsp;M. Blumenberg,&nbsp;M. Mertineit","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coal.2025.104792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions (HCFI) in halite from the Gorleben and Morsleben sites (Germany), petroleum from Gorleben, and epoxy resins have been analysed in-situ using a combined approach of confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM), incident light, and transmitted light fluorescence microscopy. The HCFI contain vapour and liquid hydrocarbon phases and their optical appearance varies widely and distinctively. 405 nm based excitation allowed for in-situ CLSM-associated acquisitions and distinction of HCFI emission spectra for both sites. In contrast to transmitted light microscopy equipped with barrier filter &gt;515 nm, the CLSM-related emission &gt;410 nm employed full emission spectra essential for observation of the entire emission spectrum of HCFI. While maximum emission intensity (λ_max) of HCFI at the Gorleben site peaks at 455–456 nm, the corresponding λ_max at the Morsleben site ranges from 485 to 495 nm, indicating that emission spectra of HCFI at Gorleben site are “blue-shifted” in comparison to those at Morsleben. It is implied that the blue-shift is caused by a shift to a less aromatic/polar composition of the HCFI at Gorleben site. Both, HCFI and petroleum differ noticeably in spectral properties from epoxy resins indicating no contamination of epoxy resin in the examined thick sections. Coarse approximations of °API (a standard for petroleum liquid density), based on red/green coefficient (Q_max) and empirical correlation equation as well as direct measurements of °API, suggested markedly different °API gravities for Gorleben and Morsleben sites with higher °API values, of up to 52.4 for the first. Collectively, the results of this research study demonstrated the applicability and adaptability of CLSM as a well-advanced method to acquire in-situ spectral properties of HCFI in salt rock, as a basis for understanding hydrocarbon generation and migration in sedimentary environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"306 ","pages":"Article 104792"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143912502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}