Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite

This geological study utilized electron probe microanalysis of granitic rocks to evaluate traces of hydrothermal fluid activity. Amphibole-plagioclase thermometry was applied to estimate the temperature of a glassy vein as approximately 700°C. The results of mesoscopic and microscopic observations o...

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Main Authors: Tsuyoshi Nohara, Masaoki Uno, Noriyoshi Tsuchiya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Geofluids
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/6053815
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author Tsuyoshi Nohara
Masaoki Uno
Noriyoshi Tsuchiya
author_facet Tsuyoshi Nohara
Masaoki Uno
Noriyoshi Tsuchiya
author_sort Tsuyoshi Nohara
collection DOAJ
description This geological study utilized electron probe microanalysis of granitic rocks to evaluate traces of hydrothermal fluid activity. Amphibole-plagioclase thermometry was applied to estimate the temperature of a glassy vein as approximately 700°C. The results of mesoscopic and microscopic observations of the rock core obtained through borehole investigations revealed that the track of supercritical fluid flow was microfracture filling with hornblende and plagioclase. Grain-boundary microfractures and parallel microfractures were recognized as traces formed by the limited activity of the supercritical fluid immediately after granite setting in the Late Cretaceous. The current high permeability of a borehole in and around the track of supercritical fluid flow was recognized to be related to the microfracture network. In order to investigate the enhancement of permeability activated by the supercritical fluid flow through granite, the results of this geological study and existing data from in situ permeability tests were analysed. Various fractures in and around the trace of a self-sealing zone were investigated for another borehole rock core. The trace of the self-sealing zone, which was composed of filling textures associated with the supercritical fluid, corresponded to the current low-permeability section of the borehole. Representative types were proposed for simple classification based on the characteristics of fractures and the permeability data of each test section. A high-angle fracture of chlorite filling in combination with an open fracture and the development of a sericite-filling fracture network including a low-angle open fracture were recognized as characteristics of high-permeability types. The results of this study indicate that the enhancement of permeability was activated by supercritical fluid flow through granite.
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spelling doaj-art-fee922a4d95c4a1c88f672bf30af1cd22025-08-20T03:25:39ZengWileyGeofluids1468-81151468-81232019-01-01201910.1155/2019/60538156053815Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through GraniteTsuyoshi Nohara0Masaoki Uno1Noriyoshi Tsuchiya2Geoscientific Research Department, Tono Geoscience Center, Sector of Nuclear Fuel, Decommissioning and Waste Management Technology Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Yamanouchi, 1-64, Akiyo-cho, Mizunami, Gifu 509-6132, JapanGraduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki-aza-Aoba, 6-6-20, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, JapanGraduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki-aza-Aoba, 6-6-20, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, JapanThis geological study utilized electron probe microanalysis of granitic rocks to evaluate traces of hydrothermal fluid activity. Amphibole-plagioclase thermometry was applied to estimate the temperature of a glassy vein as approximately 700°C. The results of mesoscopic and microscopic observations of the rock core obtained through borehole investigations revealed that the track of supercritical fluid flow was microfracture filling with hornblende and plagioclase. Grain-boundary microfractures and parallel microfractures were recognized as traces formed by the limited activity of the supercritical fluid immediately after granite setting in the Late Cretaceous. The current high permeability of a borehole in and around the track of supercritical fluid flow was recognized to be related to the microfracture network. In order to investigate the enhancement of permeability activated by the supercritical fluid flow through granite, the results of this geological study and existing data from in situ permeability tests were analysed. Various fractures in and around the trace of a self-sealing zone were investigated for another borehole rock core. The trace of the self-sealing zone, which was composed of filling textures associated with the supercritical fluid, corresponded to the current low-permeability section of the borehole. Representative types were proposed for simple classification based on the characteristics of fractures and the permeability data of each test section. A high-angle fracture of chlorite filling in combination with an open fracture and the development of a sericite-filling fracture network including a low-angle open fracture were recognized as characteristics of high-permeability types. The results of this study indicate that the enhancement of permeability was activated by supercritical fluid flow through granite.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/6053815
spellingShingle Tsuyoshi Nohara
Masaoki Uno
Noriyoshi Tsuchiya
Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite
Geofluids
title Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite
title_full Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite
title_fullStr Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite
title_full_unstemmed Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite
title_short Enhancement of Permeability Activated by Supercritical Fluid Flow through Granite
title_sort enhancement of permeability activated by supercritical fluid flow through granite
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/6053815
work_keys_str_mv AT tsuyoshinohara enhancementofpermeabilityactivatedbysupercriticalfluidflowthroughgranite
AT masaokiuno enhancementofpermeabilityactivatedbysupercriticalfluidflowthroughgranite
AT noriyoshitsuchiya enhancementofpermeabilityactivatedbysupercriticalfluidflowthroughgranite