Most researchers agree that the void space in Domanik type sediments is formed due to the transformation of kerogen and the release of pores. Areas with high maturity of organic matter are considered the most promising for the search for “continuous reservoirs” that do not require the presence of anticlinal traps. This article attempts to critically evaluate the viability of existing approaches, focusing on the geological criteria for searching for drilling targets in the near future, and without touching on the topic of improving development technologies. The article considers and classifies the existing deposits in the Domanik complex, studying their genesis, composition and properties. Three fundamentally different types of exploration targets are distinguished: A – lithological traps confined to reef debris trails (porous reservoir); B – structural-lithological traps in cavern development zones at the roof of the Voronezh horizon (cavernous reservoir); C – structural traps in tectonic fault zones (fracture reservoir). Based on the presented materials, it is proposed to take a new look at the oil-bearing potential of Domanik type deposits, moving away from the concept of “continuous reservoirs”.

Based on the interpretation of 3D seismic exploration results in combination with core material and geophysical well logs, the internal structure of the Lower Cretaceous deep-water fans in Western Siberia was detailed in order to improve the accuracy of reservoir rock prediction. The article presents the depositional elements of deep-water lobes and channels, their diagnostic features. Based on the 3D seismic exploration results, different morphological types of deep-water fans were identified: radial, elongated (lobate), asymmetric (at the foot of an underwater slope) and slope terraces (on a stepped underwater slope). The final morphology of deep-sea fans is determined by the volume of sediment input, the ratio of sand and siltstone-clay fraction in the flow, changes in the accommodation space, frequent avulsion of turbidite channels, paleorelief of the sea basin bottom and underwater slope, and the intensity of deep-sea permanent bottom currents. Over time, in the process of their development, deep-sea fans change their shape, passing from one morphological type to another. Most of the Lower Cretaceous West Siberian deep-sea fans have deltaic feeding, exhibit left-sided asymmetry due to the rotation of the Earth and the influence of contour currents. The radial deep-sea fans with slightly sinuous distribution channels are characterized by the greatest sand content in the section.

The digitalization of the mining industry has made it essential to improve mineralogical analysis methods using artificial intelligence. The aim of this work is to develop and validate computer vision algorithms for the automated identification of native gold grains in laboratory concentrates derived from gold-quartz-sulphide ore, with a quantitative assessment of their dimensional characteristics. Sample preparation included electric pulse disaggregation (EPD), which ensures the separation of minerals along phase boundaries whilst preserving grain morphology, and hydroseparation (HS) to isolate heavy fractions. Object detection was performed using a convolutional neural network based on the YOLOv12 architecture within the MinEye hardware-software suite. The initial version of the algorithm demonstrated high precision (96.0%) but insufficient recall (51.8%) due to the omission of small and low-contrast particles. As a result of optimizing the training dataset (fine-tuning on images of fine gold), detection recall was increased to 88.4% whilst maintaining high precision (97.6%). Mineralogical and geochemical methods have established the predominance of fine gold (50-100 µm class). The data obtained indicate the broad applicability of this approach for supporting technological research and optimizing gold extraction processes.

This study investigates the mineralogical and geochemical features of the redistribution of metals (Fe, Pb, Cu, Zn) and As and their speciation in the tailings impoundment of processed ores from the Novo-Berikul gold-sulfide-quartz deposit (Kuznetsk Alatau, Kemerovo Region, Russia). Cyanidation tailings are represented by compacted, yet unlithified material exhibiting with a distinct layered texture, heterogeneous in color and degree of oxidation, and characterized by extremely uneven distribution of ore minerals. It has been demonstrated that in the minimally oxidized material at the initial stage of supergene transformation (pH 7,21–8,04), residual sulfides predominate (pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galenite), along with the formation of Fe (oxy)hydroxide coatings and secondary carbonates. In the strongly oxidized parts of the tailings impoundment (pH 1,52–2,49), intense secondary mineral formation occurs, involving Fe (oxy)hydroxides, hydrous sulfates, and minerals of the jarosite group, as well as gypsum and scorodite, which form cementing structures. It has been established that dissolution, transport, and precipitation processes lead to the redistribution of metals and their immobilization in secondary mineral phases. Compared to the minimally oxidized material, the oxidized horizons exhibit elevated concentrations of Fe (1,4-fold increase), Pb (8-fold), As (9-fold), and Cu (5-fold), whereas the Zn content decreases twofold. These findings are significant for evaluating environmental risks linked to sulfide-bearing tailings impoundments and for developing approaches to their monitoring, remediation, and reprocessing.

The main task in the rational development of flooded deposits at a late stage should be considered the “revival” of the energy of oil fields, primarily by increasing their mobility. In the context of declining export prices for oil, the use of tertiary methods of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) for mature fields is becoming less and less profitable, given the economic risks. To improve the efficiency of development of mature oil fields, an alternative to tertiary EOR methods is non-stationary (cyclic) flooding. The main advantage of the non-stationary flooding method is the ease of implementation and virtually zero cost, which makes this technology very attractive in the current market conditions. The article presents the criteria for the applicability of cyclic flooding for a complex carbonate reservoir of the Tournaisian stage C1t (T0, T1) of an oil field in the Perm region. The novelty of the presented research is the consideration of laboratory studies of the hysteresis of relative phase permeabilities in the water-oil system when calculating the cyclic flooding technology on an updated three-dimensional hydrodynamic model in the tNavigator software. The authors present the results of multivariate calculations of non-stationary flooding for one of the priority oil fields in the Perm Krai with and without the option of hysteresis of relative phase permeabilities. We have shown the importance of including in commercial simulators models with inverse hysteresis loops for carbonate porous media with intermediate wettability. The conducted studies allowed not only to identify the problem, but also to determine the directions of future work, including laboratory studies of carbonate reservoirs in the reverse “impregnation-drainage” mode, corresponding to the processes occurring during non-stationary flooding.

 The article addresses the problems of pressure transient analysis (PTA) of producing oil wells aimed at refining the geological structure of productive formations characterized by pronounced layered heterogeneity. The objective of this study is to improve the effectiveness of PTA in layered heterogeneous reservoirs containing fractured zones or sub-layers with abnormally high permeability. Under such conditions, the risks of uneven reservoir depletion and premature water breakthrough are significantly increased. The primary objectives of the study include evaluating the informativeness of conventional PTA interpretation approaches, determining the limits of their applicability, and substantiating recommendations for their further development. Sector-based numerical modeling of flow processes occurring in the near-wellbore zone during production and injection is used as the main research tool. The paper considers conditions of full reservoir penetration by vertical, deviated, and horizontal wellbores, as well as partial (segmented) penetration, including cases of single-stage hydraulic fracturing and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. Diagnostics of abnormal reservoir heterogeneity enables timely reservoir management decisions aimed at enhancing oil recovery by reducing the risks of uneven depletion and early water breakthrough.