Geological origins of seismic bright spot reflections in the Ordovician strata in the Halahatang area of the Tarim Basin, western China

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 1297-1311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Yang ◽  
Xiaoxing Gong ◽  
Wenjie Li
Keyword(s):  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
High Amplitude ◽  
Hydrothermal Activity ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Western China ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Seismic Section ◽  
Bright Spots

Anomalously high-amplitude seismic reflections are commonly observed in deeply buried Ordovician carbonate strata in the Halahatang area of the northern Tarim Basin. These bright spots have been demonstrated to be generally related to effective oil and gas reservoirs. These bright spot reflections have complex geological origins, because they are deeply buried and have been altered by multi-phase tectonic movement and karstification. Currently, there is no effective geological model for these bright spots to guide hydrocarbon exploration and development. Using core, well logs, and seismic data, the geological origins of bright spot are classified into three types, controlled by karstification, faulting, and volcanic hydrothermal activity. Bright spots differing by geological origin exhibit large differences in seismic reflection character, such as reflection amplitude, curvature, degree of distortion, and the number of vertically stacked bright spots in the seismic section. By categorizing the bright spots and the seismic character of the surrounding strata, their geological origins can after be inferred. Reservoirs formed by early karstification were later altered by epigenetic karstification. Two periods of paleodrainage further altered the early dissolution pores. In addition, faults formed by tectonic uplift also enhanced the dissolution of the flowing karst waters. Some reservoirs were subsequently altered by Permian volcanic hydrothermal fluids.

scholarly journals Monitoring geological storage of CO2: a new approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manzar Fawad ◽  
Nazmul Haque Mondol
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
Leak Detection ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Water Flooding ◽  
Storage Site ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Coal Beds ◽  
Spatial Coverage

AbstractGeological CO2 storage can be employed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs, deep saline aquifers, and coal beds are considered to be viable subsurface CO2 storage options. Remote monitoring is essential for observing CO2 plume migration and potential leak detection during and after injection. Leak detection is probably the main risk, though overall monitoring for the plume boundaries and verification of stored volumes are also necessary. There are many effective remote CO2 monitoring techniques with various benefits and limitations. We suggest a new approach using a combination of repeated seismic and electromagnetic surveys to delineate CO2 plume and estimate the gas saturation in a saline reservoir during the lifetime of a storage site. This study deals with the CO2 plume delineation and saturation estimation using a combination of seismic and electromagnetic or controlled-source electromagnetic (EM/CSEM) synthetic data. We assumed two scenarios over a period of 40 years; Case 1 was modeled assuming both seismic and EM repeated surveys were acquired, whereas, in Case 2, repeated EM surveys were taken with only before injection (baseline) 3D seismic data available. Our results show that monitoring the CO2 plume in terms of extent and saturation is possible both by (i) using a repeated seismic and electromagnetic, and (ii) using a baseline seismic in combination with repeated electromagnetic data. Due to the nature of the seismic and EM techniques, spatial coverage from the reservoir's base to the surface makes it possible to detect the CO2 plume’s lateral and vertical migration. However, the CSEM low resolution and depth uncertainties are some limitations that need consideration. These results also have implications for monitoring oil production—especially with water flooding, hydrocarbon exploration, and freshwater aquifer identification.

Seismic attribute for characterization and prediction of carbonate faulted karst reservoirs in Tarim Basin, China

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-36
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Xiao ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Ruizhao Yang ◽  
Dewei Li ◽  
Lingbin Meng
Keyword(s):  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Prediction Method ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Upper Ordovician ◽  
Reservoir Prediction ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Gas Field

An ultradeep, faulted karst reservoir of Ordovician carbonate was discovered in the Shunbei area of the Tarim Basin. Fractured-cavity reservoirs buried beneath the large thickness of upper Ordovician mudstone were formed along the fault-karst belts. The hydrocarbon accumulation in these reservoirs is controlled by the fault system, and the oil-gas accumulation was affected by karstification and hydrothermal reformation. Previous studies and 2D modeling revealed that the reservoirs had “bright spot” amplitude responses like “string beads,” and they have developed along the strike-slip faults. However, describing such a complex fault-controlled karst system is still a difficult problem that has not been well addressed. We have sought to instruct the attribute expression of faulted karst reservoirs in the northern part of the Tarim Basin. We applied coherence and fault likelihood (FL) seismic attributes to image faults and fractures zones. We then used a trend analysis method to calculate the residual impedance from the impedance of the acoustic inversion, using the fact that residual impedance has higher lateral resolution in reservoir predictions. Finally, we integrated the coherence, FL, and residual impedance attributes into a new seismic attribute, the “fault-vuggy body,” with a certain fusion coefficient. The fault-vuggy body attribute establishes a connection between faults and karst cavities. This method could help in the characterization and prediction of carbonate faulted karst reservoirs. Available drilling data were used to validate that the fused fault-vuggy body attribute was an effective reservoir prediction method. As the seismic sections and slices along the layer help delineate, the distribution of bright spots and strike-slip faults indicates that the main strike-slip fault zones are the most favorable reservoirs in the Shunbei Oil and Gas Field.

scholarly journals Fluid geochemistry of the Jurassic Ahe Formation and implications for reservoir formation in the Dibei area, Tarim Basin, northwest China

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 801-819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuangfeng Zhao ◽  
Wen Chen ◽  
Zhenhong Wang ◽  
Ting Li ◽  
Hongxing Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Coal Measure ◽  
Hydrocarbon Generation ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Isotopic Analyses ◽  
Jurassic Coal

The condensate gas reservoirs of the Jurassic Ahe Formation in the Dibei area of the Tarim Basin, northwest China are typical tight sandstone gas reservoirs and contain abundant resources. However, the hydrocarbon sources and reservoir accumulation mechanism remain debated. Here the distribution and geochemistry of fluids in the Ahe gas reservoirs are used to investigate the formation of the hydrocarbon reservoirs, including the history of hydrocarbon generation, trap development, and reservoir evolution. Carbon isotopic analyses show that the oil and natural gas of the Ahe Formation originated from different sources. The natural gas was derived from Jurassic coal measure source rocks, whereas the oil has mixed sources of Lower Triassic lacustrine source rocks and minor amounts of coal-derived oil from Jurassic coal measure source rocks. The geochemistry of light hydrocarbon components and n-alkanes shows that the early accumulated oil was later altered by infilling gas due to gas washing. Consequently, n-alkanes in the oil are scarce, whereas naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbons with the same carbon numbers are relatively abundant. The fluids in the Ahe Formation gas reservoirs have an unusual distribution, where oil is distributed above gas and water is locally produced from the middle of some gas reservoirs. The geochemical characteristics of the fluids show that this anomalous distribution was closely related to the dynamic accumulation of oil and gas. The period of reservoir densification occurred between the two stages of oil and gas accumulation, which led to the early accumulated oil and part of the residual formation water being trapped in the tight reservoir. After later gas filling into the reservoir, the fluids could not undergo gravity differentiation, which accounts for the anomalous distribution of fluids in the Ahe Formation.

GOLDEN BEACH: A BRIGHT SPOT

1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
R. B. Mariow
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
High Amplitude ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Polarity Reversal ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Areal Extent ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
Bright Spots ◽  
Gippsland Basin ◽  
Seismic Reflector

The Golden Beach closed anticlinal structure lies five kilometres offshore in the Gippsland Basin. Golden Beach 1A was drilled in 1967 near the crest of the structure and intersected a gas column of 19 m (63 feet) at the top of the Latrobe Group (Late Eocene) where most of the hydrocarbon accumulations in the Gippsland Basin have been found. The gas-water contact lies at a depth of 652 m (2139 feet) below sea level.On seismic data recorded over the structure, a high amplitude flat-lying event was interpreted as a bright 'flat spot' at the gas-water contact. Reprocessing of the seismic data enhanced the bright spot effect and enabled the areal extent of the gas zone to be mapped. The presence of the gas also leads to a polarity reversal of the top of the Latrobe Group seismic reflector over the gas accumulation.Seismic data from other structures containing hydrocarbons in the Gippsland Basin support the concept that bright spots and flat spots are more likely to be associated with gas than with oil accumulations, and that the observed bright spot effect decreases with increasing depth.

Hydrocarbon-bearing characteristics of the SB1 strike-slip fault zone in the north of the Shuntuo Low Uplift, Tarim Basin

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. petgeo2019-144
Author(s):  
Ziyi Wang ◽  
Zhiqian Gao ◽  
Tailiang Fan ◽  
Hehang Zhang ◽  
Lixin Qi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Strike Slip Fault ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Permeability Barrier ◽  
The North ◽  
Migration Pathways

The SB1 strike-slip fault zone, which developed in the north of the Shuntuo Low Uplift of the Tarim Basin, plays an essential role in reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation in deep Ordovician carbonate rocks. In this research, through the analysis of high-quality 3D seismic volumes, outcrop, drilling and production data, the hydrocarbon-bearing characteristics of the SB1 fault are systematically studied. The SB1 fault developed sequentially in the Paleozoic and formed as a result of a three-fold evolution: Middle Caledonian (phase III), Late Caledonian–Early Hercynian and Middle–Late Hercynian. Multiple fault activities are beneficial to reservoir development and hydrocarbon filling. In the Middle–Lower Ordovician carbonate strata, linear shear structures without deformation segments, pull-apart structure segments and push-up structure segments alternately developed along the SB1 fault. Pull-apart structure segments are the most favourable areas for oil and gas accumulation. The tight fault core in the centre of the strike-slip fault zone is typically a low-permeability barrier, whilst the damage zones on both sides of the fault core are migration pathways and accumulation traps for hydrocarbons, leading to heterogeneity in the reservoirs controlled by the SB1 fault. This study provides a reference for hydrocarbon exploration and development of similar deep-marine carbonate reservoirs controlled by strike-slip faults in the Tarim Basin and similar ancient hydrocarbon-rich basins.

Are bright spots always hydrocarbons? A case study in the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. SR45-SR51
Author(s):  
Peter Reilly ◽  
Roberto Clairmont ◽  
Heather Bedle
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
High Amplitude ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Temporal Region ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Seismic Amplitude ◽  
Bright Spots ◽  
Seismic Amplitudes ◽  
Seismic Anomalies

In the shallower regions of the 3D Nimitz seismic survey, there exist multiple interesting bright seismic amplitude anomalies. These anomalies, or funny looking things, occur in a confined spatial and temporal region of the seismic. They have a concave-up seismic appearance along the cross section. Bright seismic amplitudes can be a direct hydrocarbon indicator, or they can be representative of strong lithologic contrasts and/or acquisition artifacts. We have set out to investigate misinterpreted seismic anomalies along cross-sectional lines. Therefore, we apply seismic attributes to indicate that these bright spot features, which we interpret to be submarine gullies looking along time-slice intersections, can possibly be mistaken for hydrocarbon anomalies in a cross-sectional view. However, we cannot fully rule out the presence of hydrocarbons because it is common for gas sands to create similar anomalies. Previously drilled wells within the survey (Korimako-1 and Tarapunga-1) point to a lack of hydrocarbon potential in the subsurface. Although it is possible that these bright spots are due to hydrocarbon presence, we develop a more likely hypothesis: The lithology of the interfluve sediments is similar to the gully-margin drapes but differs from the gully sediment fill. Funny looking thing (FLT): Submarine gullies Seismic appearance: High-amplitude spotted features Alternative interpretations: Lithologic anomalies, gas seeps, bright spots Features with a similar appearance: Gas accumulation, sediment fills in limestone paleocaves Formation: Giant Foresets Formation Age: Pleistocene Location: Taranaki Basin, New Zealand Seismic data: Nimitz 3D (cropped volume) Analysis tools: Curvature, instantaneous frequency, and sweetness attributes; well reports

Emplacement of intrusions of the Tarim Flood Basalt Province and their impacts on oil and gas reservoirs: A 3D seismic reflection study in Yingmaili fields, Tarim Basin, northwest China

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. SK51-SK63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongbo Gao ◽  
Wei Tian ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Yongmin Shi ◽  
Mao Pan
Keyword(s):  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Magmatic Activity ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Oil And Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Northern Tarim Basin

A basaltic dike-sill network is emplaced into the shallow subsurface of the Yingmai-2 dome, northern Tarim Basin, northwest China. The 3D seismic reflection imaging suggests that these dikes and sills are fed from an intrusion at the focal area of the dome. This basaltic intrusion has a width of approximately 3000 m and thickness of approximately 1000 m, and it is connected with a much larger Early Permian igneous body in the northern Tarim Basin. An unconformity between the Permian basalt lava flows and the base Triassic conglomerates truncates the dome, meaning that the dome must have developed prior to the Triassic. The basaltic intrusion that emplaced beneath the dome likely pushed the surrounding middle Cambrian salts away and instigated uplift of the overlying upper Cambrian to the lower Permian strata. In most cases, igneous activity plays a negative role on formation of oil and gas reservoirs. However, in the Yingmai-2 case, intrusive magmatic activity has caused “forced folding” of the overburdened strata and controlled the formation of a large commercial oil trap. We suggest that the magmatic activity thus also acts as a positive role on the local formation of a producing petroleum system.

scholarly journals Shallow Gas Prospect Evaluation in Shahbazpur Structure Using Seismic Attributes Analysis - a Case Study for Bhola Island, Southern Bangladesh

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-140
Author(s):  
Morshedur Rahman ◽  
SM Mainul Kabir ◽  
Janifar Hakim Lupin
Keyword(s):  
High Amplitude ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Deep Basin ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Spot Detection ◽  
Bright Spots ◽  
Amplitude Anomaly ◽  
Gas Fields ◽  
Migration Pathways

Shahbazpur structure is located in the southern Part of the central deep basin in the Hatia trough, where lie all the largest Gas fields of Bangladesh. A method is established to delineate the structural mapping precisely by interpreting four 2D seismic lines that are acquired over Shahbazpur structure. Moreover direct hydrocarbon indicators (DHI) related attributes are analyzed for further confirmation for presence of hydrocarbon. To do this synthetic seismogram generation, seismic to well tie, velocity modelling and depth conversion are performed. A limited number of seismic attributes functions that are available in an academic version of Petrel software are applied to analyze attributes. Seismic attribute analyses that are used in this interpretation mainly are associated to bright spot detection. Presence of bright spots or high amplitude anomaly over the present Shahbazpur structure, reservoir zone are observed. This signature will play a very important role in next well planning on the same structure to test the shallow accumulation of hydrocarbon. For better understanding of this shallow reserve, it is suggested to acquire 3D seismic data over Shahbazpur structure which will help to evaluate the hydrocarbon accumulation and to identify gas migration pathways. Dhaka Univ. J. Sci. 64(2): 135-140, 2016 (July)

scholarly journals Fracture, Dissolution, and Cementation Events in Ordovician Carbonate Reservoirs, Tarim Basin, NW China

Geofluids ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinyet Baqués ◽  
Estibalitz Ukar ◽  
Stephen E. Laubach ◽  
Stephanie R. Forstner ◽  
András Fall
Keyword(s):  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Hydrocarbon Generation ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Late Permian ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Principal Source ◽  
Igneous Activity ◽  
Karstic Features

Ordovician carbonate rocks of the Yijianfang Formation in the Tabei Uplift, Tarim Basin, contain deeply buried (>6000 m), highly productive oil and gas reservoirs associated with large cavities (>10 m). Previous workers inferred that large cavities are paleocaves (paleokarst) formed near the surface and subsequently buried. Alternately, caves may have formed by dissolution at depth along faults. Using 227 samples from 16 cores, we document textures and cement compositions bearing on cavity histories with petrographic, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), isotopic, and fluid inclusion microthermometric observations. Results show that dissolution occurred at depth and was caused by (1) acidic fluids derived from Middle-Late Silurian and/or Devonian-Permian hydrocarbon generation and maturation, (2) high-temperature fluids, of which some were associated with Late Permian igneous activity, and (3) Mg-rich fluids that accompanied Jurassic-Cretaceous deformation and the formation of partially open fractures and stylobreccias (fault breccias). The relative paragenetic sequence of the structure-related diagenesis suggests seven stages of fracturing, dissolution, and cementation. Mottle fabrics in the Yijianfang Formation contain argillaceous carbonate-rich silt and are bioturbation features formed within the marine environment. Those mottled fabrics differ from clearly karstic features in the overlying Lianglitage Formation, which formed by near-surface dissolution and subsequent infilling of cavities by allochthonous sediment. Mottle fabrics are crosscut by compacted fractures filled with phreatic-vadose marine cements and followed by subsequent generations of cement-filled fractures and vugs indicating that some fractures and vugs became cement filled prior to later dissolution events. Calcite cements in fractures and vugs show progressively depleted values of δ18O documenting cement precipitation within the shallow (~220 m), intermediate (~625 m), and deep (~2000 m) diagenetic environments. Deep (mesogenetic) dissolution associated with fractures is therefore the principal source of the high porosity-permeability in the reservoir, consistent with other pieces of evidence for cavities localized near faults.

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