North Caspian Research Articles

Agreement in Tsez

Tsez, like most languages of the Nakh-Daghestanian language family to which it belongs, has agreement in terms of noun class. Tsez distinguishes four classes in the singular, but these are collapsed to two in the plural; agreement is shown on most vowel-initial verbs, on some vowel-initial adjectives and adverbs, on some vowel-initial particles, and on some pronouns and numerals. After presenting the basic system, we investigate a number of more complex instances. Under conjunction, Tsez sometimes uses a resolution rule, sometimes adjacency, with interesting differences between and'- and or'-conjunction. Personification in Tsez does not lead to change in noun class, even in cases of agreement with first or second person pronouns. Finally, Tsez allows the possibility of long distance agreement, whereby certain matrix verbs can agree with a noun phrase in a lower clause. We show that this phenomenon is intimately connected with the information structure of the clause, in particular that long distance agreement is required when the noun phrase in the lower clause is topic of that clause; indeed, under certain circumstances long distance agreement can serve distinctively to mark the topic status of a noun phrase in the lower clause

Colours in Tsakhur: First account of the basic colour terms of a Nakh-Daghestanian language

Colours in Tsakhur: First account of the basic colour terms of a Nakh-Daghestanian language

Abstract: Upper Paleozoic Mud Mounds of the Bolchoi Karatau Mountains (Kazakhstan), Nature and Reservoir Impact for North Caspian Exploration 

Abstract: Upper Paleozoic Mud Mounds of the Bolchoi Karatau Mountains (Kazakhstan), Nature and Reservoir Impact for North Caspian Exploration 

Zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache By Wilhelm Scherer. New edition with an introductory article by Kurt R. Jan-Kowsky (review)

BOOK NOTICES 885 other grab-bag), and the genitive plural of some nouns which are not easily predictable. Verb entries contain valency (nominative, ergative), meaning, and references to their employment in the texts as well as idiomatic expressions. All entries where borrowing has been established or is highly probable include the language of origin and the word in that language. Although this is a pioneer effort, the author has conceptualized the presentation of materials for a grammar of Hunzib in an outstandingly easy-to-use and rational manner. Even if a reader is not interested in Hunzib or East Caucasian languages, this book should be of interest as a model of how to write a superior grammar for any language that needs archiving . Lincom Europa is to be thanked for publishing manuscripts which are important to only a select few specialists (or broad comparativists)—in a paperback version that is priced affordably. In fact, the only small negative comment I would make about this book is that a better binding method should be found since even casual use causes pages to become detached from the spine. [Partrick C. Ryan] Zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. By Wilhelm Scherer. New edition with an introductory article by Kurt R. JanKOwsKY . (Amsterdam classics in linguistics 16.) Amsterdam & New York: John Benjamins, 1995. Pp. 492. Wilhelm Scherer's Zur geschichte der deutschen Sprache appeared to mixed reviews in 1868: InRevue de linguistique et dephilologie comparée 2, Honorée Chavée offered an enthusiastic "Bravo!" while Adalbert Kuhn in KZ 18 claimed (understatedly in the light of the rest of his review) that S's analysis of his far-reaching data was 'nicht immer den richtigen'; Hermann Paul, despite a 'devastating review' of the second edition of 1878 m Jenaer Literaturzeitung admitted that 'die deutsche Grammatik und auch die weitere vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft sehr gef ördert ist' (cited by Jankowsky, xxiv). In his introductory essay (ix-xxx), J does an admirablejob of situating S's work both within its linguistic context and within the general intellectual and cultural movements of his time, particularly in relation to the work of Grimm and Schleicher. 'It was Scherer who first developed and applied a methodology for a rigorous and meaningful investigation of analogy as an important factor in language change' (xviii); the same could be said for his use of contemporary phonological analysis. J's introduction concludes with listings of 'Selected writings of Wilhelm Scherer'; and 'Secondary literature on Wilhelm Scherer', including the reviews mentioned above, followed by an invaluable list of 'Works referred to in Scherer (1868)', supplied by J to flesh out the abbreviated references given within the text by S himself and an 'Index of biographical names' listing scholars mentioned by S. S's work is divided into two sections: 'Zur Lautlehre ' and 'Zur Formenlehre'. The first contains an 'Einleitung' (3-5), followed by discussions on 'Ablaut ' (6-31), 'Grimm's Gesetz' (32-91), and 'Die germanische Auslautsgesetze' (92-166). Of these the most interesting is the discussion, based on Brücke's Grundzuge der Physiologie und Systematik der Sprachlaute (Vienna: C. Gerold's Sohn, 1865), of phonological underpinnings to Grimm's Law, which S takes to be a pull-chain reaction instigated by the 'Lockerung des Mundcanalverschlusses und Aufhebung des Kehlkopfverschlusses' (84) resulting in the shift from voiceless stop to voiceless fricative. The discussion on ablaut focuses on the environments in which the base vowel a changes to e or o, which theory was already outdated at the time of writing. This is attributable to S's tendency, rightly criticized by Kuhn, to give predominance to Sanskrit and Avestan over equally pertinent data from Greek in his reconstructions. The section on auslaut includes a discussion of the shift to root-accentuation in Germanic; S takes this as a pyschological addition of 'Intensität und Lebhaftigkeit' (156) to the morpheme bearing the primary semantic load, attributing the accent shift, at least in part, to the alliterative structure of Germanic poetry. The discussions in Section 2 deal with issues of 'Zur conjugation' (171-212; this section particularly aroused the scorn of Kuhn, who suggested that the book would be better ifit were omitted), 'Das Personalpronomen ' (213-361; under...

The wandering of the Volga delta: a response to rapid Caspian sea-level change

Due to its very low gradient and absence of tide and surf, the Volga delta is an even more extreme example of the fluvially dominated type than the Mississippi delta. However, it differs from all other large delta systems in that it borders a closed basin, the Caspian Sea, now at −26 m below global sea-level. Caspian sea-level is much more dynamic than that of the world oceans, and rises at present about 15 cm/yr, a hundred time the eustatic rate. Within the Quaternary, sea-level oscillations of at least 5 orders of magnitudes have been distinguished, which seem grossly out of phase with eustatic sea-level. Between the Weichselian Early Khvalyn highstand of +50 m and the Early Holocene Mangyshlak lowstand at −80 m the apex of the Volga delta has wandered over 700 km alongstream. The present-day Volga delta is not a highstand deposit but probably represents a minor transgression in a major regressional stage. The delta does not show a coarsening-upwards sedimentary sequence, but consists of a Weichselian transgressional fining-upwards sequence topped by eolian deposits, in which the delta distributary channels have been incised. Present-day sedimentation is limited to a narrow fringe along the delta front, and to deeper waters over 200 km offshore. Sea-level changes outpaced aggradation to such an extent, that Volga sediment is spread over the whole North Caspian Plain. Sequence-stratigraphical principles are difficult to apply because sea-level cycles of five orders of magnitude are superimposed, and because there is not enough sediment loading or tectonic subsidence to create sufficient accomodation space.

Prediction of the Spatial Variability of Diagenesis and Porosity Using Sequence Stratigraphy in Middle Carboniferous carbonates from Southern Kazakhstan: Implications for North Caspian Basin Hydrocarbon Reservoirs of the CIS : ABSTRACTS

Prediction of the Spatial Variability of Diagenesis and Porosity Using Sequence Stratigraphy in Middle Carboniferous carbonates from Southern Kazakhstan: Implications for North Caspian Basin Hydrocarbon Reservoirs of the CIS : ABSTRACTS

The Indigenous Languages of the Caucasus, Vol. 4: North East Caucasian Languages, Part 2

The Indigenous Languages of the Caucasus, Vol. 4: North East Caucasian Languages, Part 2

The syntax of personal agreement in East Caucasian languages

The syntax of personal agreement in East Caucasian languages

Comparison of Resource Assessment Methods and Geologic Controls-- Deep Natural Gas Plays and Zones, United States and Russia: ABSTRACT

Deep (greater than 4.5 km--15,000 ft) conventional natural gas resources will play an important role in the future energy needs of the United States and Russia. Deep sedimentary basins are widespread in these countries and have formed in a variety of depositional and tectonic settings. Significant volumes of undiscovered deep natural gas are in the Gulf Coast, Anadarko, Permian, and Rocky Mountain basins of the U.S., and in the Timan-Pechora, West Siberia, East Siberia, and North and South Caspian basins of the former Soviet Union. Deep natural gas resources are regularly assessed by the All-Russia Petroleum Research Exploration Institute (VNIGRI) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as part of their normal research activities. Both VNIGRI and the USGS employ similar assessment methods involving play (or zone) analysis using geological data and based on an analysis of confirmed and hypothetical plays using field-size distributions, discovery-process models, and statistical estimation procedures that yield probabilistic estimates of undiscovered accumulations. Resource estimates for the deep structural and statigraphic plays of the Anadarko basin and deep Paleozoic zones in the Timan-Pechora basin are compared and contrasted using both methods. Differences in results of assessments between VNIGRI and USGS arise due to (1) the way inmore » which plays/zones are defined, (2) different geochemical models for hydrocarbon generation as applied to hypothetical plays, (3) variations in the ways in which statistical estimation procedures are applied to plays and regions, and (4) differences in economic and technologic assumptions, reserve growth calculations, and accumulation size limits and ranges.« less

PALAEOZOIC PRE‐SALT SEDIMETNS IN THE PRECASPIAN PETROLIFEROUS PRPVINCE

The PreCaspian (North Caspian) Basin is located on the SE margin of the Russian Platform, and extends as far south as the north coast of the intra‐continental Caspian Sea. Regional surface elevations here are as much as 24 m below sea‐level. The basin is one of the World's deepest, with basin‐fill sediments exceeding 20 km in thickness. The Proterozoic section, the pre‐slat Palaeozoic section, and the Upper Permian (slat‐bearing) interval are all about 5‐km thick, although as a result of salt movements, the salt‐bearing sequence may be thicker. The basin has a roughly oval outline, and is 900‐km wide, 600‐km is length, and covers around 500,000 sq. km. It is divided into the Central and SE Sub‐basins by the approximately east‐west trending Astrakhan‐Aktyubinsk system of basement highs. A series of massive carbonate build‐ups rim the basin margins.This paper considers the sturcture and hydorcarbons potential of the pre‐salt (Palaeozoic) sedimentary section, whose regional prospectivity has been confirmed by the discovery of a series of “giant” oil, gas and condensate fields, including Tengiz, Karachaganak and Astrakhan. Hydrocarbons in these fields are sourced and reservoired in massive organicrich carbonates of Palaeozoic age.

PALAEOZOIC PRE-SALT SEDIMENTS IN THE PRECASPIAN PETROLIFEROUS PROVINCE

The PreCaspian (North Caspian) Basin is located on the SE margin of the Russian Platform and extends as far south as the north coast of the intra-continental Caspian Sea. Regional surface elevations here are as much as 24 m below sea-level. The basin is one of the World's deepest, with basin-fill sediments exceeding 20 km in thickness. The Proterozoic section the pre-salt Palaeozoic section and the Upper Permian (salt-bearing) interval are all about 5-km thick although as a result of salt movements the salt-bearing sequence may be thicker. The basin has a roughly oval outline and is 900-km wide 600-km in length and covers around 500,000 sq. km. It is divided into the Central and SE Sub-basins by the approximately east-west trending Astrakhan-Aktyubinsk system of basement highs. A series of massive carbonate build-ups rim the basin margins.

Petrophysical Characterization of Middle Pliocene Reservoirs, Guneshli Field, Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan: ABSTRACT

Guneshli Field is one of several large fields on the Apsheron Ridge, a bathymmic, and structural high, separating the North and South Caspian deeps. In total this trend contains more than 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent. The main reservoir is the Middle Pliocene Productive Series which is interpreted as a series of stacked wave dominated deltas. Reservoirs are fine to very-fine-grained sublitharenites, to feldspathic litharenites with excellent well-connected macro and meso pore systems. Porosity and permeability are texturally controlled due to depositional energy and provenance (as opposed to diagenetically controlled) primarily by grain size, sorting and percent of ductile shale rock fragments. Rarely, carbonate cement partially occludes primary pores. Six main lithofacies were recognized in core and described according to pore throat geometry and flow unit characteristics. Porosity, permeability, and mercury injection capillary pressure data were collected on reservoir and seal rocks. These data were used to define pore throat size distribution, hydrocarbon column height, sealing capacity, and irreducible water saturation for each facies. Porosity and permeability tests on reservoir samples at increasing confining stress conditions show only minor reductions in porosity and permeability. Permeability of poorly consolidated sands, in the absence of conventional plugs, can be estimated frommore » mercury injection data on core chips or cuttings and from grain size data. Reservoir simulation models suggest Guneshli reservoirs have good displacement characteristics and are good waterflood candidates, with recovery being as high as 40% of the original oil-in-place.« less

Forecast of Phase State and Composition of Hydrocarbon Systems of Subsalt Formations of the North Caspian Region: ABSTRACT

The Pricaspian oil and gas province is a region where the increase in commercial hydrocarbon reserves is primarily due to the development of deep hydrocarbon reservoirs. At present, three giant fields have been discovered within this region, characterized by differing geology and hydrocarbon content - oil (Tengiz), oil condensate (Karachaganak), and gas condensate (Astrakhan). The main hydrocarbon reservoir consists of Lower to Middle Carboniferous carbonates (Astrakhan, Tengiz) and Lower Permian carbonates (Karachaganak). Seals are subsalt Lower Permian shales and carbonates and Kungurian salt-bearing sections. Common characteristics include a high degree of productivity, high formation pressure and temperature, and complex composition of associated gas (H{sub 2}S, CO{sub 2}, nitrogen, C5+). The high concentration of acid components, characteristic of the Pricaspian hydrocarbon system, strongly influences the phase transition parameters and the amount of gas and gas condensate due to high hydrocarbon solubility in these acid components. This also influences the pressure of the phase transition which is depressed (lower temperatures and pressures) and causes a relatively low condensate content. In the Pricaspian oil and gas province, deep Paleozoic reservoirs will be the main exploration and development targets for the future. it is possible to identify different hydrocarbon types, controlled by the relativemore » solubility of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons under varying PVT conditions. They can be defined as {open_quotes}primary{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}secondary{close_quotes} gas condensate systems (the formation of the latter is connected with oil systems), with gradational phase transition boundaries.« less

Devonian and Carboniferous Carbonates of Southern Kazakhstan: Depositional Analogs for Coeval Giant Oil and Gas Fields in the North Caspian Basin, Western Kazakhstan: ABSTRACT

Devonian and Carboniferous Carbonates of Southern Kazakhstan: Depositional Analogs for Coeval Giant Oil and Gas Fields in the North Caspian Basin, Western Kazakhstan: ABSTRACT

The Oil Resources of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, the second-largest oil-producing former Soviet republic, accounts for 5 to 6 percent of total Soviet output in recent years. With over 15 billion barrels of proven and probable reserves, it has attracted some capital from major international oil companies and has been in the forefront of their “rush” into the region. Kazakhstan has signed contracts with more than 40 foreign companies from 17 different countries, including several mega-deals. Output has declined over the past two years (by 13.5%, from 26.6 million tons in 1991 to 23.0 million tons in 1993), mainly because of the ongoing economic and political changes set in motion after the demise of the USSR, and principally due to problems involving Kazakhstan's trade relations with Russia. Output continues to be restricted because of the lack of an independent pipeline route to the world market. Kazakhstan's main oil-producing areas are concentrated in the North Caspian Basin. Early production in the area was from suprasalt Permian and Cretaceous rocks, in structural traps originating from salt tectonism. More recently, significant discoveries such as Tengiz and Karachaganak have been made in subsalt upper Paleozoic rocks. The greatest hydrocarbon potential is in the infrasalt Paleozoic deposits; the suprasalt deposits tend to have smaller reserves, and the deeper, lower Paleozoic sediments appear to have the least potential. Other areas of established or potential hydrocarbon accumulation include the older producing areas on the Mangyshlak-Buzachi peninsula, which still account for most of Kazakhstan's hydrocarbon production; the Turgay syneclise, which is the location of the Kumkol field and the unexploited Kushmurun basin; and the Zaysan basin in eastern Kazakhstan.

Correlation of nonmarine lower cretaceous deposits of the south European part of the former USSR on the basis of charophyta

The stratigraphic and palaeogeographic distribution of charophyte algae in Lower Cretaceous deposits of the south European part of the former USSR (the Foredeep Dobrudjian Basin, the Crimean Plain and the North Caspian Depression) is discussed. They usually occur in nonmarine calcareous deposits and occasionally in deposits of coastal lagoonal and littoral marine origin. The palaeogeographic significance of the assemblages is considered.

Some Effects of the Hurro-Urartian People and Their Languages upon the Earliest Armenians

Some Effects of the Hurro-Urartian People and Their Languages upon the Earliest Armenians

Current Soviet Exploration Plays: Success and Potential

Soviet hydrocarbon exploration in the 1980s took four distinct directions. First was extension exploration and the search for smaller new fields in discrete traps in traditional producing regions, such as the Apsheron Peninsula, North Caucasus, and Volga-Urals. This strategy produced a large number of small discoveries close to established infrastructure. Second was new field exploration in West Siberia in the stratigraphically complex Jurassic and the lower Neocomian sections. Third was expansion of the prolific gas plays in northern West Siberia. Exploratory success in West Siberia has created a backlog of several hundred discoveries awaiting full delineation and development. Most of these fields are distant from the established oil production center in the Middle Ob region and, therefore, may remain in inventory. Fourth was initial tests of new exploration frontiers, most important, the Paleozoic and Mesozoic plays of the Barents and Kara seas and the subsalt plays of the North Caspian basin. While these plays have yielded very important discoveries, significant technological barriers impede their development. The outlook for Soviet oil exploration in the 1990s is for significant opportunities for discovery of large volumes of oil, but at radically increasing exploration and production costs. In established regions, these costs arise frommore » small field sizes and low well productivities. In frontier regions, exploitation of new fields will require technology not currently available in the USSR. The outlook for gas exploration continues to be very bright, as the onshore northern West Siberia is not fully explored and initial results from the Barents and Kara seas promise more very large gas discoveries.« less

Constructions with clause actants in Daghestanian languages

Constructions with clause actants in Daghestanian languages

Deep Structure of the North Caspian Basin

Deep Structure of the North Caspian Basin