scholarly journals Upper Paleozoic Transitional Shale Gas Enrichment Factors: A Case Study of Typical Areas in China

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 194
Author(s):  
Feiteng Wang ◽  
Shaobin Guo

Based on the shale gas research experience in North America, large-scale geological evaluations have been conducted in China to determine the enrichment characteristics of deep marine shale gas, leading to the discovery of the Fuling, Changning and Weiyuan shale gas fields. However, research on Upper Paleozoic transitional shale gas remains limited, restricting the subsequent exploration and development. Therefore, taking the Lower Permian Shanxi and Pennsylvanian Taiyuan Formations in the northeastern Ordos Basin and the Upper Permian Longtan Formation in southwestern Guizhou as examples, gas logging, gas desorption, thermal simulation, maximum vitrinite reflectance (Rmax), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to study the influence of lithological associations, sedimentary facies, gas generation thresholds, and pore evolution on transitional shale gas, and then Upper Paleozoic transitional shale gas enrichment factors of the northeastern Ordos Basin and southwestern Guizhou were analysed. The results show that carbonaceous mudstone adjacent to coal seams presents a high gas content level, and is primarily developed in swamps in the delta plain environment, and swamps and lagoons in the barrier coastal environment. The gas generation threshold maturity (Rmax) of transitional shale is 1.6% and the corresponding threshold depths of the northeastern Ordos Basin and southwestern Guizhou are estimated to be 2265 m and 1050 m. Transitional shale pore evolution is jointly controlled by hydrocarbon generation, clay minerals transformation, and compaction, and may have the tendency to decrease when Rmax < 1.6% or Rmax > 3.0%, but increase when Rmax ranges between 1.6% and 3.0%, while the main influential factors of pore evolution differ in each period. Continuous distribution of transitional shale gas enrichment areas can be formed along the slope adjacent to coal seams with a moderate maturity range (1.6%–3.0%) in the northeastern Ordos Basin, and transitional shale gas can be enriched in the areas adjacent to coal seams with a moderate maturity range (1.6%–3.0%), abundant fractures, and favorable sealing faults in southwestern Guizhou.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2679
Author(s):  
Yuying Zhang ◽  
Shu Jiang ◽  
Zhiliang He ◽  
Yuchao Li ◽  
Dianshi Xiao ◽  
...  

In order to analyze the main factors controlling shale gas accumulation and to predict the potential zone for shale gas exploration, the heterogeneous characteristics of the source rock and reservoir of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin were discussed in detail, based on the data of petrology, sedimentology, reservoir physical properties and gas content. On this basis, the effect of coupling between source rock and reservoir on shale gas generation and reservation has been analyzed. The Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation black shale in the Sichuan Basin has been divided into 5 types of lithofacies, i.e., carbonaceous siliceous shale, carbonaceous argillaceous shale, composite shale, silty shale, and argillaceous shale, and 4 types of sedimentary microfacies, i.e., carbonaceous siliceous deep shelf, carbonaceous argillaceous deep shelf, silty argillaceous shallow shelf, and argillaceous shallow shelf. The total organic carbon (TOC) content ranged from 0.5% to 6.0% (mean 2.54%), which gradually decreased vertically from the bottom to the top and was controlled by the oxygen content of the bottom water. Most of the organic matter was sapropel in a high-over thermal maturity. The shale reservoir of Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation was characterized by low porosity and low permeability. Pore types were mainly <10 nm organic pores, especially in the lower member of the Longmaxi Formation. The size of organic pores increased sharply in the upper member of the Longmaxi Formation. The volumes of methane adsorption were between 1.431 m3/t and 3.719 m3/t, and the total gas contents were between 0.44 m3/t and 5.19 m3/t, both of which gradually decreased from the bottom upwards. Shale with a high TOC content in the carbonaceous siliceous/argillaceous deep shelf is considered to have significant potential for hydrocarbon generation and storage capacity for gas preservation, providing favorable conditions of the source rock and reservoir for shale gas.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinxian He ◽  
Xiaoli Zhang ◽  
Li Ma ◽  
Hongchen Wu ◽  
Muhammad Ashraf

<p>There are enormous resources of unconventional gas in coal measures in Ordos Basin. In order to study the geological characteristics of unconventional gas in coal Measures in Ordos Basin, we analyzed and summarized the results of previous studies. Analysis results are found that, the unconventional gas in coal measures is mainly developed in Upper Paleozoic in Eastern Ordos Basin, which including coalbed methane, shale gas and tight sandstone gas. The oil and gas show active in coal, shale and tight sandstone of Upper Paleozoic in Ordos Basin. Coalbed methane reservoir and shale gas reservoir in coal measures belong to “self-generation and self- preservation”, whereas the coal measures tight sandstone gas reservoir belongs to “allogenic and self-preservation”. The forming factors of the three different kinds of gasses reservoir are closely related and uniform. We have the concluded that it will be more scientific and reasonable that the geological reservoir-forming processes of three different kinds of unconventional gas of coal measures are studied as a whole in Ordos Basin, and at a later stage, the research on joint exploration and co-mining for the three types of gasses ought to be carried out.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 453-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Li ◽  
Zengxue Li ◽  
Huaihong Wang ◽  
Dongdong Wang

In China, marine and land transitional fine-grained rocks (shale, mudstone, and so on) are widely distributed and are known to have large accumulated thicknesses. However, shale gas explorations of these types of rock have only recently been initiated, thus the research degree is very low. Therefore, this study was conducted in order to improve the research data regarding the gas accumulation theory of marine and continental transitional fine-grained rock, as well as investigate the shale gas generation potential in the Late Paleozoic fine-grained rock masses located in the Huanghebei Area of western Shandong Province. The hydrocarbon generation characteristics of the epicontinental sea coal measures were examined using sedimentology, petrography, geochemistry, oil and gas geology, tectonics, and combined experimental testing processes. The thick fine-grained rocks were found to have been deposited in the sedimentary environments of the tidal flats, barriers, lagoons, deltas, and rivers during the Late Paleozoic in the study area. The most typical fine-grained rocks were located between the No. 5 coal seam of the Shanxi Formation and the No. 10 coal seam of the Taiyuan Formation, with an average thickness of 84.8 m. These formations were mainly distributed in the western section of the Huanghebei Area. The total organic carbon content level of the fine-grained rock was determined to be 2.09% on average, and the higher content levels were located in the western section of the Huanghebei Area. The main organic matter types of the fine-grained rock were observed to be kerogen II, followed by kerogen III. The vitrinite reflectance ( Ro) of the fine-grained rock was between 0.72 and 1.25%, which indicated that the gas generation of the dark fine-grained rock was within a favorable range, and the maturity of the rock was mainly in a medium stage in the northern section of the Huanghebei Area. It was determined that the average content of brittle minerals in the fine-grained rock was 55.7%. The dissolution pores and micro-cracks were the dominating pores in the fine-grained rock, followed by intergranular pores and intercrystalline pores. It was also found that both the porosity and permeability of the fine-grained rock were very low in the study area. The desorption gas content of the fine-grained rock was determined to be between 0.986 and 4.328 m3/t, with an average content of 2.66 m3/t. The geological structures were observed to be simple in the western section of the Huanghebei Area, and the occurrence impacts on the shale gas were minimal. However, the geological structures were found be complex in the eastern section of the study area, which was unfavorable for shale gas storage. The depths of the fine-grained rock were between 414.05 and 1290.55 m and were observed to become increasingly deeper from the southwestern section to the northern section. Generally speaking, there were found to be good reservoir forming conditions and great resource potential for marine and continental transitional shale gas in the study area.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-49
Author(s):  
Haikuan Nie ◽  
Xiaoliang Wei ◽  
Jinchuan Zhang ◽  
Qian Chen ◽  
Guangxiang Liu ◽  
...  

Gas reservoirs can be divided into two types based on the migration and accumulation processes, and distribution characteristics associated with the reservoirs: continuous accumulation that is within or adjacent to the source rocks and discontinuous accumulation that is in the reservoir rocks. Correspondingly, reservoirs can also be classified as conventional reservoirs, unconventional reservoirs and reservoirs in a transitional state. In order to demonstrate differences and regularities in the distribution characteristics and formation mechanisms of the two accumulation types, the continuous and discontinuous hydrocarbon accumulations in the Hangjinqi area of the Ordos Basin, China, is systematically analyze. Continuous accumulation (coalbed methane, shale gas, basin-centered gas, water-soluble gas) and discontinuous accumulation reservoirs (various traps) are located in the southern and northern regions of the Hangjinqi area, respectively, and they may be changed with the source rock quality, migration force, reservoir capacity and trapping condition. Several factors, such as hydrocarbon generation ability, porosity, and cap rock-trap combinations, are recognized here as essential factors for the formation and current distribution of gas reservoirs in the study area. Understanding the distribution characteristics of continuous accumulation and discontinuous accumulation can predict the potential gas reservoirs types based on discovered gas reservoirs. It is recommended to explore anticline gas reservoirs in the north of Boerjianghaizi fault, and CBM, shale gas and basin-centered gas reservoirs in the south of Boerjianghaizi fault. Though shale gas exploration activity is still lacking in the study area, we believe that the maturity and the burial depth of the marine-continental organic-rich shale in the Permian Shanxi-Taiyuan Formations are suitable for shale gas generation and preservation, indicating further research on the upper Paleozoic shale source rocks is required.


2012 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Abdul Fattah ◽  
J.M. Verweij ◽  
N. Witmans ◽  
J.H. ten Veen

Abstract3D basin modelling is used to investigate the history of maturation and hydrocarbon generation on the main platforms in the northwestern part of the offshore area of the Netherlands. The study area covers the Cleaverbank and Elbow Spit Platforms. Recently compiled maps and data are used to build the input geological model. An updated and refined palaeo water depth curve and newly refined sediment water interface temperatures (SWIT) are used in the simulation. Basal heat flow is calculated using tectonic models. Two main source rock intervals are defined in the model, Westphalian coal seams and pre-Westphalian shales, which include Namurian and Dinantian successions. The modelling shows that the pre-Westphalian source rocks entered the hydrocarbon generation window in the Late Carboniferous. In the southern and central parts of the study area, the Namurian started producing gas in the Permian. In the north, the Dinantian source rocks appear to be immature. Lower Westphalian sediments started generating gas during the Upper Triassic. Gas generation from Westphalian coal seams increased during the Paleogene and continues in present-day. This late generation of gas from Westphalian coal seams is a likely source for gas accumulations in the area.Westphalian coals might have produced early nitrogen prior to or during the main gas generation occurrence in the Paleogene. Namurian shales may be a source of late nitrogen after reaching maximum gas generating phase in the Triassic. Temperatures reached during the Mid Jurassic were sufficiently high to allow the release of non-organic nitrogen from Namurian shales.


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