Rights statement: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 251, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2019.02.024
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Using noble gases to trace groundwater evolution and assess helium accumulation in Weihe Basin, central China
AU - Zhang, Wen
AU - Li, Yuhong
AU - Zhao, Fenghua
AU - Han, Wei
AU - Li, Yan
AU - Wang, Yunpeng
AU - Holland, Greg
AU - Zhou, Zheng
N1 - This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 251, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2019.02.024
PY - 2019/4/15
Y1 - 2019/4/15
N2 - The severe shortage of helium resources is an impending global problem. However, the helium accumulation processes and conditions favorable for helium enrichment in reservoirs remain poorly understood, which makes helium exploration challenging. Noble gases are good tracers of subsurface fluids provenance, migration and storage, as well as indicators of the nature and quantity of associated phases. In this study the variation of major gases and noble gases data in Weihe Basin provide us with an excellent opportunity to understand the groundwater evolution and helium accumulation processes. Twelve gas samples collected from wellheads of geothermal wells can be classified into three groups, in which Group A has high concentrations of N2 (58.57% - 91.66%) and He (0.32% - 2.94%); Group B has high contents of CH4 (52.94% and 69.50%) and low concentrations of He (0.057% and 0.062%); Group C has a high content of CH4 (71.70%) and He (2.11%). Helium isotopic ratios are predominantly radiogenic in origin and therefore crustally derived. Measured elemental ratios of noble gases are compared with multiple fractionation models for Group A and B samples, implying that open system heavy oil-water fractionation with excess heavy noble gases has occurred in the basin with Voil/Vwater ratios of 0.06-0.18. The amount of helium in Group A and B samples requires the release of all 4He produced in the crust since 0.30Ma-1.98Ma into the groundwater. The Group C sample requires an additional He flux from adjacent granitic bodies. The accumulation of helium and hydrocarbon in the Weihe Basin can be explained by a 4-stage process. Accumulation of commercially viable helium requires high He flux from source rocks, the existence of a free gas phase of major gas components (CH4 in most cases, N2 or CO2) and minimal major gas addition after formation of the free gas phase.
AB - The severe shortage of helium resources is an impending global problem. However, the helium accumulation processes and conditions favorable for helium enrichment in reservoirs remain poorly understood, which makes helium exploration challenging. Noble gases are good tracers of subsurface fluids provenance, migration and storage, as well as indicators of the nature and quantity of associated phases. In this study the variation of major gases and noble gases data in Weihe Basin provide us with an excellent opportunity to understand the groundwater evolution and helium accumulation processes. Twelve gas samples collected from wellheads of geothermal wells can be classified into three groups, in which Group A has high concentrations of N2 (58.57% - 91.66%) and He (0.32% - 2.94%); Group B has high contents of CH4 (52.94% and 69.50%) and low concentrations of He (0.057% and 0.062%); Group C has a high content of CH4 (71.70%) and He (2.11%). Helium isotopic ratios are predominantly radiogenic in origin and therefore crustally derived. Measured elemental ratios of noble gases are compared with multiple fractionation models for Group A and B samples, implying that open system heavy oil-water fractionation with excess heavy noble gases has occurred in the basin with Voil/Vwater ratios of 0.06-0.18. The amount of helium in Group A and B samples requires the release of all 4He produced in the crust since 0.30Ma-1.98Ma into the groundwater. The Group C sample requires an additional He flux from adjacent granitic bodies. The accumulation of helium and hydrocarbon in the Weihe Basin can be explained by a 4-stage process. Accumulation of commercially viable helium requires high He flux from source rocks, the existence of a free gas phase of major gas components (CH4 in most cases, N2 or CO2) and minimal major gas addition after formation of the free gas phase.
KW - Noble gases
KW - Helium accumulation
KW - Oil-water fractionation
KW - Weihe Basin
U2 - 10.1016/j.gca.2019.02.024
DO - 10.1016/j.gca.2019.02.024
M3 - Journal article
VL - 251
SP - 229
EP - 246
JO - Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
JF - Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
SN - 0016-7037
ER -