scholarly journals Study on the Formation Mechanism of Shale Roof, Floor Sealing, and Shale Self-Sealing: A Case of Member I of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Yangtze Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziya Zhang ◽  
Kun Zhang ◽  
Yan Song ◽  
Zhenxue Jiang ◽  
Shu Jiang ◽  
...  

Similar to North America, China has abundant shale resources. Significant progress has been made in the exploration and exploitation of shale gas in China since 2009. As the geological theory of unconventional oil and gas was proposed, scientists have started researching conditions for shale gas preservation. The shale roof and floor sealing and the shale self-sealing are the critical objects of such research, which, however, are still in the initial stage. This article studies the formation mechanism of shale roof and floor sealing and shale self-sealing by taking marine shales from Member I of the upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation–lower Longmaxi Formation in the upper Yangtze region as the research object. Analyses were performed on the TOC content, mineral composition, and porosity, as well as the FIB-SEM, FIB-HIM, and gas permeability experiments on the core samples collected from the marine shales mentioned above. The conclusions are as follows: for the sealings of shale roof and floor, the regional cap rocks, roof, and floor provide sealing for shales due to physical property differences. For the self-sealing of shales, the second and third sub-members of Member I of the Wufeng Formation–Longmaxi Formation mainly develop clay mineral pores which are dominated by macropores with poor connectivity, while the first sub-member of Member I of the Wufeng Formation–Longmaxi Formation mainly develops organic-matter pores, which are dominated by micropores and mesopores with good connectivity. Owing to the connectivity difference, the second and third sub-members provide sealing for the first sub-member, while the methane adsorption effect of shales can inhibit large-scale shale gas migration as it decreases the gas permeability; thus, the organic-rich shales from the first sub-member of Member I of the Wufeng Formation–Longmaxi Formation provides sealing for itself.

2013 ◽  
Vol 421 ◽  
pp. 917-921
Author(s):  
De Xun Liu ◽  
Shu Heng Tang ◽  
Hong Yan Wang ◽  
Qun Zhao

Affected by the constant development of global economy and the imbalance in distribution of conventional oil and gas, oil and gas resources can no longer meet the demand in many countries. Development of unconventional oil and gas has begun to take shape. Shale gas and tight oil become the focus of global attention. Unconventional oil and gas resources are relatively abundant in China. Preliminary results have been achieved in the development of shale gas. Tight oil has been developed in small scale, and the main technologies are maturing gradually. Yet we face many challenges. Low in work degree, resources remain uncertain. Environmental capacity is limited, and large scale batch jobs will confront with difficulties.


Geofluids ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kun Zhang ◽  
Yan Song ◽  
Shu Jiang ◽  
Zhenxue Jiang ◽  
Chengzao Jia ◽  
...  

The study of tectonics is one of the important aspects of shale gas preservation. It is vital for understanding how to determine the enrichment regularity of marine shale gas in anticlines. This paper focuses on typical shale blocks in the southern Sichuan Basin and shale in the Upper Ordovician and the Lower Silurian. In this study, triaxial unloading tests, permeability tests perpendicular and parallel to the stratification plane, FIB-HIM tests, and inclusion analyses are carried out with real drilling data. The enrichment regularity of marine shale gas in anticlines is studied by considering 2 aspects: the angle of the limbs and the burial depth. For anticlines with adjacent synclines, the migration regularity of shale gas is considered by 3 aspects: the dynamics, channels, and processes of migration. This study reveals that a limb angle greater than 120° reflects relatively good conditions for shale gas preservation, while limb angles lesser than 70° indicate relatively poor conditions. This study also suggests that during the process of uplift, large-scale concentrated fractures will form at a certain depth range and horizontal stress field, resulting in the large loss of shale gas. The regression equation of the fractured depth (H) and the horizontal stress (S) is presented as H=15.404S−754.41 (with a correlation coefficient R2=0.6834). The stratification plane and the organic pores form the migration channel of natural gas that is horizontal to the stratification plane in shale. Under the condition of both anticlines and contiguous synclines, shale gas escapes through fractures resulting from extrusion along the anticline and the uplift effect. In addition, driven by differences in the formation pressure coefficients, shale gas is capable of migrating in a short-distance stair-type style from synclines to the adjacent anticlines. Thus, if the drilling costs allow, the well locations should be placed in the more deeply buried synclines.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Olivarius ◽  
Niels Balling ◽  
Jesper P. M. Baunsgaard ◽  
Esben Dalgaard ◽  
Hanne Dahl Holmslykke ◽  
...  

<p>The Triassic–Jurassic sandstone reservoirs in the Danish subsurface at c. 1–3 km depth contain an enormous geothermal resource that is currently utilized in only three geothermal plants due to a number of geological, technical and commercial barriers. These barriers have been addressed in the GEOTHERM project funded by Innovation Fund Denmark and recommendations for overcoming the obstacles have been made. Some of the methods that are used in the oil and gas sector have successfully been introduced in the geothermal reservoir evaluations to reduce the risk associated with new exploration wells. Quantitative seismic interpretation proved capable of giving a reliable reservoir characterization with regards to estimation of porosity and sand/clay distribution. Diagenesis modelling gave good estimates of reservoir quality by utilizing the knowledge obtained about depositional environments, petrography, reservoir properties and burial history. Relationships between fluid and gas permeability have been established such that the regularly measured gas permeability can be recalculated to fluid permeability giving a better representation of the reservoir. The composition of the formation water in the three geothermal plants has been measured and used for geochemical modelling to evaluate the risk of scaling, where especially barite showed a tendency to precipitate upon cooling of the brine. Simulations of the thermal development of the reservoirs during long-term geothermal exploitation demonstrate significant heat extraction from the layers present above and below each reservoir, which ensures that only a small decrease in production temperature occurs over several decades. The regional geothermal resource estimation has been updated based on a new comprehensive 3D temperature model of the subsurface, confirming the presence of a huge geothermal resource with wide geographical extend covering most of the country. The causes of injection problems have been investigated including corrosion and scaling processes, showing that careful choice of well-lining and tubing materials besides cautious operation of plants are of utmost importance to prevent problems. A geothermal business case has been developed to give a lifetime assessment of geothermal plants including feasibility, design, drilling, construction, production and abandonment, showing that the operational costs are closely linked to the existing infrastructure and to the choices made when designing the geothermal plant. In conclusion, the new scientific results and best-practice manuals provide a significantly higher chance of success of new geothermal projects when including the recommended measures to minimize the geological uncertainties and prevent problems during drilling and production.</p>


2014 ◽  
Vol 675-677 ◽  
pp. 1546-1550
Author(s):  
De Xun Liu ◽  
Hong Yan Wang ◽  
Qun Zhao ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Lei Dong

Many countries in the world begin to attach great importance to the utilization of the unconventional gas. The resources of unconventional gas in China are abundant. The development of unconventional gas is still in the early stage. Tight gas enters large scale and commercializing stage. Shale gas is in the initial stage of commercialization. There are mainly three challenges need to confront, uncertainties of unconventional gas resources, key technology with low cost and environmental pollution. So in the future, resource evaluation, engineering technologies and environmental technologies need to be strengthened in China. Tight gas is the most realistic resources to develop in China and the development and utilization of shale gas is the most anticipated. In the next ten or twenty years, the production of unconventional gas in China will increase considerably and play a major role in national hydrocarbon resources.


2013 ◽  
Vol 868 ◽  
pp. 186-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng Ling Jiang ◽  
Chun Lin Zeng ◽  
Sheng Xiu Wang ◽  
Mei Li

In order to carry out a more comprehensive discussion on shale gas accumulation conditions of Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation and Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation, the distribution, source rock conditions and reservoir conditions of these two shales are comprehensively analyzed, these two shales are both have the characteristics of high organic carbon content, high maturity, appropriate thickness and mainly typeⅠkerogen as source rocks, and interbedded with siltstone and/or fine sandstone, rich in quartz and other detrital components, easy to break and form the cracks, micro cracks as reservoirs, these characteristics provide a favorable material basis and reservoir space for shale gas accumulating. On this basis, the effective distribution areas of these two shales are further determined and shale gas resources are preliminary evaluated, eventually come to the results of shale gas resources of Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation and Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation respectively are 0.409×1012m3and 0.389×1012m3.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. SN119-SN132
Author(s):  
Dengliang Gao ◽  
Taizhong Duan ◽  
Zhiguo Wang ◽  
Xiaofei Shang

The Fuling gas field in the southeastern Sichuan Basin is the first and the largest shale gas play in China that has been producing primarily from the organic-rich shale in the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation and the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation. Newly processed 3D seismic data along with well-completion data in the gas field reveal important structural, depositional, and reservoir details in the Lower Paleozoic sedimentary section. Lateral (along-stratal) variations in time structure and bed curvature demonstrate the diversity in faults that can be classified based on their orientation (regional and cross-regional), scale (small, intermediate, and large), and mode (contractional, extensional, and wrench). Vertical (cross-stratal) variations in time structure and bed curvature demonstrate that the deformational intensity increases from the Lower Cambrian to the Upper Ordovician, then decreases from the Upper Ordovician to the Silurian. Seismic isochron and facies analyses indicate that the structural deformation influenced the syntectonic deposition of turbidite sand in a channel complex above the reservoir. The pore pressure, porosity, and gas productivity of the reservoir are the highest in the central portion of the field, where small-scale faults dominate, but drop significantly at the edges of the field, where large-scale lineaments dominate. The relationships suggest that faults and fractures could either reduce or enhance pore pressure, porosity, and gas productivity, depending on their scale. Large-scale faults have the most negative impact on gas enrichment and pressure build-up, leading to reduced pressure, porosity, and productivity; whereas, small-scale ones have the least negative or even positive impact on gas enrichment and pressure build-up, leading to increased pressure, porosity, and productivity. These observations and interpretations offer new insight into the dynamic interplay among tectonic deformation, syn-tectonic sedimentation, and reservoir integrity during the Caledonian (Late Ordovician to Silurian) in the southeastern Sichuan Basin (China).


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanni Zhang ◽  
Rongxi Li ◽  
Hexin Huang ◽  
Tian Gao ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
...  

The shale of the Wulalike Formation developed in the northwestern Ordos Basin is considered to be an effective marine hydrocarbon source rock. One of the key factors for successful shale gas exploration in the Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin is the high content of biogenic silica. However, few people have studied the siliceous origin of the Wulalike shale. In this study, we used petrographic observation and element geochemistry to analyze the origin of silica in the Wulalike shale. The results show that the siliceous minerals are not affected by hydrothermal silica and mainly consist of biogenic and detrital silica. A large number of siliceous organisms, such as sponge spicules, radiolarians, and algae, are found under the microscope. It has been demonstrated that total organic carbon has a positive correlation with biogenic silica and a negative correlation with detrital silica, and biogenic silica is one of the effective indicators of paleoproductivity. Therefore, the enrichment of organic matter may be related to paleoproductivity. Through the calculation of element logging data in well A, it is found that biogenic silica is mainly distributed in the bottom of the Wulalike Formation, and the content of biogenic silica decreases, while the content of detrital silica increases upward of the Wulalike Formation. Biogenic silica mainly exists in the form of microcrystalline quartz, which can form an interconnected rigid framework to improve the hardness and brittleness of shale. Meanwhile, biogenic microcrystalline quartz can protect organic pores from mechanical compaction. Therefore, it may be easier to fracture the shale gas at the bottom of the Wulalike Formation in well A.


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