美国页岩油气地质特征及勘探开发进展

Geologic characteristics,exploration and production progress of shale oil and gas in the United States:An overview

基于美国页岩油气勘探开发历程的回顾,对主要页岩盆地的地质演化、主要页岩层系的油气地质特征及勘探开发进展进行系统梳理和总结。美国重要页岩盆地的富烃页岩主要发育于6个地质时期:中奥陶世、中—晚泥盆世、早石炭世(中—晚密西西比世)、早二叠世、晚侏罗世和晚白垩世(塞诺曼期—土伦期),构造沉积环境主要包括克拉通内盆地、前陆盆地和被动大陆边缘盆地。古生界富烃页岩主要分布于以下6个盆地:阿巴拉契亚盆地(尤蒂卡页岩和马塞勒斯页岩)、阿纳达科盆地(伍德福德页岩)、威利斯顿盆地(巴肯页岩)、阿卡马盆地(费耶特维尔页岩)、沃思堡盆地(巴内特页岩)和二叠盆地(狼营组和斯帕瑞组/骨泉组页岩)。中生界富烃页岩主要发育在西墨西哥湾盆地(海恩斯维尔组和鹰滩组)和落基山盆地群(以丹佛和粉河盆地的尼尔布拉勒组页岩为主)。通过对各页岩区带的详细分析发现,页岩的岩相和矿物成分存在差异,“页岩储层”并非只是页岩,很多情况下页岩油气还产自粉砂岩和碳酸盐岩等多种岩石类型。美国的页岩油气资源丰富,页岩油地质资源量超过0.246×1012 t,页岩气地质资源量超过290×1012 m3。在开启“页岩革命”的水平井水力压裂技术出现之前,美国经过了长达20年的勘探开发实践和理论技术积累。自2007年至2023年,美国页岩油气产量从约11.2×104t/d油当量增加到超过300.0×104t/d油当量,2017年页岩油气产量超过了常规油气,2023年在油气总产量中的占比增加到60%以上。页岩油气的开发主要得益于钻完井技术的改进,“立体开发”的攻关,以及重复压裂、提高原油采收率和“U”形井等技术的应用。基于美国丰富的页岩资源基础和技术的不断进步,页岩油气的产量将继续为全美的油气生产做出更大贡献。

We present a systematic summary of the geological characteristics,exploration and development history and current state of shale oil and gas in the United States.The hydrocarbon-rich shales in the major shale basins of the United States are mainly developed in six geological periods:Middle Ordovician,Middle-Late Devonian,Early Carboniferous(Middle-Late Mississippi),Early Permian,Late Jurassic,and Late Cretaceous(Cenomanian-Turonian).Depositional environments for these shales include intra-cratonic basins,foreland basins,and passive continental margins.Paleozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed in six basins,including the Appalachian Basin(Utica and Marcellus shales),Anadarko Basin(Woodford Shale),Williston Basin(Bakken Shale),Arkoma Basin(Fayetteville Shale),Fort Worth Basin(Barnett Shale),and the Wolfcamp and Leonardian Spraberry/Bone Springs shale plays of the Permian Basin.The Mesozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed on the margins of the Gulf of Mexico Basin(Haynesville and Eagle Ford)or in various Rocky Mountain basins(Niobrara Formation,mainly in the Denver and Powder River basins).The detailed analysis of shale plays reveals that the shales are different in facies and mineral components,and "shale reservoirs" are often not shale at all.The United States is abundant in shale oil and gas,with the in-place resources exceeding 0.246×1012 t and 290×1012 m3,respectively.Before the emergence of horizontal well hydraulic fracturing technology to kick off the "shale revolution",the United States had experienced two decades of exploration and production practices,as well as theory and technology development.In 2007-2023,shale oil and gas production in the United States increased from approximately 11.2×104 tons of oil equivalent per day(toe/d) to over 300.0×104 toe/d.In 2017,the shale oil and gas production exceeded the conventional oil and gas production in the country.In 2023,the contribution from shale plays to the total U.S.oil and gas production remained above 60%.The development of shale oil and gas has largely been driven by improvements in drilling and completion technologies,with much of the recent effort focused on “cube development” or “co-development”.Other efforts to improve productivity and efficiency include refracturing,enhanced oil recovery,and drilling of “U-shaped” wells.Given the significant resources base and continued technological improvements,shale oil and gas production will continue to contribute significant volumes to total U.S.hydrocarbon production.