英语答案Unit 6

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Unit 6 Marine Resources Exploitation Text A Part I

Understanding and Learning

Background information 1. Green energy

It is also called sustainable energy or renewable energy. It is the sustainable provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It includes hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, and tidal power,etc. 2. Tidal power

It is also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity.

Although not yet widely used, tidal power has potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than wind energy and solar power. Among sources of renewable energy, tidal power has traditionally suffered from relatively high cost and limited availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus constricting its total availability. However, many recent technological developments and improvements, both in design (e.g. dynamic tidal power, tidal lagoons) and turbine technology (e.g. new axial turbines, cross flow turbines), indicate that the total availability of tidal power may be much higher than previously assumed, and that economic and environmental costs may be brought down to competitive levels.

Historically, tide mills have been used, both in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of North America. The earliest occurrences date from the Middle Ages, or even from Roman times.

The world's first large-scale tidal power plant (the Rance Tidal Power Station) became operational in 1966. 3. Wave power

Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water (into reservoirs). Machinery able to exploit wave power is generally known as a wave energy converter (WEC).

Wave power is distinct from the diurnal flux of tidal power and the steady gyre of ocean currents. Wave power generation is not currently a widely employed commercial technology although there have been attempts at using it since at least 1890. In 2008, the first experimental wave farm was opened in Portugal, at the Aguçadoura Wave Park

Detailed Study of the Text 1

1. Engineers have long fantasised about harnessing all that energy, and with climate change and energy security now pressing political problems, ministers are taking them seriously. (Para.3)

Meaning: Engineers have been conceiving fanciful idea that people tap tidal power which may not be supported by ministers. But now things seem to change. Because of climate change caused by green-house emissions and energy security in the sense energy is playing an increasingly critical role to a country, ministers are taking exploitation of tidal power into serious consideration. fantasise

vi. (often followed by about )conceive fanciful or extravagant notions, ideas, suppositions, or the like

e.g. to fantasize about the ideal job. 异想天开找个理想工作 vt. create in one's fancy, daydreams, or the like; imagine e.g. to fantasize a trip through space. 想象去太空旅行。

harness v. bring under conditions for effective use; gain control over for a particular end

e.g. to harness water power/ the energy of the sun. 利用水能/太阳能

2. It is easy to see the attraction of such schemes. Tidal energy is the best-behaved of renewable sources. (Para.4)

Meaning: The projects of tidal energy have the obvious advantages because tides are predictable.

3. Such a scheme could put a noticeable dent in British carbon emissions, but greens concerned about the local environment are unhappy.(para.5)

Meaning: The scheme of harnessing tidal power could reduce carbon emissions. But environmentalists don’t agree to it. dent

n. a small hollow made by pressure or a blow

e.g.My car has a dent where it hit a tree. 我的车在和树相撞的地方留下了凹陷。 v . make such a hollow in

e.g.The car was dented when it hit a wall.车撞墙上了，车身凹了进去。 make a dent in something

1) (Lit.) make a depression in something

e.g.I kicked the side of the car and made a dent in it. 我把车的侧面踢的凹陷进去了。

2) (Fig. ) use only a little of something; to make a small amount of progress with something

e.g. I've been slaving all day, and I have hardly made a dent in my work. 我干了一天活，但工作仍然没什么进展。

4. Some simply think it would be an eyesore. (Para.6)

Meaning: Some people are not happy with the projects because they think the barrages and lagoons are ugly to view.

eyesore: n. something, such as a distressed building, that is unpleasant or offensive to view. sore a.

1)painful

e.g. My leg is very sore; I have a sore leg.我腿酸 2) suffering pain

e.g. I am still a bit sore after my operation. 手术后我仍然有点疼。 3 )(American) irritated, annoyed or offended

e.g. He is still sore about what happened. 他仍然为发生的事情恼怒。 n. a painful, injured or diseased spot on the skin

e.g. His hands were covered with horrible sores. 他手上布满伤口。

5. And as one of the world’s largest engineering projects, it would, of course, be a long-lasting monument to whichever politician approved it. (Para.8) long-lasting: a. existing or persisting for a long time; everlasting: a.

1)lasting forever; eternal.

2)continuing indefinitely or for a long period of time. 3) persisting too long; tedious:

e.g. everlasting complaints.不停的抱怨 enduring a .lasting; continuing; durable

e.g.This chance meeting was the start of an enduring friendship. 这次偶然的相遇是一段持久友情的开始。

6.One reason for the expense of wave power is the need to make the equipment impervious to storm damage and corrosion. (Para.10) impervious a.

1) incapable of being penetrated:

e.g.a material impervious to water.防水材料 2) incapable of being affected: e.g.impervious to fear.不害怕 corrosion n.

1) the act or process of corroding; the condition produced by corroding e.g.Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion. 锌被用来保护其他金属免受腐蚀。

2)a substance, such as rust, formed by corroding corrode: vt.

1) destroy a metal or alloy gradually, especially by oxidation or chemical action: e.g.Rust has corroded the steel rails. 锈侵蚀了钢轨。

2）impair steadily; deteriorate:

e.g. Doubt and mistrust could creep into our lives, corroding personal and professional relationships.

怀疑与不信任悄悄走进我们的生活，损害了人与人之间的关系和工作关系。 e.g.Jealousy corroded her character. 嫉妒损伤了她的人格。 vi． be eaten or worn away.

7.But the new device, called the Snapper, increases efficiency still further. (Para.12)

Meaning：The new device，called the Snapper, increases efficiency further than Pelamis Wave Energy Convertors.

8.Having spent years floundering in the water, could wave power finally be ready to make a splash? (Para. 12)

Meaning: Wave power has made little or a little progress for years and now will get a lot of public attention thanks to technology advancement. flounder v.

1) make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance e.g. Three men were floundering about in the water. 3名男子正在水中挣扎。

2)to move or act clumsily and in confusion.

e.g. What a pity that his career was left to flounder. 真遗憾，他的事业陷入了困境。

make a splash: get a lot of public attention

His latest novel was making a splash in literary circles and is on the best-seller list. 他最新的小说在文学圈里引起了人们关注, 成为畅销书之一。

Part II

Pre-reading Questions

Before you read the text, take a few minutes to think about the following questions:

1. What is “green energy”? Could you name some of green energy?

Exercises I. A．

1. What is the status quo of British tidal and wave power?

The potential of tidal and wave power is vast in Britain. But the government’s record on exploiting them is poor. In 2005, Britain got less than 2%of its energy from renewable sources(mostly wind). This was considerably below the European average of 6.7% and far behind countries such as Denmark or Sweden.

2. The British government outlined a shortlist on Jan. 26 of 2006. What is it

about?

On January 26th the government published a shortlist of possible projects, including three barrages (essentially gigantic dams) and two tidal lagoons (man-made tanks in the sea which fill up and empty with the tide).

Reading Comprehension

3. On what grounds do some environmentalists oppose the new scheme on tidal

power exploitation?

The Severn estuary is an important habitat for birds; large barrages would destroy or damage much of it, as well as interfere with fish stocks in the river.

4. What is the biggest problem of wave power generators? They are relatively expensive.

5. In what way, Pelamis does Wave Energy make a balance between resilience

and efficiency?

The Pelamis's design avoids the trade-off between resilience and efficiency by switching to a higher-efficiency mode in calm seas.

6. How does the new device, the Snapper, work?

It works much like a typical linear generator, in which a magnet is moved up and down inside coils of wire, inducing electrical currents in the process. But there is a crucial difference: alongside the coils are a second set of magnets of alternating polarity.

II. Structure Analysis

Part 1: Status Quo of tidal and wave power in Britain (Paras.1-2)

The potential of tidal and wave power is vast while the government’s record on exploitation is poor.

Part 2: New tidal power project (Paras.3-8) Location: the river Seven

Project includes: three barrages, and two tidal lagoons Attraction of the project:

1. best-behaved 2. unpredictable 3. generating huge electricity Weaknesses of the project:

1. on environmental grounds, it may interfere with habitats for birds and fish stocks near or in the river. 2. on economic grounds, it requires taxpayer funding；a barrage affect shipping; it may be an eyesore. Prospect of the project:

The conservatives are not opposed because it will create jobs and work for firms.

Part 3: New types of wave-power generators (Paras.9-12)

The biggest problem in the past: wave-power generators are relatively expensive.

Name: Pelamis Wave Energy Converters (3

articulated pontoons)

One new type of generator: Location: Near Póvoa de Varzim, off the

northern coast of Portugal

Strength: It avoids the trade-of between resilience and efficiency by switching to a higher-efficiency mode in calm seas.

The other new device:

Name: Snapper Similarity with the typical linear generator: A magnet is moved up and down inside coils of wire. Important difference with the old one: Alongside the coils are a second of magnets of alternating polarity. Advantage of the new invention: The magnets can move up and down in jerky fashion which is more suitable to generate electricity. And then it raises efficiency further.

III． Vocabulary Study A．

1.shortlist 6. Resilience B. 1. C 2. C 3.B 4.C 5.A 6. B 7.C 8.A 9.C 10.B

2. immutable 3.drastically 7. linear 8. jerky 4.impervious 9. flounder 5. trade-off 10. dent C. 1. square up 2.make headway 3.far behind 4.concern about 5.in power Ⅳ. Cloze

1．harnessed 5．through 9．suited 13．predictable 17．does 2．full 6．entirely 10．annual 14．associated 18．cost 3．amount 7．worthwhile 11．mechanics 15．But 19．estimated 4．generators 8．handful 12．flow 16．save 20．produce V. Translation

但是，事情现在似乎出现了转机。据英国海洋动力传送公司的安德鲁•斯科特称，在靠近葡萄牙北海岸的瓦尔津附近，有三根长150米蛇形浮筒，被称为“海蛇号”的海浪能转换器正翘首以待，准备接入国家电网。英国海洋动力传送公司

是“海蛇号”的制造商。每根浮筒沿其长度都装有三个动力转换模块，这些模块将浮筒衔接处不断牵动摇摆产生的动能转变为电能，这就像蛇受到海浪拍打而扭动一样。这三条“蛇”是建立一座拥有24兆瓦特发电量的海浪能发电厂的第一步，届时该发电厂能够为15000户家庭供电。“海蛇号”铺设在平静海面上。这种设计是更高效的模式，从而避免了弹性和效率不可兼顾的矛盾。

不过一台被称作“笛鲷”的新装置能够进一步提高其工作效率。埃得•斯普纳认为，当对一台高速运转的发电机施加一个很小的作用力时，往往会把发电机的效率最大地发挥出来——而海浪提供的外力则恰恰相反。笛鲷”的发明人，基地设在英国达勒姆附近的顾问工程师如是说。他发明的装置运转起来就像一台典型的直线发动机。在装置内，磁铁在线圈内上下移动从而产生电流。但和典型发动机的一个重大的区别是：沿线圈旁放置了另一块同线圈内那块磁极相反的磁铁。这样可以避免线圈中央的磁铁上下移动的幅度过小。否则，磁力会不断阻止磁铁的运动，这样磁铁的运动便会时断时续。其结果会导致磁铁以一系列短促、快速的方式运动，这种运动比起缓慢、小幅的运动更有利于发电。早期的测试表明，这种装置的效率有可能达到现存海浪能发电机工作效率的十倍以上。人们已经在海水中苦苦寻觅了这么多年，海浪是否能够最终溅起一丝灵光呢？

B．

Tidal power is not only one of green energy, but also its potential is vast. But compared to Denmark and Sweden, the British government’s exploitation is not satisfying. But now things seem to be changing. The project of the British government could provide an enormous boost. It will build three barrages and two tidal lagoons on the river Severn which has the second highest tidal range in the world. Unlike wind or wave power and alike, tidal power is predictable. Additionally, the project is so large that it can supply around 5% of Britain’s electricity every year. But environmentalists are opposed to it on the grounds that the barrages may interfere with the birds and fish stock near the river Severn. Meanwhile, the project will require too much taxpayer’s money and it operates at a higher cost compared with wind power. Where will the project go? The government may well approve it considering creating more job opportunities. And at that time, it will be a long-lasting monument for tidal power.

Extended Exercises

1. fish or cut bait

2. fishing for a compliment. 3. fishing in troubled waters 4. other fish to fry 5. fish out of water 6. red herring

7. living in a fishbowl. 8.packed in like sardines.

Appreciation and Recitation

1.休嫌它寒微贫贱, 天涯无处似家园。

2.母亲不是赖以依靠的人，而是使依靠成为不必要的人。 3.无论是国王还是农夫，家庭和睦是最幸福的。

4.所有幸福的家庭都十分相似；而每个不幸的家庭各有各的不幸

5.幸福的家庭，父母靠慈爱当家，孩子也是出于对父母的爱而顺从大人。 6.你将拥有的家庭比你出身的那个家庭重要。

7.让孩子感到家庭是世界上最幸福的地方，这是以往有涵养的大人明智的做法。这种美妙的家庭情感，在我看来，和大人馈赠给孩子们的那些精致的礼物一样珍贵。

8.无论何时何地家永远是向游子敞开大门的地方。

Part III

参考译文

海洋开发

潮汐能和海浪能：是行动的时候了

1．在所有激动人心的话语中，政府对可再生能源的论述却只是只言片语。英国地理位置优越，与其它欧洲国家相比，它享受着（或承受着）最多的风和最大的海浪。潮汐能和海浪能的潜力巨大：2006年初碳信托基金会（Carbon Trust）提交的一份报告上说海浪能和潮汐能可以为英国提供20％的电能。碳信托基金会由英国政府设立，其任务是帮助政府减少温室气体排放。这份报告中给出的数字比之前估计的数字高出四倍多，这表明仅仅依靠海洋提供的能量就可以帮助英国达到温室气体减排的目标。与此同时，据隶属于美国国家能源部的国家可再生能源实验室（NREL）估测，东海岸地区海浪能潜力巨大，提供的能源超出整个大平原地区全部风力发电潜能的10至25倍以上。

2.然而，（不论你是否相信，根据近年已知数据）2005年英国能源消费中仅有2%来自再生能源（大部分是风能），远低于欧洲平均水平6.7%，更无法与丹麦的16.2%和瑞典的29.8%相提并论。

环保人士摩拳擦掌应对一项雄心勃勃的潮汐发电计划

3．仅一个项目就可以大大提高潮汐能的使用率。塞文河（Severn）是英国最长的河流，源出威尔士（Wales），注入大西洋布里斯托尔海峡（Bristol Channel），潮差达15米，位居世界第二。长期以来，工程师一直梦想利用潮汐能。而且随着气候变化以及能源安全导致的政治问题，部长们现在也对潮汐能利用重视起来。2006年1月26日，政府发布了可能新建项目的名单，其中包括三个大坝（实际上就是大型水坝）和两个潮湖（就是在海里建设的人工水库，随着潮水的涨落蓄积海水）。

4．很显然，这些规划项目有其吸引力。潮汐是一种最有规律的可再生能源，不像风能、波能（还有主要靠降雨获得能源的水电），潮汐受天体力学的固定变化规律控制，是可以预测的。这些规划的新建项目，有些非常庞大，令人咂舌。最

大的项目是从滨海韦斯顿到卡迪夫的大坝，该大坝长10英里，预计耗资220亿英镑。当潮水流动速度最快时，该大坝的发电量可达860万千瓦，这相当于英国高峰耗电量的七分之一，比其它所有可再生能源所发电量的总和都多。虽然平均发电量比高峰时期低得多，但仍可满足英国每年5%的电力需求。

5．该项目可大大降低英国二氧化碳的排放量，但关心当地环境的绿色环保主义者对此并不以为然。塞文河口是鸟类的栖息地，而大型水坝会在很大程度上破坏或毁掉河口，这同样也会破坏河流中鱼群的生态环境。作为一个环保团体，全球之友认为，海上潮湖可能会为解决这些问题提供有效办法。

6.从经济的角度出发也有一些人对该项目表示反对，部长们承认提案中规模最大的议案需要向纳税人融资。前沿经济学咨询公司 (Frontier Economics) 的一份报告认为，可通过其它技术，比如风力涡轮机，来获得同等可再生能源能量。大坝可能影响布里斯托尔海峡的船运。甚至有些人只是觉得大坝有碍观瞻而持反对意见。

7.启动哪个项目、何时动工，这些至少在一年以后才能确定。保守党（项目进行期间可能是保守党执政）表示他们对此并不反对。即使项目能开工，也得在2020年以后才能完成。

8.政治家们对这个项目的支持当然还别有他意，正如美国在大萧条期间建设的胡佛大坝，英国政府称塞文河大坝可提供大量的就业机会，并为公司提供大量的工程建设项目。作为世界上最大的工程项目之一，塞文河大坝必然会是一座不朽的丰碑，这是无论哪个政治家都会批准的。

化波浪为电力

9.多少年来，海浪能利用的前景始终沉浮不定。但如今技术正在这方面不断取得进展。今年夏天,世界上第一座海浪发电厂将要在葡萄牙开始投入运作并接入电网。技术进步还体现在一种新型海浪能发动机上,它可以极大地降低从海洋获取能源的成本。

10．既然潜力如此巨大，那么为何迄今为止无任何一台商用海浪能发电机投入使用？“最大的问题在于海浪发电机的价格相对比较昂贵，”位于英格兰布莱思的新能源和可再生能源中心的基思•梅尔顿这样说道。利用海浪发电的成本大多介于每千瓦时（KWh）10至20便士（折合18至36美分），而天然气发电的成本大约是每千瓦时4便士（4p/KWh）。海浪发电的成本如此昂贵的一个原因是，全部设备必须采取防风暴、防腐蚀的设计。几十年来，有关利用波浪能的设想比比皆是、数不胜数，而大多数设计方案都添加了过多的改进，其目的就是为了减少机器在海里发生故障的可能。这些改进降低了机器工作的效率、增加了每千瓦时的成本，还使得海浪发电技术停滞不前。

11.但是，事情现在似乎出现了转机。据英国海洋动力传送公司的安德鲁•斯科特称，在靠近葡萄牙北海岸的瓦尔津附近，有三根长150米蛇形浮筒，被称为“海蛇号”的海浪能转换器正翘首以待，准备接入国家电网。英国海洋动力传送公司

12.不过一台被称作“笛鲷”的新装置能够进一步提高其工作效率。埃得•斯普纳认为，当对一台高速运转的发电机施加一个很小的作用力时，往往会把发电机的效率最大地发挥出来——而海浪提供的外力则恰恰相反。笛鲷”的发明人，基地设在英国达勒姆附近的顾问工程师如是说。他发明的装置运转起来就像一台典型的直线发动机。在装置内，磁铁在线圈内上下移动从而产生电流。但和典型发动机的一个重大的区别是：沿线圈旁放置了另一块同线圈内那块磁极相反的磁铁。这样可以避免线圈中央的磁铁上下移动的幅度过小。否则，磁力会不断阻止磁铁的运动，这样磁铁的运动便会时断时续。其结果会导致磁铁以一系列短促、快速的方式运动，这种运动比起缓慢、小幅的运动更有利于发电。早期的测试表明，这种装置的效率有可能达到现存海浪能发电机工作效率的十倍以上。人们已经在海水中苦苦寻觅了这么多年，海浪是否能够最终溅起一丝灵光呢？

Unit 6 Text B Part I

Understanding and Learning Background Information 1. Seismic Survey :

An exploration method in which strong low-frequency sound waves are generated on the surface or in the water to find subsurface rock structures that may contain hydrocarbons.

The sound waves travel through the layers of the earth’s crust; however, at formation boundaries some of the waves are reflected back to the surface where sensitive detectors pick them up.

Reflections from shallow formations arrive at the surface sooner than reflections from deep formations, and since the reflections are recorded, a record of the depth and configuration of the various formations can be generated.

Interpretation of the record can reveal possible hydrocarbon-bearing formations, which indicate natural gas and petroleum deposits. 2. Wide-Azimuth Marine Acquisition

Illuminating reservoirs with traditional marine seismic acquisition has always been challenging. Much of the challenge results from the lack of variation in the azimuths of the recorded seismic raypaths.

Advanced acquisition techniques such as multi-azimuth (MAZ), wide-azimuth (WAZ), and rich-azimuth (RAZ) are recent innovations aimed at addressing the illumination problems inherent in traditional narrow-azimuth marine seismic approach.

These types of survey improve signal-to-noise ratio and illumination in complex geology and provide natural attenuation of some multiples. Modeling studies and tests on real data are essential to optimize survey design. WesternGeco Q-Marine technology such as streamer steering, single-sensor recording, large steerable calibrated source arrays, and improved shot repeatability, as well as benefits such as better noise sampling and attenuation, and the capability to record during vessel turns, all contribute to the improved imaging.

This figure demonstrates various acquisition techniques and their related rose plots. The level of 'hits' from different azimuths aptly illustrates the advantages of the techniques.

Detailed Study of the Text

1. Plumbing the depths Plumb: vt

1) measure the depth of something

The bathyscaphe has plumbed the depth of the Indian Ocean.深海潜水器已经探测了印度洋的深度。

We had to rewire the building, re-plumb it. Then we had to clean it, and then divide it up into the various functions that are required in a hospital, and equip it.我们把这建筑重新更换电线，重新测量了该建筑，然后我们必须把它打扫干净，根据医院的需要来把它重新分隔成有不同功能的区域，然后再配备需要的东西。

2) examine thoroughly and in great depth

He devoted all his life to plumbing the mysteries of the universe.他用毕生精力探索宇宙的奥秘。

Anyone in my position would have been ruined if he had attempted to dive into depths which not even a lifetime of study could plumb.

任何一个在我这个位置的人，若试图达到穷尽其一生精力去研究都无法达到的深度，他一定会被毁掉的。

plumb the depths (of despair/misery/bad taste etc): to feel an unpleasant emotion in a very extreme way

When his wife left him, Matt plumbed the very depths of despair.妻子离他而去时，马特深陷绝望之中。

MORE than a week after the earth convulsed beneath it, Haiti has still to plumb the depths of suffering and want. 地震过去已有一个多星期了，海地仍陷在痛楚及物资缺乏的深渊中。

2. Deep-water oil drilling owes its existence to a combination of geopolitical and technical developments. (Para. 1)

Meaning: Deep-water oil drilling comes into being as a result of combined factors of geopolitical and technical development.

3. Growing resource nationalism in countries that hold most of the world’s onshore oil reserves is forcing private oil companies to go farther afield. (Para. 1)

Meaning: Countries that hold most of the world’s oil on land tend to protect their national resources by limiting exploitation of private oil companies, which forces them to go far away from the land and tap into the oil in the deep sea.

4. Its “subsea boosting system” uses electric pumps on the seafloor to help the oil on its one-and-a-half-mile journey to the surface. (Para. 3)

Meaning: In “subsea boosting system”, electric pumps on the seafloor are used to lift and push the oil up to travel one-and-a-half-mile distance and reach the surface.

5. And combining the streams from multiple subsea wells and separating oil from gas on the seafloor, which means fewer risers, or pipes to the surface, are needed. (Para. 3)

Meaning: Some approaches are needed to reduce the number of risers or pipes to the surface, i.e. the streams from many subsea wells can be combined together and oil is separated from gas on the seafloor.

6. In 2007 Petrobras, a Brazilian oil giant, stunned the industry with the announcement that it had found as much as 8 billion barrels of oil at its Tupi field, 240 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. (Para. 4) stun :v.

1). shock or surprise greatly [usu passive]

He's stunned by today's resignation of his longtime ally. 他长期以来的支持者今天辞职了，这让他震惊不已。 2). make senseless or dizzy by or as if by a blow

Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him. 萨姆不让步，遭到一击，被打昏了。

7. The discovery, beneath 2,000 meters of water, 3,000 meters of sand and rocks and a 2,000-metre layer of salt, was touted at the time as potentially the largest offshore find ever made. (Para. 4)

Meaning: The discovery, which involved drilling oil beneath 2,000 meters of

water, 3,000 meters of sand and rocks and a 2,000-metre layer of salt, was praised at that time to convince people that it was probably the largest and the most valuable discovery ever made.

8. There was a general view that successful offshore oil-drilling operations were limited to a water depth of around 600 meters. But this had less to do with the challenge of accessing the oil than with finding it in the first place. (Para. 5)

Meaning: People generally believe that the limit on the water depth of successful oil-drilling exploration was around 600 meters, but it only involved finding the oil at first and was not the depth at which people could tap into oil.

9. Giant platforms like Thunder Horse and Perdido provide the necessary muscle, but advances in computing at the exploration stage have been just as important when it comes to tapping deepwater oil. (Para. 5)

Meaning: Striking a deep water oil reservoir requires two preconditions: the material preparation and technical advances. Giant platforms like Thunder Horse and Perdido provide the necessary physical structure for oil drilling, but advances in the procedure of calculating and determining something by mathematical or logical methods at the exploration stage enable oil companies to know the location of oil, which is just as important as the material preparation.

10. Striking an oil reservoir with a drill pipe is then like hitting a coin at the base of the building with a strand of human hair. (Para. 6) strand n.

1) a strand of something such as hair, wire, or thread is a single thin piece of it. She tried to blow a gray strand of hair from her eyes. 她试图吹开眼前的一缕白发。

Because each strand is so fine, spider silk seems very weak. 因为每一根丝都非常纤细，蛛丝似乎十分柔弱。

2) a poetic term for a shore (as the area periodically covered and uncovered by the tides)

One day I wrote her name upon the strand. 有一天我在海滩上写下她的芳名。 strand: v. If you are stranded, you are prevented from leaving a place, for example because of bad weather.

The climbers had been stranded by a storm. 这些登山者被暴风雨困住了。 The receding tide stranded the whale. 退潮把鲸鱼搁浅在海滩上。

11. With the stakes so high and the margin for error so small, “you need to know before you drill,” (Para. 7)

Meaning: Deep water oil drilling involves such high risk and allows such little error that you have to know the precise location of oil reservoir before drilling. stake: n.

1) (Plural) The stakes involved in a contest or a risky action are the things that can be gained or lost.

The game was usually played for high stakes between two large groups. 这种游戏通常是两大组人为赢得大的赌注而进行的。

2) If something is at stake, it is being risked and might be lost or damaged if you are not successful.

例：The tension was naturally high for a game with so much at stake. 一场成败如此难料的比赛紧张度自然很高。

12. The knowledge in question takes the form of precise data on the composition and structure of the geological formations beneath the seabed, which provide insight into the areas likely to hold oil deposits. (Para. 7)

Meaning: Oil companies need to know the composition and structure of the geological formations beneath the seabed in the form of precise data collected by different measuring methods. The data will help them to know which areas are likely to hold oil deposits.

13. The models created from such survey data were accurate enough to enable oil companies to identify formations such as anticlines or faults—the underground structures that typically contain oil. Access to such relatively easy oil was good while it lasted. (Para. 9)

Meaning: The models created from marine seismic survey work well for oil companies to find relatively easy underground formations such as anticlines or faults, which are typically oil-bearing structures, while such oil deposits existed. 14. But it quickly tailed off. This is partially because oil companies tend to maximize production rates to minimize the high cost of maintaining offshore operations, and partially because around two-thirds of the seabed in the Gulf of Mexico is covered by shallow salt canopies. (Para. 10)

Meaning: But access to such relatively easy oil deposits became less and less gradually. This is partly because oil companies tend to make production rates as high as they can in order to reduce the high cost of keeping offshore operations to the utmost extent, and partly because about two-thirds of the seabed in the Gulf of Mexico has a cover of shallow salt.

tail off : gradually become less in amount or value, often before coming to an end completely

Last year, economic growth tailed off to below four percent. 去年，经济增长率逐渐降到了4%以下。

The infection will probably tail off in the north over the next few months and head south as winter gets a grip on the Earth's less populated hemisphere.

未来的几个月内，这场传染病有可能在北半球减弱，并随着地球人口较为稀少的南半球进入冬天而往南移。 canopy: n.

1). a layer of something that spreads out and covers an area, for example the branches and leaves that spread out at the top of trees in a forest

The trees formed such a dense canopy that all beneath was a deep carpet of pine needles. 这些树形成了浓密的冠盖，下面是一层厚厚的松针。

2). a decorated cover, often made of cloth, which is placed above something such as a bed or a seat.

Listlessly, she pushed herself up from the desk and rose to her feet. The lamplight cast the shadow of her delicate form against the bed canopy.

她懒洋洋地从桌边撑着站起身来，灯光把她纤弱的影子投在帐子上。

15. Under pressure, the salt has pushed into the rock layer, forming a convoluted subsurface of rock and salt. (Para. 10) convoluted: a.

1). rolled or coiled together

The snake slithered through a convoluted path. 蛇在羊肠小道上爬行。 2). highly complex or intricate

They made a convoluted process of reasoning. 他们做了一番错综复杂的推理。 Despite its all-star cast, the original version was panned on its initial release, called convoluted and confusing. 尽管拥有全明星阵容，但最初的版本却在初映时遭到了严厉批评，被认为晦涩混乱。

16. The patterns formed by the commingled salt and rock create a huge headache for the companies trying to access the oil below them, because the waves emitted from seismic sources travel more quickly in salt than in rock. (Para. 11) commingle v. mix or blend

His book commingles sarcasm and sadness.他的书糅合了嘲讽与悲伤。

Then, fairly suddenly, some chemical molecules began to commingle in a new way, capable of growing and reproducing. 然后，突然地, 某些化学分子开始用新的方法混合在一起，使他们能够生长并且复制。

17. If the pressure is too low, the forces from underground fluids and gases pushing in on the well wall (“pore pressure”) will cause it to collapse; if it is too high, the mud can aggravate and expand existing fractures in the surrounding rock, leading to a loss of circulation as the mud escapes into the newly created fissures. (Para. 13)

Meaning: If the pressure of the mud in the drill string is too low, underground fluids and gases will be pushed into the well and cause the great force on the well wall (which is called “pore pressure”), as a result, the well will fall down suddenly. If the pressure is too high, the mud can enlarge the existing cracks in the surrounding rock and go into them, resulting in a reduction of the mud in circulation. aggravate: vt

1). make a bad situation, an illness, or an injury worse

Stress and lack of sleep can aggravate the situation. 紧张和缺少睡眠会使情况恶化。

Concern is widespread that recession will aggravate the financial crisis. 认为经济衰退将加剧金融危机的担忧普遍存在。 2). make someone angry or annoyed

What aggravates you most about this country? 这个国家最让你恼火的是什么？

18. Rather than approaching a well with a fixed drilling plan, companies can now use “measurement while drilling” (MWD) tools to determine the pressure, temperature, vibration and electrical resistivity (useful for inferring rock properties) of the well as they drill. (Para. 15)

Meaning: Companies no longer formulate a decided plan before approaching a well, instead, they can now determine the pressure, temperature, vibration and

electrical resistivity (useful for inferring rock properties) of the well as they drill, with the help of “measurement while drilling” (MWD) tools.

19. He thinks the principal value of deepwater mapping and measurement technologies will lie in finding smaller, marginal oilfields that can then be “tied back” to existing platforms. (Para. 17)

Meaning: He thinks the most important value of deepwater mapping and measurement technologies will lie in finding smaller, marginal oilfields that can then be “tied back” to existing platforms. marginal: a.

1). Marginal activities, costs, or taxes are not the main part of a business or an economic system, but often make the difference between its success or failure, and are therefore important to control.

The analysts applaud the cuts in marginal businesses, but insist the company must make deeper sacrifices.

分析家们赞同对边际业务的削减，但坚持认为公司必须做出更大牺牲。

2). If you describe something as marginal, you mean that it is small or not very important.

This is a marginal improvement on October. 这是对10月份的一个小小的改进。

3). If you describe people as marginal, you mean that they are not involved in the main events or developments in society because they are poor or have no power. The tribunals were established for the well-integrated members of society and not for marginal individuals. 这个特别法庭的设立，是为了社会中的主流人群，而不是为了无足轻重的小人物。

4) [only before noun] written in a margin marginal notes 旁注

20. An incentive to “know before you drill” if there was one. (Para. 17) Meaning：If there was such a large oil deposit in Venezuela, it was something that encouraged oil companies to “know before they drill”.

incentive: n. something that encourages you to work harder, start a new activity There is little or no incentive to adopt such measures. 采取这样的措施，很少或者根本没有什么鼓励。

The incentive to continue mining is overwhelming, locals explain. 当地人说，继续开采的刺激势不可挡。

That has given consumers a strong incentive to boost purchases in the closing months of 2009. 这强烈刺激了消费者，鼓励他们在2009年的最后几个月扩大消费。

Part II

Key to Exercises

Pre-reading Questions

1. Oil exploration and production (E&P) companies are drilling further out into

the sea and deeper under the ocean floor, at depths greater than 1000 feet to tap into one of the last remaining pockets of oil and natural gas in the world. Though deepwater was once prohibitively expensive, high oil prices during 2007 and the first half of 2008 made the economics of deepwater drilling feasible. Oil's collapse during the 2008 Financial Crisis has killed the margins of many in the industry, but demand for deepwater rigs is still high. Tied into long term contracts, companies continue to drill despite falling profits. Even then, new deepwater projects continue to be opened, as prices are expected to rebound in the long term because of rising global demand for energy. As traditional oil producing basins mature there are only a couple of places left to get oil. Renewable energy is projected to start taking away some of oil's monopoly, but that may not be for decades to come. Global proven reserves of oil at the beginning of 2009 were at 1.342 trillion barrels, of which about 10% is deepwater - a little more than 100 billion barrels.

2. The operation of deepwater oil drilling involves great physical and technical challenges. The heavy rig, involving drill string and platform, giant drill vessels and the great pressure of miles of water overhead on the seabed, all pose daunting physical challenges for oil companies. The complex geological formations beneath the seabed require precise data to provide insight into the areas that are likely to hold oil deposits. Thus technical advances of computer play a vital role in deepwater oil exploration. No wonder deep water oil drilling is a highly expensive and risky industry.

I. Reading Comprehension

1. Oil companies are looking for oil in deep water.

2. Its “subsea boosting system” uses electric pumps on the seafloor to help the oil on its one-and-a-half-mile journey to the surface. And combining the streams from multiple subsea wells and separating oil from gas on the seafloor, which means fewer risers, or pipes to the surface, are needed.

3. The discovery, beneath 2,000 metres of water, 3,000 metres of sand and rocks and a 2,000-metre layer of salt, was touted at the time as potentially the largest offshore find ever made.

4. Giant platforms like Thunder Horse and Perdido provide the necessary muscle, but advances in computing at the exploration stage have been just as important when it comes to tapping deepwater oil. In this most physically demanding of industries, software, as much as hardware, is changing the game.

5. A “dry hole” is a well that does not strike oil. It may cost $100m, or as high as $ 200m, according to BP.

6. We can learn that deepwater oil tapping is an industry with high stakes and little margin for error, thus oil companies need to know before they drill.

7. The pressure of the mud in the drill string must be kept within a limited range. If the pressure is too low, the forces from underground fluids and gases pushing in on the well wall (“pore pressure”) will cause it to collapse; if it is too high, the mud can aggravate and expand existing fractures in the surrounding rock, leading to a loss of circulation as the mud escapes into the newly created fissures.

8. MWD is particularly valuable in directional drilling, because it provides feedback about the material being drilled through and the angle and position of the drill bit, enabling more accurate steering.

II Structure Analysis

Part 1: An overview of deep-water oil drilling. (Paras. 1-4) (1) Reasons:（Para.1）

1) Geopolitical development: growing resource nationalism. 2) Technical development

(2) Physical challenges: （Paras.2-3） 1) a longer and heavier drill string 2) a bigger platform and the increasing use of giant drill ships. 3) the water pressure on the seafloor. (3) Deepwater discoveries (Para. 4) Supporting facts:

1) In 2007, Petrobras announced the largest oil offshore find ever made. 2) finds off the coasts of Angola, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, and a spate of finds in the Gulf of Mexico, where Anadarko made five discoveries in 2009 alone. Part 2: Technical development in deep-water oil drilling.（Paras.5-16） (1) Problem and solution （Paras.5-11）

Problem: Acquisition of precise data on the composition and structure of the oil-bearing geological formations beneath the seabed Solution: Marine seismic survey Supporting details:

1) What is the difficulty of deepwater drilling?

The difficulty of deepwater drilling lies in high stakes and small margin for error. So oil companies need to know before they drill. 2) What is marine seismic survey?

Marine seismic surveys are done using a boat which tows eight to ten parallel streamers behind it. The boat is also equipped with a seismic source that creates sonar signals, or “shot points”, using blasts of compressed air. These signals are detected by uniformly spaced sonar receivers, called hydrophones, incorporated into the streamers. By analyzing the way the sonar signals bounce off the various geological layers beneath the seafloor, seismologists can identify patterns in the subsurface that are likely to indicate the presence of oil-bearing rocks, such as anticlines or faults. 3) What is the new problem?

a convoluted subsurface of rock and salt. (2) Problem and solution（Paras.12-13） Solution: “wide-azimuth” survey Supporting details:

1) What is a “wide-azimuth” survey?

A “wide-azimuth” survey involves using hydrophones and multiple seismic sources on three or four vessels moving in parallel. The subsurface structures can 18

then be probed from several different angles at the same time. 2) What is the new problem?

As the drill progresses through the rock and sand below the seabed, the pressure of the mud in the drill string must be kept within a limited range. (3) Problem and solution（Paras.14-16）

Problem: Maintaining the mud within a “pressure window” Solution: “Measurement while drilling” (MWD) Supporting details:

1) “Measurement while drilling” (MWD) tools are used to determine the pressure, temperature, vibration and electrical resistivity of the well as they drill. 2) “Borehole seismic” tools are used to provide a more accurate picture of the underground geological environment than can be obtained from the surface alone. Part 3: The value of deepwater oil drilling.（Para.17）

The value of deepwater mapping and measurement technologies will lie in finding not only smaller, marginal oilfields, but also the unexpectedly large offshore finds, such as the ones in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Brazilian coast.

III. Vocabulary Study

A. 1. nationalism 2. had moored 3. stunned 4. canopy 5. commingle 6. plumb 7. aggravate 8. unfathomable 9. marginal 10. daunting B. 1. C 2. A 3. A 4. A 5. B 6. C 7. A 8. C 9. B 10. B

C. 1. tailing off 2. insight into 3. incorporated… into 4. when it comes to 5. bounce off

IV. Cloze：

1. explosion 2. turning 3. legal 4. surpass 5. about 6. beyond 7. into 8. demand 9. regulators 10. risk 11. presidential 12. little 13. crisis 14 charges 15. exploration

16. since 17. averaging 18. because of 19. despite 20. after

V. Translation

1. 深海石油钻探的成因是地缘政治和技术发展相结合的产物。在控制着陆地大部分石油储备的国家中，资源民族主义日益滋长，迫使私营石油公司将目光投向远处，所带来的不便，意味着在离岸数英里的深海里寻找石油。

这种做法所带来的物质方面的挑战令人望而怯步。钻柱，即与海上钻井管道连锁的部分，相当沉重。更深的水域意味着更长更重的钻柱，这进而又需要一个更大的平台，以支持这样一个大型的“钩载荷”。越来越大的平台和越来越多地使用钻井船只 —— 这些巨型船只比停泊的平台更重 —— 使公司在海底深处工作需要承载巨大的重量。

上面水深达数英里，海底的压力给设备设计师和生产工程师提出了更大挑战，他们得想办法把石油运送回海面。帕迪多现在随时都在开工，它采用一些新的技术来解决这一问题。其 “海底推动系统” 利用海底电动泵，使石油完成1.5英里的旅程到达海面。将多个海底油井流出的石油汇集，在海底将油气分离，

意味着减少到达海面的取油管的使用。这些举措也是必要的。

2. The wave of technical advances is enabling oil companies to plumb the depth and detect oil. It’s easier said than done. The physical challenges are daunting enough. With heavy drill strings, big platform, giant drill ships and the pressure of miles of water overhead, oil companies have to work under adverse conditions. Deepwater oil drilling is an industry with extremely high stakes and small margin for error, so it seems to be vitally important for oil companies to know the geological formations before they drill. With marine seismic survey, oil companies can only identify some typically oil-bearing formations which are relatively easy to access. But for the patterns formed by the commingled salt and rock, more accurate data must be acquired. Pass the salt and determine the pressure, temperature, vibration and electrical receptivity of the well when they drill. The new technologies have conquered these previously unfathomable problems, one after another. Oil is being found in ever harder-to-reach places, which is an incentive to “know before you drill”.

VIII. Extended Exercises

我们的家庭信条

这些信条是我和我的夫人在努力教育全家时所依照的原则。它们是先父深信不疑和处世立身的原则。它们是我在母亲膝前所学到的原则。

这些信条指引人们活得有价值，活得幸福，死得勇敢，死得安详。

如果这些信条对我的意义和对各位的意义是一致的话，那么或许可以帮助指引和鼓励我们的子女们。

让我把这些信条叙述如下：

我相信个人的价值至高无上，个人有生存的权利、自由的权利和追求幸福的权利。

我相信每一项权利都意味着责任，每一次机遇都意味着义务，每一种占有都意味着职责。

我相信法律是为人而制订的，但人却不是为法律而造就的；我相信政府是人民的仆人，而不是人民的主人。

我相信劳动——无论脑力劳动还是体力劳动——是堂堂正正的;就生活而言，世界不欠任何人什么，但它却欠每个人一次谋生的机会。

我相信勤俭是井然有序的生活之必需，而节俭是健全的金融机制之根本，无论政府、商务或个人事务皆然。

我相信真理和公正对社会的长治久安至关重要。

我相信诺言是神圣的，一言既出，如同契约；我相信个人品质——而不是财富、权势或地位——具有至高无上的价值。

我相信提供有用的服务是人类共同职责，只有在牺牲的炼火中，自私的渣滓才能被消除，人类高尚的灵魂才能释放。

我相信全能全知、大慈大悲的上帝——不管怎样称呼上帝；而个人最大的成就、最大的幸福、最大的作为，都必须在和上帝的意志和谐一致的生活中找到。

我相信爱是世界上最伟大的事物；我相信只有爱才能压倒恨；我相信公理能够而且必将战胜强权。

不管如何表述，上述就是全世界一切善良的人们所代表的原则，不论其种族、信仰、教育、社会地位或职业如何，而为了这些原则，许多人正在受苦受难，献出生命。

只有在这些原则的基础上，才能建立起人人亲如兄弟，上帝亲如父辈的新世界。

Part III

Passage Translation

译文

探测海底

最近, 一股技术进步的浪潮使石油公司能够在越来越困难的地方探测并获得石油。

深海石油钻探的成因是地缘政治和技术发展相结合的产物。在控制着陆地大部分石油储备的国家中，资源民族主义日益滋长，迫使私营石油公司将目光投向远处，所带来的不便，意味着在离岸数英里的深海里寻找石油。

这种做法所带来的物质方面的挑战令人望而怯步。钻柱，即与海上钻井管道连锁的部分，相当沉重。更深的水域意味着更长更重的钻柱，这进而又需要一个更大的平台，以支持这样一个大型的“钩载荷”。越来越大的平台和越来越多地使用钻井船只 —— 这些巨型船只比停泊的平台更重——使公司在海底深处工作需要承载巨大的重量。

上面水深达数英里，海底的压力给设备设计师和生产工程师提出了更大挑战，他们得想办法把石油运送回海面。帕迪多现在随时都在开工，它采用一些新的技术来解决这一问题。其 “海底推动系统” 利用海底电动泵，使石油完成1.5英里的旅程到达海面。将多个海底油井流出的石油汇集，在海底将油气分离，意味着减少到达海面的取油管的使用。这些举措也是必要的。

尽管工作条件恶劣，近年来还是发现了几个大型深海油田。2007年，巴西石油巨头 —— 巴西国家石油公司宣布，它在距离里约热内卢海岸240公里的图皮油田，发现了多达80亿桶的石油，这一发现震惊了业界。位于2000米的水下，3000米的砂岩下，以及2000米的盐层下，这一油田当时号称可能是有史以来近海上最大的发现。随后的“超深海”发现 —— 那些水深超过1500米的 —— 包括在安哥拉﹑塞拉利昂和尼日利亚海岸的发现，以及在墨西哥湾发现的一连串油田，其中阿纳达科仅在2009年就发现了五处。与地震相关的转变

就在几年前，这样的发现在几年前简直是深不可测的。直到20世纪90年代中期，就职于一家名为西方奇科的石油服务公司的罗宾·沃克说，人们普遍认为，成功的海上石油钻井作业只限于在水深约600米处进行。但这种挑战还仅是最初发现石油，而不是得到石油。像雷马和帕迪多这样的巨型平台提供必要的设备，

但在勘探阶段，计算技术的进步对于获得深海石油也同样重要。在这个物质层面要求最为苛刻的行业里，软件和硬件一样，正在改变这场博弈。

为了说明深海钻井的难度，沃克先生使用了一个比喻。 “把大型海上石油钻井平台想象为一个火柴盒”，他说。“接下来，想象这个火柴盒置于一座两层高的建筑物顶部，上一层楼全是水，下一层则全是岩石，砂子，有时还有盐。利用钻管发现油矿就好像是用一缕人的头发击打建筑物底部的一枚硬币一样。” 发生失误带来的惩罚是很大的。这一行业的经验法则是：钻一个深海干钻孔 —— 即不出油的井 —— 成本约为1亿美元。英国石油公司称，成本可高达2亿美元。

赌注如此之高，误差限度如此之小，因而“你需要先知后钻”，墨西哥湾阿纳达科石油公司的勘探负责人斯图尔特· 史特莱夫如是说。所说的知识就是反映海底地质构造组成和结构的精确数据,它们能够提供可能有石油矿床所在位置的信息。几十年中，这种数据都是通过地震勘探的形式采集的，这种技术最初是为陆地研制，后来才经过调整应用于近海勘探。

典型的海洋地震调查可以追溯到20世纪80年代，其做法是：使用一艘船只，后面拖着八至十条平行的流转化器，每条长几公里。这艘船上还配备有产生声纳信号的地震源，或利用压缩空气引爆的“爆炸点”。这些信号是由均匀分布且与流转化器合为一体的声纳接收器，也就是水听器检测到的。通过分析在海底不同的地质层反弹回的声纳信号 —— 每一种地质层以不同方式反射信号 —— 地震学家能够确定有可能蕴含石油的地表下的岩石模式。

尽管数据是以二维方式采集的，流转化器的间距（约25米）使石油公司能够利用计算机程序产生的未经加工的三维地下模型来处理数据，英国石油公司在墨西哥湾的勘探负责人大卫·瑞尼说。通过这样的勘探数据所创建的模型非常准确，足以让石油公司确定如背斜或断层这样典型的地下含油结构。当这种相对容易获得的油矿一直存在时，这一方法出油良好。

但这种情况很快就渐渐减少了。一部分原因是由于石油公司往往最大限度地提高生产率，以使维护海上作业的高昂成本降到最低，另一部分原因是由于墨西哥湾海底约三分之二的面积都被浅盐蓬所覆盖。盐在海水蒸发期间形成了海底地壳，从那时起，它就被几千年来流入大海的河流沉积物所覆盖，随着时间的推移，形成岩石，成为海底的底座。压力作用把盐推向岩石层，形成了错综复杂的盐石地表下结构。

要想进入下面的油层，这种盐和岩石的混合模式令石油公司感到非常头痛，因为从震源发出的电波在盐层中要比在岩石里传播的更快。反射和折射波返回到水听器中，并结合在一起，利用传统的声纳探测技术，很难形成一幅清晰的地下图片。请穿越岩层

对于利用流转化器采集二维数据，再处理数据生成三维图像的方法，石油公司决定采用三维数据采集的方法来取而代之。这种方法被称为 “宽方位角” 勘测。其做法是使用三或四艘平行移动的船只上的水听器和多个震源。这样就可以从几个不同的角度同时探测地下结构。通过在同一地区多次从不同的角度（“多方位角”勘测）经过，还可以提高准确度。其他技术包括“线圈射击”，即执行一个螺旋式上升轨迹的宽方位角勘查，以及所谓的四维勘察，即多次重复宽方位角勘察，以便随着时间的推移用以衡量生产对于地下结构的影响。

当地震勘测表明很可能发现石油时，很多公司开始钻探探井这一复杂而精细的过程。在钻井过程中，一种被称为“泥浆”的液体通过钻柱泵出，以去除钻孔上的钻屑，冷却钻头并保持井底的压力。随着钻头通过海底岩石和沙子往下钻，钻柱里泥浆的压力必须保持在一定限度内。如果压力过低，地下流体和气体推动孔壁（“孔隙压力”）所产生的力量会使其崩溃; 如果压力太高，泥浆可能加重和扩大现有的围岩裂缝，当泥浆从新增的裂纹中溢出时，会导致流通受损。钻吧，宝贝，钻吧

因此，将泥浆保持在一定压力刻度窗范围内是至关重要的。石油公司传统上依赖岩石样本和最初钻探钻孔产生的压力数据来判断正确的压力。接下来，他们会制作一个模型来判断孔隙压力和破裂压力，并据此计算出泥浆压力。但是，这种科学技术并不完美，而盐下构造只会使事情更难处理。钻头从一层通过另一层时，盐层和岩石层之间的巨大压差使钻头很难保持在压力刻度窗的范围之内。即使有大量的地震数据，在数英里以上的水面，要想确定盐和岩石之间的界限，几乎是不可能的。

技术进步的新浪潮正开始改变这种状况。工具与通讯系统的发展，使井下数据得以及时采集与传输。石油公司并不是带着固定的钻探计划钻井，而是在钻井时使用“随钻测量”（MWD）工具来确定油井的压力，温度，振动和电阻率（用于推断岩石性质）。通常情况下，MWD数据通过“泥”脉冲进行传输----通过泥浆发送的压力波将信息从井下传感器传送到水面。这些脉冲使信息仅以每秒几比特的速度传送到水面，但这对于传输有用的数据已经足够了。MWD对于定向钻井特别有价值，因为它提供了有关被钻的材料和钻头角度和位置的反馈，使操控更加精确。

建立起良好的井内通信通道，石油公司正在制定新的方法分析地下结构，包括“钻孔地震”工具的使用。把震源和接收器连接到钻井模块上，这样的系统提供的地下地质环境图片，要比单从表面获得的图片更加精确。

随着新技术的出现，石油在以往难以到达的地方得以发现。大型海上油田发现率已经开始逐渐减少，能源咨询公司PFC的合作伙伴迈克·罗杰斯说。他认为，深海测绘和测量技术的主要价值将会在于发现较小的边际油田，然后可以回接到现有的平台。但石油业已习惯了惊喜连连，正如在墨西哥湾和巴西海岸意外发现了大型海上油田所展示的那样。美国地质调查局在今年初的研究表明，委内瑞拉蕴藏着的石油储量可能是预期的两倍。如果真是这样的话，这就是对“先知后钻”的奖励。

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英语答案Unit 6