Sixteen mudstone core samples from marine Neogene formations in Okinawa and Miyazaki gas fields were used for the determination of water content. To determine the water content, the following two methods were conducted.
1. Dry up at 105°C.
2. Dry up at 60°C and 40% of relative humidity.
Experimental data are shown on the Table 2 and 3. In case of the core samples shallower than 1, 200m in depth, 105°C values are larger than 60°C values by 13_??_30v/v%, and there is a good positive correlation between apparent specific gravity and difference of 105°C values and 60°C values.
The chlorine ion concentration in the interstitial water of mudstone shallower than 1, 200m (apparent specific gravity<2.25) is almost equal to that of the nearby groundwater. While, in case of heavy muddy rocks (apparent specific gravity>2.25) from the depth more than 1, 200m, chlorine concentration in groundwater is higher by 10_??_ several 10% than that in the corresponding interstitial water.
The noticiable physical discordance at 1, 200 in deep is important for the study of the gene-ration, re_??_ention, migration, maturation and metamorphism of hydrocarbons in the Neogene formations in Japan.