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The article discusses two issues that affect the productivity of gas wells: halite precipitation and liquid loading. Halite precipitation occurs when salt crystals form in the well, while liquid loading happens when liquids build up in the well, reducing gas production. Accurate prediction of these issues is essential to mitigate them effectively. While liquid loading can be managing by reducing the size of tubing, halite precipitation is more challenging to predict and manage. The existing approaches have not sufficiently validated, and the current halite management measures are not cost-effective. The article reports on a study that aims to develop a model using halite envelope to predict the onset of halite precipitation in a gas field in Oman. The study simulated halite envelopes for thirty different gas wells known to have experienced halite precipitation problems. The results showed that there is significant variation in the size and shape of halite envelopes in different wells, making it infeasible to construct a single envelope for the entire field. However, grouping halite envelopes based on inflow resistance and constructing a model for each group proved to be a powerful tool for halite prediction. The study also investigated the use of velocity string (VS) technology as a new approach to managing halite precipitation. The study simulated halite envelopes for a few wells with different sizes of VS installed, estimating the timing of halite precipitation reoccurrence. The results showed that the effectiveness of VS as a halite remedial technique depends mainly on the rock quality and the time of installation. Additionally, the study assessed the impact of installing VS on liquid loading and the synergy between halite management and de-liquefaction by using VS. The results showed that the synergy between halite management and de-liquefaction using VS depends mainly on rock quality and the size of the installed VS.

Wang et al. (2025, ) report mechanisms of salt precipitation during supercritical CO2${\\text{CO}}_{2}$exposure in saline aquifers based on static high‐temperature, high‐pressure soaking experiments. We identify fundamental flaws in their thermodynamics, chemical stoichiometry, experimental design, and data interpretation that render their mechanistic conclusions invalid. First, their brine remains below halite saturation throughout experiments, making NaCl precipitation thermodynamically impossible. Second, their treatment of chloride as both a conservative tracer and a precipitating species represents a logical impossibility, compounded by Na+${\\mathrm{N}\\mathrm{a}}^{+}$ /Cl−${\\mathrm{C}\\mathrm{l}}^{-}$removal ratios that violate halite precipitation stoichiometry. Third, all analyses were performed on dried samples, without distinguishing between in situ precipitation and post‐experiment evaporative crystallization, which is a critical temporal attribution failure. Fourth, their claim that salt precipitation transforms micropores into mesopores violates mass conservation. Fifth, wettability changes attributed to salt crusts contradict surface chemistry, as all identified salts are highly hydrophilic. We demonstrate that all observations are more consistently explained by acidification‐driven mineral dissolution during soaking, followed by evaporative crystallization during sample preparation—requiring no thermodynamically implausible water extraction or chemically impossible mechanisms.

The performance of lithium ion electrodes is hindered by unfavorable chemical heterogeneities that pre-exist or develop during operation. Time-resolved spatial descriptions are needed to understand the link between such heterogeneities and a cell’s performance. Here, operando high-resolution X-ray diffraction-computed tomography is used to spatially and temporally quantify crystallographic heterogeneities within and between particles throughout both fresh and degraded Li x Mn 2 O 4 electrodes. This imaging technique facilitates identification of stoichiometric differences between particles and stoichiometric gradients and phase heterogeneities within particles. Through radial quantification of phase fractions, the response of distinct particles to lithiation is found to vary; most particles contain localized regions that transition to rock salt LiMnO 2 within the first cycle. Other particles contain monoclinic Li 2 MnO 3 near the surface and almost pure spinel Li x Mn 2 O 4 near the core. Following 150 cycles, concentrations of LiMnO 2 and Li 2 MnO 3 significantly increase and widely vary between particles. Dynamic chemical and structural heterogeneities within electrodes are known to lead to battery degradation and failure. Here, the authors show that X-ray diffraction computed tomography can be used to spatially quantify the dynamic crystallographic states of electrodes as they operate and degrade.

Variations in atmosphere oxygen and ocean sulfate concentrations through time are regarded as important controls on the cycles of sediment-hosted and volcanic-hosted ore deposits. However, estimates of atmosphere oxygen in the Proterozoic have been frustrated by the lack of a direct measurement method and conflicting evidence from various proposed geochemical proxies. Studies in the 1970s to 1990s suggested a relatively oxygenated atmosphere (> 3 wt% O2) in the Proterozoic. However, since the late 1990s, new proxies and modelling have suggested very much lower levels of oxygen (< 0.02 wt% O2). Focusing on redox-sensitive trace elements, here we combine a dataset of over 3000 LA-ICP-MS trace-element analyses on sedimentary pyrite, standardised against Berner’s Phanerozoic O2 modelling and direct measurement of oxygen concentrations in fluid inclusions in sedimentary halite, to develop the first detailed estimate for atmosphere O2 concentration and secular variation from 2200 Ma to the present. The estimates suggest dynamic cycles of atmosphere oxygen that increased in frequency through time. There were possibly three first-order cycles in the Proterozoic varying from 400 to 600 million years in length and a further five first-order cycles in the Phanerozoic from 60 to 120 million years in length. Our estimates of oxygen concentration are at odds with most previous estimates. We suggest, rather than very low atmosphere oxygen in the Proterozoic, the mean concentration was about 7 wt%, rising to a mean of about 10 wt% in the Phanerozoic, but with significant cyclic variation of up to a maximum concentration of possibly over 30 wt%. We observe that the proposed oxygen cycles correlate with biodiversity cycles and to the timing of major stratiform base-metal deposits in sedimentary basins. For example, minima in atmosphere oxygenation correlate with mass extinction events and stratiform Zn–Pb–Ag deposits, whereas maxima in oxygenation correlate with major evolutionary events, global periods of evaporite formation and the timing of stratiform copper deposits.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with high energy density that can be safely charged and discharged at high rates are desirable for electrified transportation and other applications 1 – 3 . However, the sub-optimal intercalation potentials of current anodes result in a trade-off between energy density, power and safety. Here we report that disordered rock salt 4 , 5 Li 3+ x V 2 O 5 can be used as a fast-charging anode that can reversibly cycle two lithium ions at an average voltage of about 0.6 volts versus a Li/Li + reference electrode. The increased potential compared to graphite 6 , 7 reduces the likelihood of lithium metal plating if proper charging controls are used, alleviating a major safety concern (short-circuiting related to Li dendrite growth). In addition, a lithium-ion battery with a disordered rock salt Li 3 V 2 O 5 anode yields a cell voltage much higher than does a battery using a commercial fast-charging lithium titanate anode or other intercalation anode candidates (Li 3 VO 4 and LiV 0.5 Ti 0.5 S 2 ) 8 , 9 . Further, disordered rock salt Li 3 V 2 O 5 can perform over 1,000 charge–discharge cycles with negligible capacity decay and exhibits exceptional rate capability, delivering over 40 per cent of its capacity in 20 seconds. We attribute the low voltage and high rate capability of disordered rock salt Li 3 V 2 O 5 to a redistributive lithium intercalation mechanism with low energy barriers revealed via ab initio calculations. This low-potential, high-rate intercalation reaction can be used to identify other metal oxide anodes for fast-charging, long-life lithium-ion batteries. A vanadium-based lithium-rich disordered rock salt oxide is shown to work as a low-potential anode with rapid intercalation kinetics for lithium-ion batteries.

Groundwater origin, flow and geochemical evolution in the Golmud River watershed of the Qaidam Basin was assessed using hydrogeochemical, isotopic and numerical approaches. The stable isotopic results show groundwater in the basin originates from precipitation and meltwater in the mountainous areas of the Tibetan Plateau. Modern water was found in the alluvial fan and shallow aquifers of the loess plain. Deep confined groundwater was recharged by paleowater during the late Pleistocene and Holocene under a cold climate. Groundwater in the low-lying depression of the central basin is composed of paleobrines migrated from the western part of the basin due to tectonic uplift in the geological past. Groundwater chemistry is controlled by mineral dissolution (halite, gypsum, anhydrite, mirabilite), silicate weathering, cation exchange, evaporation and mineral precipitation (halite, gypsum, anhydrite, aragonite, calcite, dolomite) and varies from fresh to brine with the water types evolving from HCO3 ⋅ Cl-Ca ⋅ Mg ⋅ Na to Cl-Na, Cl-K-Na and Cl-Mg type along the flow path. Groundwater flow patterns are closely related to stratigraphic control and lithological distribution. Three hierarchical groundwater flow systems, namely local, intermediate and regional, were identified using numerical modeling. The quantity of water discharge from these three systems accounts for approximately 83 %, 14 % and 3 %, respectively, of the total groundwater quantity of the watershed. This study can enhance the understanding of groundwater origin, circulation and evolution in the Qaidam Basin as well as other arid endorheic watersheds in northwestern China and elsewhere worldwide.

Grain comminution is commonly observed in numerous geological settings. To elucidate the role of grain comminution in dry granular friction, we sheared breakable halite (NaCl) grains using a ring‐shear configuration at a constant slip rate under various normal stresses. We observed transient frictional behaviors: a constant regime exhibiting a high friction coefficient at small slip displacements, and a weakening regime showing a substantial decay in friction at large slip displacements. The characteristic slip lengths for both regimes decreased with normal stress and were characterized by similar exponents. Micro‐X‐ray tomography revealed the evolution of microstructure from distributed grain comminution to progressive shear localization for these two regimes. We propose that the filling processes of comminuted fine particles, during which fine particles saturate and then overflow the shear zone, define transient frictional behaviors. This study may hold significant implications for natural shear systems, given the ubiquity of comminution and localization phenomena. Plain Language Summary Grain comminution and structural evolution are common phenomena in natural settings, including earthquake faults and landslides. However, their role in granular friction remains unclear. To investigate this, we experimentally sheared breakable NaCl grains to simulate the processes within growing fault zones and visualized microstructural evolution using micro‐X‐ray computed tomography (CT). We observed two distinct frictional behaviors: a constant regime exhibiting a high friction coefficient at small slip displacements, and a weakening regime showing a substantial decay in friction at large slip displacements. The characteristic slip lengths for both regimes decreased with normal stress. Micro‐observations revealed drastic grain comminution and segregation processes in the constant regime, while the weakening regime showed progressive shear localization evolving from multiple discontinuous shear planes to one extremely localized shear plane. The higher constant friction appeared to result from large grain contacts, while the substantially lower steady‐state friction arose from comminuted fine particle contacts. We propose that grain comminution generates fine particles, gradually filling the pores within the shear zone in the constant regime, ultimately leading to frictional weakening by effectively reducing large grain contacts. The characteristic lengths defining transient behavior may be influenced by geometrical complexities and boundary conditions in various geological settings. Key Points Sheared granular halite exhibits constant friction at small slip displacement and substantial weakening at large displacement Characteristic slip lengths for constant friction and weakening decrease with normal stress and are characterized by similar exponents The production, saturation, and overflow of comminuted fines in the shear zone are key factors determining transient frictional behavior

Major changes in atmospheric and ocean chemistry occurred in the Paleoproterozoic era (2.5 to 1.6 billion years ago). Increasing oxidation dramatically changed Earth’s surface, but few quantitative constraints exist on this important transition. This study describes the sedimentology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of a 2-billion-year-old, ~800-meter-thick evaporite succession from the Onega Basin in Russian Karelia. The deposit consists of a basal unit dominated by halite (~100 meters) followed by units dominated by anhydrite-magnesite (~500 meters) and dolomite-magnesite (~200 meters). The evaporite minerals robustly constrain marine sulfate concentrations to at least 10 millimoles per kilogram of water, representing an oxidant reservoir equivalent to more than 20% of the modern ocean-atmosphere oxidizing capacity. These results show that substantial amounts of surface oxidant accumulated during this critical transition in Earth’s oxygenation.

Groundwater quality in the alluvial plains of Punjab has special significance and needs great attention since it is the foremost source of drinking, irrigation and industrial uses. The present research work emphasizes the integrated hydrogeochemical and chemometric statistical approaches to appraise the geochemical processes and source apportionment of the groundwater in the alluvial plains of Jalandhar district, Punjab, India. The human health risk assessment was also performed to quantify the potential non-carcinogenic impacts of nitrate and fluoride on human health through ingestion of groundwater. For this purpose, 41 groundwater samples were collected from different groundwater abstraction units and analysed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, total alkalinity and major ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3−, CO32−, SO42−, NO3−, F−, Cl− and PO43−) using standard protocols. Drinking water quality index and Revelle index showed that groundwater samples fall under poor to unfit water class and salinization along the south-western portion of the study region shows poor water quality. The results of the hazard index (HIingestion) show 68% and 46.34% of the groundwater samples have HI > 1 for children and adults. The non-carcinogenic health risk assessment of nitrate (NO3−) and fluoride (F−) on the local population indicated that the children are more vulnerable through direct ingestion of drinking water than adults. Piper diagram and saturation index reveal that Ca2+–Mg2+–HCO3− is the dominant hydrochemical facies and oversaturated with calcite, dolomite and aragonite minerals in the groundwater. Gibbs diagrams, chloro-alkaline indices and scatter plots show that the hydrochemistry of the groundwater is mainly governed by aquifer material interaction such as weathering of silicate, carbonate rock, halite dissolution and cation exchange process. Chemometric statistical techniques revealed that the source identification of parameters such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3−, CO3− and F− is originated from geogenic factors, whereas NO3−, SO42−, Cl− and PO43− are from the anthropogenic origin. Therefore, urgent and efficient measures must be taken to combat groundwater pollution and reduce human health risk in the study area.

The Late Miocene–Pliocene aged hyperarid evaporitic system of Salar Grande is a unique, halite-rich sedimentary basin in the Cordillera de la Costa of the Central Andes (Chile) whose bio-sedimentary record is poorly understood. The persistence of hyperacidity over millions of years, the hypersalinity, and the intense UV radiation make it a terrestrial analogue to assess the potential presence of organic matter in the halite deposits found on Mars. We investigated the occurrence and distribution of biomolecules along a 100-m depth drill down to the ~ 9 Ma old detrital deposits topped by La Soledad Formation (ESF). We have identified two well-defined mineralogical and geochemical units by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and ion chromatography: a nearly pure halite down to 40 m, and a detrital one down to 100 m depth. One-dimensional GC–MS and two-dimensional GC × GC-TOF–MS gas chromatography–mass spectrometry techniques allowed us to detect a variety of lipidic compounds (n-alkanes, n-alkanols, isoprenoids, steroids, and hopanoids), and a relative abundance of functionalized hydrocarbons (n-fatty acids or n-aldehydes), mostly in the upper halite. We also detected biopolymers and microbial markers by fluorescence sandwich-microarray immunoassays. A dominant prokaryotic origin was associated with halophile bacteria and archaea, with minor contributions of lichens, macrophytes, or higher plants. The lipidic record was also imprinted by oxic (high pristane over phytane ratios) and saline (squalane, and mono-methyl n-alkanes) signatures. The vertical abundance and distribution of biomarkers in the Salar Grande was explained by a generalized effect of xeropreservation, combined with salt encapsulation in the upper halite deposits, or with protective organics-mineral interactions in the deeper detrital unit. The results contribute to the interpretation of terrestrial bio-sedimentary records of halite deposits and their association to environmental conditions. The high potential for preservation of biosignatures at Salar Grande suggests that similar evaporitic deposits in Mars should be priority targets for searching for signs of life.