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Westgate Tunnel is Australia’s largest single infrastructure contract. It provides a new motorway connection for Melbourne’s western suburbs to the CBD. The project includes 7km of twin bored tunnel and over 20km of bridge viaducts. Also included are 14km of new walking and cycling paths with assoicated footbridges.The project inculdes 12 new footbridges. These include large span trusses over creeks (Fig. 1), rail and motorways (Fig 2.), a 2.5km long cyclist only “ veloway” (Fig. 3) which hangs from parallel viaducts and a 120m span curved cable stay bridge (Fig. 4). Detailed analysis was undertaken to understand how veloway users’ experience would be affected by both static and dynamic responses from traffic on the supporting structures. For the cable-stayed structure, studies were undertaken to investigate both pedestrian and wind induced dynamics. These included aeroelastic wind tunnel testing of a 7m long scale model.The urban design response was to define architectural themes which connect structures, and create a uniform user experience. Bridge designs were developed to provide an identity to different routes. For clear span footbridges over traffic, curved organic forms were adopted. A route over a busy rail corridor adopted a more industrial functional aesthetic with weathering steel finishes. The veloway comprises a unique hanging continuous tube. The cable stay bridge also adopts similar finishes to connect this route.The paper will present the project wide approach, to define the user experience across multiple bridges.

International audience; The Mozambique and Madagascar margins present major rivers that are responsible for the discharge of large amounts of terrestrial organic matter (OM) which can influence carbon cycling in marine environments. Therefore, the Mozambique channel represents a unique case to study the fate of the organic carbon in deepwater domains. Using a new and extensive data set of sedimentary OM collected from sediment traps, seafloor sediments and core sediments, we address the origin of the OM that is transported and deposited in the Mozambique Channel, its degradation state and preservation conditions. A Rock-Eval 6 survey allowed us to characterize the origin and amount of OM from shallow to deep-water turbidite systems, between 500 and 4400 m water depth. Rock-Eval 6 performed on suspended sediments within particle traps at 47 m above the seabed show that the OM is transported into the deep-water domain with relatively high TOC (between 1.5 and 2.5%). However, the OM is largely oxidized close to the water-sediment interface (Oxygen Index >300 mg CO 2 /g TOC). Seafloor sediments sampled to a maximum depth of 40 cm show lower TOC values compared to those collected from particle traps suggesting that the degradation of the OM is mainly active at the water-sediment interface. Small concentrations of OM are preserved within the recent sediments of the distal area of the Zambezi turbidite system below 2500 m water depth (TOC < 0.5%). Rock-Eval results show that core sediments from the Majunga slope (NW margin of Madagascar) and the Zambezi slope (Mozambique margin) contain the highest concentration of terrestrial OM (TOC between 1 and 2%). However, the OM within core sediments from the deep-water domain is largely oxidized and degraded, probably due to the conjugate effect of low sediment accumulation rates (SARs) and high permeabilities of the coarse-grained sediments. Consequently, the deep-water domain of the Mozambique Channel does not seem to be an important sink of terrestrial OM. This process is reinforced by important bottom water currents which induce the remobilization and transport of seafloor sediments that lead to higher oxygen exposure time in the uppermost centimeters of sediments.

Summary In this work, artificial thermal degradation experiences using the Rock-Eval® device were performed on selected polymer microsphere samples. The main idea of this work is to create a database of different polymer standard responses (PE, PE100, PA6, PA11, PFA and PET) using the specific Rock-Eval® FID peak signals. This study attends to demonstrate if this quick thermal degradation method can be also used to characterize the plastic contents (detection, type, quantity) in sedimentary samples

In this work, artificial thermal degradation experiments using the Rock-Eval® device were performed on selected polymer microsphere samples (PE, PP, PE100, PA6, PA11, PFA and PET). The main idea of this work is first to create a database of different polymer standard responses using the specific Rock-Eval® FID/IR peak signals. Several specific Rock-Eval® parameters are now defined to characterize each polymer family. For instance, each polymer is characterized by specific quantified parameters like Total HCpolymer, Total COpolymer, TotalCO2polymer, Tpeakpolymer, among others. This study attempts to demonstrate if this quick thermal degradation method can be also used to characterize the plastic contents (detection, type, and quantity) in sedimentary samples. Results indicate that each investigated polymer shows specific Rock-Eval® parameters that can be considered as useful characteristics of polymer families (mainly Tpeakpolymer, TOCpolymer, PCpolymer, RCpolymer, total HCpolymer, total COpolymer and total CO2polymer parameters). Samples containing different mineral matrices (e.g. sand, shale, marl and carbonate) were also mixed with polymers at different concentrations varying between 0.2 and 4.2 wt%. These composite samples were also analyzed in order to evaluate their thermal degradation comparing their specific Rock-Eval® FID/IR signatures. For example, most composite samples show an excellent linear correlation between TOC, PC, RC, total HC, CO and CO2 parameters versus the amount polymer at different concentrations. Although more work is still needed, a methodology is here proposed to distinguish and quantify the presence of plastics in the environment applying the proposed polymer Rock-Eval® database.

A geochemical study of gas coming from three wells in northeastern Kansas supplements previous studies from the 1980s and points to a persistent regional phenomenon of H2 production. In 2008, a new well showed, just after drilling, a free gas phase with more than 80 mole % of H2, followed by water production associated with gas. This gas is mainly composed of N2, He, H2, and occasionally CH4, with changing proportions through time. A drastic decrease in H2 at the well was observed since the aquifer is produced, along with occasional recharges in H2 evidenced notably in the early phases of gas sampling. We demonstrate that this evolution of gas composition is closely associated to the well completion story. Accordingly, two distinct origins of H2 are proposed: (1) deep crustal H2: water reduction associated to iron oxidation in the Precambrian basement; (2) reactions occurring in the tubing, primarily attributed to high contents of reduced iron and/or dissolved organic carbon (DOC = 4.1 mg L−1) in the water. The low δD values averaging −760‰ are attributed to a low temperature process, possibly a re-equilibration with water. Furthermore, the suggested origins are supported by the observed gas associations: (a) deep crustal H2 with radiogenic gases (4He and 40Ar) and metamorphic N2 (δ15N averaging +2.5‰); (b) surficial H2 with methane produced in the sedimentary aquifer and the tubing by methanogenic organisms.

International audience; We report the discovery of a general, diffused flow of molecular hydrogen (H2) through the Western Hajar mountains of Northern Oman. H2 was detected across a fracture system in the peridotites of the Semail ophiolite massif, and no traces of this gas were found in unfractured peridotites. H2 seeps in these rocks have been classically interpreted to be the result of reduction of groundwater during the process of peridotite serpentinization. However, there is evidence of hydrogen seepage in other geological units of Northern Oman, particularly in the Precambrian to Early Permian metamorphic sequences of the Jebel Akhdar massif, and to a lesser extent in the Hawasina sequence underthrust beneath the ophiolitic units. As a consequence, hydrogen flows are also being detected from geological formations structurally located below the ophiolites. Our sampling shows that increased flow is not observed in the peridotites, but in the deeper stratigraphic and structural units (Upper Proterozoic). These observations suggest a source of H2 existing below the ophiolites. Minimum estimated H2 flows using various methods range from 70 to 150 m3/km2 per day from peridotites and up to 1300 m3/km2 per day from the Upper Proterozoic.

An advanced method for pyritic and organic sulphur quantification in organic rich sediments was developed using a Rock-Eval which was designed for sulphur quantification in addition to carbon quantification (Rock-Eval S). This new method involves data processing of parameters obtained via Rock-Eval S analysis of rock samples. It was applied to sedimentary mixtures with known organic and pyritic sulphur contents. The results show that this method allows an accurate quantification of both pyritic and organic sulphur in organic rich sediments that do not contain sulphates. This new method provides important analytical advantages, including (i) rapid analysis time (2 hours per sample); (ii) no chemical preparation steps, which are laborious and hazardous due to the use of strong acids; (iii) automatic analysis; and (iv) simultaneous quantification of organic/inorganic carbon and organic/inorganic sulphur in a single run.

An advanced method for pyritic and organic sulphur quantification was developed using a Rock-Eval 6 adapted for sulphur quantification in addition to carbon (Rock-Eval 6S). It consists in data processing of sulphur parameters obtained via Rock-Eval 6S analysis of a rock sample. This Rock-Eval 6S method for pyritic and organic sulphur quantification was applied on sets of organic rich sedimentary rock samples from the Grey Shale Member in North Yorkshire and from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation in Dorset. Results from the Rock-Eval 6S method were compared to results from another independent method based on elemental analysis. A good correlation between both methods is observed except for samples with low pyritic and organic sulphur contents. This new Rock-Eval 6S method for pyritic and organic sulphur quantification provides important advantages compared to the elemental analysis method, including: rapid analysis time (2 hours per sample); no chemical preparation steps, which are heavy and dangerous procedures due to the use of strong acids; automatic analysis; combined quantification of organic/inorganic carbon and organic/inorganic sulphur in a single run.

This paper proposes a comparative study of reduced gas seepages occurring in ultrabasic to basic rocks outcropping in ophiolitic complexes based on the study of seepages from Oman, the Philippines, Turkey and New Caledonia. This study is based on analyses of the gas chemical composition, noble gases contents, stable isotopes of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. These seepages are mostly made of mixtures of three main components which are H 2 , CH 4 and N 2 in various proportions. The relative contents of the three main gas components show 4 distinct types of gas mixtures (H 2 -rich, N 2 -rich, N 2 -H 2 -CH 4 and H 2 -CH 4 ). These types are interpreted as reflecting different zones of gas generation within or below the ophiolitic complexes. In the H 2 -rich type, associated noble gases display signatures close to the value of air. In addition to the atmospheric component, mantle and crustal contributions are present in the N 2 -rich, N 2 -H 2 -CH 4 and H 2 -CH 4 types. H 2 -bearing gases are either associated with ultra-basic (pH 10–12) spring waters or they seep directly in fracture systems from the ophiolitic rocks. In ophiolitic contexts, ultrabasic rocks provide an adequate environment with available Fe 2+ and alkaline conditions that favor H 2 production. CH 4 is produced either directly by reaction of dissolved CO 2 with basic-ultrabasic rocks during the serpentinization process or in a second step by H 2 -CO 2 interaction. H 2 is present in the gas when no more carbon is available in the system to generate CH 4 . The N 2 -rich type is notably associated with relatively high contents of crustal 4 He and in this gas type N 2 is interpreted as issued mainly from sediments located below the ophiolitic units.

In this study, an integrated approach was applied using available sedimentary, geochronology, geochemical and isotopic datasets to better understand the complex interactions between production, destruction, and dilution processes that characterize the organic-rich sediments dynamic across the K-T boundary in a lacustrine system. This approach was tested here on the Late Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic Yacoraite Formation, a typical lacustrine source rock from the Salta rift Basin (NW Argentina). The Yacoraite Formation corresponds to a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic lacustrine sedimentary system, deposited during the sag phase (post-rift). We demonstrated here that new ashes U-Pb dating tie the K-T boundary during the deposition of the Yacoraite Formation. The Yacoraite Formation recorded major climate changes that can be documented in terms of catchment dynamic, erosion processes, carbonate accumulation trends, lacustrine dynamic and source rock quality. The pattern of organic carbon enrichment in the Yacoraite Formation illustrates how a biological pump came across a major climatic change. The background organic matter correspond to Type I dominated by algal growth (mean HI 600–800 mgHC/gTOC, TOC0 1–2 wt%). The K-T boundary was the climax of a climate change initiated ca. 0.3 Myr before and induced a major change in the catchment weathering processes, which temporally corresponds to the accumulation of poor quality source rock intervals (TOC0 ≤ 0.2 wt% and HI

This paper presents a new reliable and rapid method to characterise and quantify carbonates in solid samples based on monitoring the CO2 flux emitted by progressive thermal decomposition of carbonates during a programmed heating. The different peaks of destabilisation allow determining the different types of carbonates present in the analysed sample. The quantification of each peak gives the respective proportions of these different types of carbonates in the sample. In addition to the chosen procedure presented in this paper, using a standard Rock-Eval 6 pyrolyser, calibration characteristic profiles are also presented for the most common carbonates in nature. This method should allow different types of application for different disciplines, either academic or industrial.

International audience; Unconventional resources such as tight, fractured and hybrid shale gas and oil plays as well as oil or kerogen shale systems, are considered exploitable self-contained source and reservoir rocks. A better understanding of the thermal cracking of sedimentary organic matter, hydrocarbons generation, expulsion, storage and retention mechanisms constitutes a key point, estimating the oil and gas in-place, free or adsorbed, for their exploration and exploitation. Herein, we introduce a new " ready to use " method of analysis and interpretation for the Rock-Eval 6 device for better assessment of free or sorbed hydrocarbons in unconventional shale plays. This method was developed at IFP Energies nouvelles (France) and was tested on 15 actual or potential unconventional shale samples from Silurian Shale (Algeria), Mississippian Barnett Shale (USA), Early Jurassic Shale (France), Late Jurassic Bazhenov Shale (Russia) and Eocene Green River Shale at different thermal maturity stages. Results indicate a better quantification of free and/or sorbed hydrocarbons (Sh0 and Sh1 peaks) as well as a more accurate determination of the Rock-Eval T max maturity parameter.; Les ressources non conventionnelles, en particulier les hydrocarbures de roches mères et les schistes bitumineux sont actuellement considérées comme des roches réservoirs pétroliers exploitables. Une meilleure compréhension sur le craquage thermique de la matière organique sédimentaire, sur les mécanismes de production/génération, d'expulsion, de stockage et de rétention des hydrocarbures constitue un point essentiel à la fois pour l'estimation mais également pour l'exploration et l'estimation du pétrole et du gaz en place (libre ou adsorbé) présents dans ces systèmes. Ici, nous présentons une nouvelle méthode d'analyse et d'interprétation pour le Rock-Eval 6 permettant une meilleure estimation/évaluation des hydrocarbures libres ou adsorbés au sein d'une roche mère non conventionnelle. Cette méthode, développée à l'IFP Energies nouvelles (France), a été élaborée et testée sur 15 échantillons de schistes actuels ou potentiels provenant : du Silurien Shale (Algérie), du Mississippien Barnett Shale (USA), du Jurassique Inférieur du Bassin de Paris (France), du Jurassique Supérieur Bazhenov Shale (Russie) et de l'Eocène Green River Shale (USA) et ce, à des stades différents de maturité thermique. Les résultats

We performed a quantitative comparison of brittle thrust wedge experiments to evaluate the variability among analogue models and to appraise the reproducibility and limits of model interpretation. Fifteen analogue modeling laboratories participated in this benchmark initiative. Each laboratory received a shipment of the same type of quartz and corundum sand and all laboratories adhered to a stringent model building protocol and used the same type of foil to cover base and sidewalls of the sandbox. Sieve structure, sifting height, filling rate, and details on off-scraping of excess sand followed prescribed procedures. Our analogue benchmark shows that even for simple plane-strain experiments with prescribed stringent model construction techniques, quantitative model results show variability, most notably for surface slope, thrust spacing and number of forward and backthrusts. One of the sources of the variability in model results is related to slight variations in how sand is deposited in the sandbox. Small changes in sifting height, sifting rate, and scraping will result in slightly heterogeneous material bulk densities, which will affect the mechanical properties of the sand, and will result in lateral and vertical differences in peak and boundary friction angles, as well as cohesion values once the model is constructed. Initial variations in basal friction are inferred to play the most important role in causing model variability. Our comparison shows that the human factor plays a decisive role, and even when one modeler repeats the same experiment, quantitative model results still show variability. Our observations highlight the limits of up-scaling quantitative analogue model results to nature or for making comparisons with numerical models. The frictional behavior of sand is highly sensitive to small variations in material state or experimental set-up, and hence, it will remain difficult to scale quantitative results such as number of thrusts, thrust spacing, and pop-up width from model to nature. Fil: Schreurs, Guido. University of Bern; Suiza Fil: Buiter, Susanne J. H.. University of Oslo; Noruega. Norges Geologiske Undersekelse; Noruega Fil: Boutelier, Jennifer. University of Toronto; Canadá Fil: Burberry, Caroline. Uppsala Universitet; Suecia Fil: Callot, Jean-Paul. Ifp Energies Nouvelles; Francia Fil: Cavozzi, Cristian. Università di Parma; Italia Fil: Cerca, Mariano. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: Chen, Jian-Hong. National Taiwan University; República de China Fil: Cristallini, Ernesto Osvaldo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; Chile Fil: Cruden, Alexander R.. University of Toronto; Canadá Fil: Cruz, Leonardo. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Daniel, Jean-Marc. Ifp Energies Nouvelles; Francia Fil: Da Poian, Gabriela. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Garcia, Victor H.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; Argentina Fil: Gomes, Caroline J. S.. Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Brasil Fil: Grall, Céline. Ifp Energies Nouvelles; Francia Fil: Guillot, Yannick. University Of Lille; Francia Fil: Guzman, Cecilia Griselda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Estudios Andinos ; Argentina Fil: Hidayah, Triyani Nur. State University of New Jersey; Estados Unidos Fil: Hilley, George. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos Fil: Klinkmüller, Matthias. University of Bern; Suiza Fil: Koyi, Hemin A.. Uppsala Universitet; Suecia Fil: Lu, Chia-Yu. National Taiwan University; República de China Fil: Maillot, Bertrand. Universite de Cergy-Pontoise; Francia Fil: Meriaux, Catherine. Monash University; Australia Fil: Nilfouroushan, Faramarz. Uppsala Universitet; Suecia Fil: Pan, Chang-Chih. National Taiwan University; Suecia Fil: Pillot, Daniel. Ifp Energies Nouvelles; Francia Fil: Portillo, Rodrigo. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: Rosenau, Matthias. German Research Centre for Geosciences; Alemania Fil: Schellart, Wouter P.. Monash University; Australia Fil: Schlische, Roy W.. State University of New Jersey; Estados Unidos Fil: Take, Andy. Queens University; Canadá Fil: Vendeville, Bruno. Laboratoire D'oceanologie Et de Geosciences; Francia Fil: Vergnaud, Marine. Ifp Energies Nouvelles; Francia Fil: Vettori, Matteo. Università di Parma; Italia Fil: Wang, Shih-Hsien. National Taiwan University; República de China Fil: Withjack, Martha O.. State University of New Jersey; Estados Unidos Fil: Yagupsky, Daniel Leonardo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Yamada, Yasuhiro. Kyoto University; Japón

A study of soil gases was made in North Carolina (USA) in and around morphological depressions called “Carolina bays.” This type of depression is observed over the Atlantic coastal plains of the USA, but their origin remains debated. Significant concentrations of molecular hydrogen (H2) were detected, notably around the bays. These measurements suggest that Carolina bays are the surficial expression of fluid flow pathways for hydrogen gas moving from depth to the surface. The potential mechanisms of H2 production and transport and the geological controls on the fluid migration pathways are discussed, with reference to the hypothesis that Carolina bays are the result of local collapses caused by the alteration of rock along the deep pathways of H2 migrating towards the surface. The present H2 seepages are comparable to those in similar structures previously observed in the East European craton.

We explored the submarine portions of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden Fault zone (EPGFZ) and the Septentrional–Oriente Fault zone (SOFZ) along the Northern Caribbean plate boundary using high-resolution multibeam echo-sounding and shallow seismic reflection. The bathymetric data shed light on poorly documented or previously unknown submarine fault zones running over 200 km between Haiti and Jamaica (EPGFZ) and 300 km between the Dominican Republic and Cuba (SOFZ). The primary plate-boundary structures are a series of strike-slip fault segments associated with pressure ridges, restraining bends, step overs and dogleg offsets indicating very active tectonics. Several distinct segments 50–100 km long cut across pre-existing structures inherited from former tectonic regimes or bypass recent morphologies formed under the current strike-slip regime. Along the most recent trace of the SOFZ, we measured a strike-slip offset of 16.5 km, which indicates steady activity for the past ~1.8 Ma if its current GPS-derived motion of 9.8 ± 2 mm a−1 has remained stable during the entire Quaternary.

Successful petroleum exploration relies on detailed analysis of the petroleum system in a given area. Identification of potential source rocks, their maturity and kinetic parameters, and their regional distribution are best accomplished by rapid screening of rock samples (cores and/or cuttings) using the Rock-Eval apparatus. The technique has been routinely used for about fifteen years and has become a standard tool for hydrocarbon exploration. This paper describes how the new functions of the latest version of Rock-Eval (Rock-Eval 6) have expanded applications of the method in petroleum geoscience. Examples of new applications are illustrated for source rock characterization, reservoir geochemistry, and environmental studies, including quantification.

The salt diapirs of the southern Zagros and offshore Iran, have been revisited in order to discuss their relationships with the geodynamic history. Field and seismic studies show that nearly all the diapirs of the studied area developed before the Zagros folding, either as emergent diapirs forming islands in the Neogene Sea or as buried domes formed at least in late Palaeozoic. Salt-cored detachment folds and thrusts developed in the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt during the Neogene, triggering the reactivation of pre-existing domes. Analogue modelling has been performed to investigate the parameters controlling salt diapirism, and the role of existing domes and salt ridges on Zagros folding. The models demonstrated that the main parameter, which controlled the diapirbuilding phase, is the strength of the overburden (or roof thickness). When thick roofs are too strong to be pierced by gravitationally pressured salt, it requires regional erosion, extension or compression to reach the surface. These phenomena can trigger, accelerate, or localize the diapir growth. The consequences of theses models for the Zagros diapirism are as follows: (1) salt plugs, now at the surface, would have emerged soon after salt deposition in Cambrian or during an Ordovician tectonic phase, and remained at or near the surface while sediments accumulated around them; (2) the buried domes observed onshore and offshore had a thick roof that was too strong to be pierced by gravitationally pressured salt alone; and (3) various Palaeozoic ridge and diapir patterns can explain present-day salt extrusions and fold patterns, with or without basement faults reactivation.

P285 Regional tectonics and Hormuz Salt in Zagros Iran. Geological observations and modeling. 1 Jean Letouzey (1) Jean-Paul Callot (1) Sharam Sherkati (2) Salman Jahani (2) Daniel Pillot (1) Jean-Marie Mengus (1) Christophe Rigollet (3) (1) Institut Francais du Petrole 1-4 avenue de Bois Preau 92852 Rueil Malmaison cedex France (2) National Iranian Oil Company Hafez crossing Taleghani av. Tehran Iran (3) Gaz de France 361 av du Pr. Wilson 93210 Saint Denis la Plaine France Summary The purpose of this paper is to discuss (1) the distribution of the Eocambrian Hormuz salt series in the Zagros region; (2) the

In order to evaluate the contamination of a site polluted by hydrocarbons, the operators in charge of the diagnosis need analysis of the soil samples to know the nature and the concentration of pollutant and the extent of the contaminated zone.