Tight sandstone gas accumulation mechanism and development models

Tight sandstone gas serves as an important unconventional hydrocarbon resource, and outstanding results have been obtained through its discovery both in China and abroad given its great resource potential. However, heated debates and gaps still remain regarding classification standards of tight sandstone gas, and critical controlling factors, accumulation mechanisms, and devel- opment modes of tight sandstone reservoirs are not deter- mined. Tight sandstone gas reservoirs in China are generally characterized by tight strata, widespread distri- bution areas, coal strata supplying gas, complex gas-water relations, and abnormally low gas reservoir pressure. Water and gas reversal patterns have been detected via glass tube and quartz sand modeling, and the presence of critical geological conditions without buoyancy-driven mecha- nisms can thus be assumed. According to the timing of gas charging and reservoir tightening phases, the following three tight sandstone gas reservoir types have been identified： （a） ＂accumulation-densification＂ （AD）, or the conventional tight type, （b） ＂densification-accumulation＂ （DA）, or the deep tight type, and （c） the composite tight type. For the AD type, gas charging occurs prior to reser- voir densification, accumulating in higher positions under buoyancy-controlled mechanisms with critical controlling factors such as source kitchens （S）, regional overlaying cap rocks （C）, gas reservoirs, （D） and low fluid potential areas （P）. For the DA type, reservoir densification prior to the gas charging period （GCP） leads to accumulation in depres- sions and slopes largely due to hydrocarbon expansive forces without buoyancy, and critical controlling factors are effective source rocks （S）, widely distributed reservoirs （D）, stable tectonic settings （W） and universal densification of reservoirs （L）. The composite type includes features of the AD type and DA type, and before and after reservoir densification period （RDP）, gas charging and accumulation is controlled by early buoyancy and later molecular expansive force respectively. It is widely distributed in anticlinal zones, deep sag areas and slopes, and is con- trolled by source kitchens （S）, reservoirs （D）, cap rocks （C）, stable tectonic settings （W）, low fluid potential areas （P）, and universal reservoir densification （L）. Tight gas resources with great resource potential are widely dis- tributed worldwide, and tight gas in China that presents advantageous reservoir-forming conditions is primarily found in the Ordos, Sichuan, Tarim, Junggar, and Turpan- Hami basins of central-western China. Tight gas has served as the primary impetus for global unconventional natural gas exploration and production under existing technical conditions.

Geological characteristics and accumulation mechanisms of the "continuous" tight gas reservoirs of the Xu2 Member in the middle-south transition region,Sichuan Basin,China

＂Continuous＂ tight gas reservoirs are those reservoirs which develop in widespread tight sandstones with a continuous distribution of natural gas. In this paper, we summarize the geological features of the source rocks and ＂＇continuous＂ tight gas reservoirs in the Xujiahe Formation of the middle- south transition region, Sichuan Basin. The source rocks of the Xul Member and reservoir rocks of the Xu2 Member are thick （Xul Member： 40 m, Xu2 Member： 120 m） and are distributed continuously in this study area. The results of drilled wells show that the widespread sandstone reservoirs of the Xu2 Member are charged with natural gas. Therefore, the natural gas reservoirs of the Xu2 Member in the middle-south transition region are ＂continuous＂ tight gas reservoirs. The accumulation of ＂continuous＂ tight gas reservoirs is controlled by an adequate driving force of the pressure differences between source rocks and reservoirs, which is demonstrated by a ＂one-dimensional＂ physical simulation experiment. In this simulation, the natural gas of＂continuous＂ tight gas reservoirs moves tbrward with no preferential petroleum migration pathways （PPMP）, and the natural gas saturation of＂continuous＂ tight gas reservoirs is higher than that of conventional reservoirs.

Accumulation Mechanisms and Evolution History of the Giant Puguang Gas Field,Sichuan Basin,China

Solid bitumens were found throughout the carbonate reservoirs in the Puguang gas field, the largest gas field so far found in marine carbonates in China, confirming that the Puguang gas field evolved from a paleo-oil reservoir. The fluid conduit system at the time of intensive oil accumulation in the field was reconstructed, and petroleum migration pathways were modeled using a 3-D model and traced by geochemical parameters. The forward modeling and inversion tracing coincided with each other and both indicated that oils accumulated in the Puguang-Dongyuezhai structure originated from a generative kitchen to the northwest of the Puguang gas field. The deposition of organic-rich Upper Permian source rocks dominated by sapropelic organic matter in the Northeast Sichuan Basin, the development of fluid conduit system that was vertically near-source rock and laterally near-generative kitchen, and the focusing of oils originated from a large area of the generative kitchen, were the three requirements for the formation of the giant paleo-oil reservoir from which the giant Puguang gas field evolved. The Puguang gas field had experienced a three-stage evolution. The post-accumulation processes, especially the organic-inorganic interaction in the hydrocarbon-water-rock system, had not only profoundly altered the composition and characteristics of the petroleum fluids, but also obviously changed the physicochemical conditions in the reservoir and resulted in complicated precipitation and solution of carbonate minerals.

Migration and accumulation mechanisms and main controlling factors of tight oil enrichment in a continental lake basin

Based on the typical dissection of various onshore tight oil fields in China,the tight oil migration and accumulation mechanism and enrichment-controlling factors in continental lake basins are analyzed through nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)displacement physical simulation and Lattice Boltzmann numerical simulation by using the samples of source rock,reservoir rock and crude oil.In continental lake basins,the dynamic forces driving hydrocarbon generation and expulsion of high-quality source rocks are the foundational power that determines the charging efficiency and accumulation effect of tight oil,the oil migration resistance is a key element that influences the charging efficiency and accumulation effect of tight oil,and the coupling of charging force with pore-throat resistance in tight reservoir controls the tight oil accumulation and sweet spot enrichment.The degree of tight oil enrichment in continental lake basins is controlled by four factors:source rock,reservoir pore-throat size,anisotropy of reservoir structure,and fractures.The high-quality source rocks control the near-source distribution of tight oil,reservoir physical properties and pore-throat size are positively correlated with the degree of tight oil enrichment,the anisotropy of reservoir structure reveals that the parallel migration rate is the highest,and intralayer fractures can improve the migration and accumulation efficiency and the oil saturation.

Source-Contacting Gas: Accumulation Mechanism and Distribution in China

Source-contacting gas, which is also called basin-center gas, deep basin gas, is the tight-sand gas accumulation contacting closely to its source rocks. Having different accumulation mechanisms from conventional gas reservoirs that are formed by replacement way, the typical source-contacting gas reservoirs are formed by piston-typed migration forward way. Source-contacting gas accumulations exhibit a series of distinctly mechanic characteristics. According to the valid combination of these characteristics, the estimation for the type of discovered gas reservoirs or distributions of source-contacting gas reservoirs can be forecasted. The source-contacting gas is special for having no edge water or bottom water for gas and complicated gas-water relationships, which emphasizes the intimate association of reservoir rocks with source rocks, which is called the root of the gas reservoir. There are many basins having the mechanic conditions for source-contacting gas accumulations in China, which can be divided into three regions. Most of the basins with favorable accumulation conditions are located mainly in the central and western China. According to the present data, basins having source-contacting gas accumulations in China can be divided into three types, accumulation conditions and configuration relationships are the best in type A basins and they are the larger basins in central China. Type B basins with plain accumulation conditions exist primarily in eastern China and also the basins in western China. Accumulation conditions and exploration futures are worse in type C basins, which refer mainly to the small basins in southern China and China Sea basins. Main source-contacting gas basins in China are thoroughly discussed in this paper and the distribution patterns of source-contacting gas in five huge basins are discussed and forecasted.

Large-scale gas accumulation mechanisms and reservoir-forming geological effects in sandstones of Central and Western China

Large-scale gas accumulation areas in large oil-gas basins in central and Western China have multiple special accumulation mechanisms and different accumulation effects.Based on the geological theory and method of natural gas reservoir formation,this study examined the regional geological and structural background,formation burial evolution,basic characteristics of gas reservoirs,and fluid geology and geochemistry of typical petroliferous basins.The results show that the geological processes such as structural pumping,mudstone water absorption,water-soluble gas degasification and fluid sequestration caused by uplift and denudation since Himalayan stage all can form large-scale gas accumulation and different geological effects of gas accumulation.For example,the large-scale structural pumping effect and fluid sequestration effect are conducive to the occurrence of regional ultra-high pressure fluid and the formation of large-scale ultra-high pressure gas field;mudstone water absorption effect in the formation with low thickness ratio of sandstone to formation is conducive to the development of regional low-pressure and water free gas reservoir;the water-soluble gas degasification effect in large-scale thick sandstone can not only form large-scale natural gas accumulation;moreover,the degasification of water-soluble gas produced by the lateral migration of formation water will produce regional and regular isotopic fractionation effect of natural gas,that is,the farther the migration distance of water-soluble gas is,the heavier the carbon isotopic composition of methane formed by the accumulation.

Tight gas charging and accumulation mechanisms and mathematical model

The gas-water distribution and production heterogeneity of tight gas reservoirs have been summarized from experimental and geological observations, but the charging and accumulation mechanisms have not been examined quantitatively by mathematical model. The tight gas charging and accumulation mechanisms were revealed from a combination of physical simulation of nuclear magnetic resonance coupling displacement, numerical simulation considering material and mechanical equilibria, as well as actual geological observation. The results show that gas migrates into tight rocks to preferentially form a gas saturation stabilization zone near the source-reservoir interface. When the gas source is insufficient, gas saturation reduction zone and uncharged zone are formed in sequence from the source-reservoir interface. The better the source rock conditions with more gas expulsion volume and higher overpressure, the thicker the gas saturation stabilization and reduction zones, and the higher the overall gas saturation. When the source rock conditions are limited, the better the tight reservoir conditions with higher porosity and permeability as well as larger pore throat, the thinner the gas saturation stabilization and reduction zones, but the gas saturation is high. The sweet spot of tight gas is developed in the high-quality reservoir near the source rock, which often corresponds to the gas saturation stabilization zone. The numerical simulation results by mathematical model agree well with the physical simulation results by nuclear magnetic resonance coupling displacement, and reasonably explain the gas-water distribution and production pattern of deep reservoirs in the Xujiaweizi fault depression of the Songliao Basin and tight gas reservoirs in the Linxing-Huangfu area of the Ordos Basin.

Distributions and accumulation mechanisms of helium in petroliferous basins

Helium is an irreplaceable strategic mineral resource, and commercial helium-rich gas fields(He>0.1%) worldwide are typically discovered serendipitously during hydrocarbon exploration efforts. According to an analysis of 75 helium-rich gas fields and 1048 natural gas samples worldwide, helium in natural gas generally exhibits “scarce”, “accompanying”, and“complex” properties, and helium-rich gas fields often occur at depths <4500 m. Helium concentrations in He-CH_(4) and He-CO_(2) gas fields are notably lower than those in He-N_(2)gas fields(He>1%). However, geological reserves in the former two types of gas fields are mainly in the range of 10^(7)–10^(11)m^(3), whereas in the latter, they are only in the range of 10^(5)–10^(7)m^(3). There are nevertheless notable disparities in the genesis and migration patterns between helium and gaseous hydrocarbons. Helium necessitates carriers(such as formation water, hydrocarbon fluids, N_(2), mantle-derived fluids, etc.) during both accumulation and long-distance migration processes, where migration conduits are not confined to sedimentary strata, and may extend to the basin's basement, lower crust, and even lithospheric mantle. However, the accumulation conditions of both helium and gaseous hydrocarbons are generally considered equivalent. The presence of gaseous hydrocarbons facilitates both the rapid exsolution of helium within helium-containing fluids and subsequent efficient aggregation in gaseous hydrocarbons, while both reduce helium diffusion and diminish escape flux. In terms of caprock, gypsum, salt, and thick shale as sealing layers contribute to the long-term preservation of helium over geological timescales. Large helium-rich gas fields, predominantly crust-derived gas fields, are primarily concentrated in uplifted zones of ancient cratonic basins and their peripheries. Based on a diagram of the He concentration versus He/N_(2) ratio, crust-derived helium fields can be categorized as basement, combined basement-sedimentary rock, and sedimentary rock helium supply types. Comprehensively given China's helium grade, helium resource endowment,natural gas industrialization process, and current helium purification processes, the foremost deployment zones for the commercial production of helium should be the helium-rich gas fields located in the Ordos, Tarim, Sichuan, and Qaidam Basins in western and central China. In addition, certain(extra) large helium-containing gas fields serve as important replacement zones.

Research advances on the mechanisms of reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation and the oil and gas development methods of deep and ultra-deep marine carbonates

Based on the new data of drilling, seismic, logging, test and experiments, the key scientific problems in reservoir formation, hydrocarbon accumulation and efficient oil and gas development methods of deep and ultra-deep marine carbonate strata in the central and western superimposed basin in China have been continuously studied.(1) The fault-controlled carbonate reservoir and the ancient dolomite reservoir are two important types of reservoirs in the deep and ultra-deep marine carbonates. According to the formation origin, the large-scale fault-controlled reservoir can be further divided into three types:fracture-cavity reservoir formed by tectonic rupture, fault and fluid-controlled reservoir, and shoal and mound reservoir modified by fault and fluid. The Sinian microbial dolomites are developed in the aragonite-dolomite sea. The predominant mound-shoal facies, early dolomitization and dissolution, acidic fluid environment, anhydrite capping and overpressure are the key factors for the formation and preservation of high-quality dolomite reservoirs.(2) The organic-rich shale of the marine carbonate strata in the superimposed basins of central and western China are mainly developed in the sedimentary environments of deep-water shelf of passive continental margin and carbonate ramp. The tectonic-thermal system is the important factor controlling the hydrocarbon phase in deep and ultra-deep reservoirs, and the reformed dynamic field controls oil and gas accumulation and distribution in deep and ultra-deep marine carbonates.(3) During the development of high-sulfur gas fields such as Puguang, sulfur precipitation blocks the wellbore. The application of sulfur solvent combined with coiled tubing has a significant effect on removing sulfur blockage. The integrated technology of dual-medium modeling and numerical simulation based on sedimentary simulation can accurately characterize the spatial distribution and changes of the water invasion front.Afterward, water control strategies for the entire life cycle of gas wells are proposed, including flow rate management, water drainage and plugging.(4) In the development of ultra-deep fault-controlled fractured-cavity reservoirs, well production declines rapidly due to the permeability reduction, which is a consequence of reservoir stress-sensitivity. The rapid phase change in condensate gas reservoir and pressure decline significantly affect the recovery of condensate oil. Innovative development methods such as gravity drive through water and natural gas injection, and natural gas drive through top injection and bottom production for ultra-deep fault-controlled condensate gas reservoirs are proposed. By adopting the hierarchical geological modeling and the fluid-solid-thermal coupled numerical simulation, the accuracy of producing performance prediction in oil and gas reservoirs has been effectively improved.

Characteristics and accumulation mechanisms of the Dongfang 13-1 high temperature and overpressured gas field in the Yinggehai Basin, the South China Sea

The Dongfang 13-1 is located in the diapiric structure belt of the Yinggehai Basin. The formation pressure of its main gas res- ervoir in the Miocene Huangliu Formation is up to 54.6 MPa （pressure coefficient=l.91） and the temperature is as high as 143°C （geothermal gradient 4.36°C/100 m）, indicating that it is a typical high-temperature and overpressured gas reservoir. The natural gas is interpreted to be coal-type gas derived from the Miocene mature source rocks containing type Ⅱ2-Ⅲ kero- gens as evidenced by high dryness index of up to 0.98 and heavy carbon isotopes, i.e., the δ13C2 ranging from -30.76%o to -37.52%o and δ13C2 ranging from -25.02%o to -25.62%o. The high temperature and overpressured Miocene petroleum system is related mainly to diapir in the Yinggehai Basin and contains more pore water in the overpressured reservoirs due to under- compaction process. The experimental and calculated results show that the solubility of natural gas in formation water is as high as 10.5 m3/m3 under the temperature and pressure conditions of the Sanya Formation, indicating that at least part of the gas may migrate in the form of water-soluble phase. Meanwhile, the abundant gas source in the Basin makes it possible for the rapid saturation of natural gas in formation water and exsolution of soluble gas. Therefore, the main elements controlling formation of the Dongfang 13-1 gas pool include that （1） the diapir activities and accompanying changes in temperature and pressure accelerate the water-soluble gas exsolution and release a lot of free gas; （2） submarine fan fine sandstone in the Huangliu Formation provides good gas-water segregation and accumulation space; and （3） the overlying overpressured mud rocks act as effective caps. The accumulation mechanism reveals that the high temperatural and high pressure structure belt near the diapir structures has a good potential for large and medium-sized gas field exploration.

Hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism and structure of largescale volcanic weathering crust of the Carboniferous in northern Xinjiang,China

The Upper Carboniferous in northern Xinjiang, China was formed in a post-collisional depression and collapsed structural setting. Within the Upper Carboniferous, volcanic rocks and source rocks alternate over a wide region. At the end of the Carboniferous, these layers were uplifted by plate collisions and subsequently weathered and leached. Volcanic weathering and leaching led to the establishment of weathered crusts that can be divided into five layers. Corrosion and crumble zones in these layers form favorable reservoirs. Volcanic weathering crust formed in sub-aerially exposed paleogeomorphic areas; the five relatively continuous layers are generally preserved in paleogeomorphic lowland and slope regions, but the upper soil layer is usually absent in structurally higher parts of the rock record. The thickness of the weathered layer has a positive nonlinear ex- ponential relationship to the duration of weathering and leaching, and the dynamic equilibrium time of weathered crust is about 36.3 Ma. The thickest weathered layer （~450 m） is located in fracture zones. Weathered crusts are possible from a range of volcanic rocks with different lithologies, given sufficient time for weathering and leaching. The combination of volcanic weathered crust and source rocks results in three types of hydrocarbon accumulation models： （1） sequences of volcanic weathered crust interbedded with source rocks, （2） a quasi-layered weathered volcanic core located above source rocks, and （3） volcanic rocks associated with pectinate unconformities adjacent to source rocks. Each of these three types has the potential to form a giant stratigraphic reservoir of volcanic weathered crust. This knowledge has changed the traditional exploration model of searching for favorable lithologic and lithofacies zones in volcanic rocks, and has changed the viewpoint that the Carboniferous does not have the genetic potential to be the basement of the basin in northern Xinjiang. The concepts developed here are of great scientific significance and application for focusing oil and gas exploration on volcanic weathered crust. As such, the Paleozoic volcanic weathered crust in the midwestern part of China may possibly contain large-scale stratigraphic reservoirs and thus could be a new oil and gas exploration target in the future.

Hydrocarbon Accumulation Mechanism of Sinian Reservoir in Anpingdian-Gaoshiti Structure, Middle Sichuan Basin

The Sinian reservior in Anpingdian （安平店）-Gaoshiti （高石梯） structure, Middle Sichuan （四川） basin, is of great importance to prospect for oil and gas. This article dissects the hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism of this area on the basis of comprehensive methods of organic geochemistry, fluid inclusion, modeling of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion from source rocks, and by combining structure evolutions and analyzing the key geologic features of hydrocarbon origin and trap. According to the fluid inclusion homogenization temperature analysis, there exist at least three stages of fluid charging in the Sinian reservoir. From Middle-Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, oil cracked to gas gradually owing to high temperature at 200-220℃. The Sinian gas pool was mainly formed at the stage when natural gas in trap was released from water and paleo-gas pools were being adjusted. It was a process in which natural gas dissipated, transferred, and redistributed, and which resulted in the present remnant gas pool in Anpindian-Gaositi tectonic belt. The authors resumed such an evolution process of Sinian reservoir as from paleo-oil pools to paleo-gas pools, and till today＇s adjusted and reconstructed gas pools.

Accumulation mechanism of mantle-derived helium resources in petroliferous basins, eastern China

A series of marginal-sea basins and fault-depression basins were formed in eastern China under the background of subduction of the West Pacific plate.Different types of helium-rich natural gas reservoirs(He>1000 ppm,1 ppm=1μmol mol^(-1))have been found in these basins:helium-rich CO_(2)gas reservoirs,helium-rich N_(2)gas reservoirs,and helium-rich hydrocarbon gas reservoirs.Based on the analysis of gas geochemical data,the source and accumulation mechanism of helium in these heliumrich natural gas reservoirs were discussed.Helium-rich natural gas has relatively high 3He/4He ratios(0.88-4.91 Ra,average 2.82 Ra).The ^(3)He/^(4)He ratio characteristics of mantle xenoliths and mantle-derived CO_(2)gas reservoirs indicate that the helium in these helium-rich natural gas reservoirs is mainly mantle-derived(>70%).The original mantle volatile is mainly CO_(2)with a low helium concentration(He<200 ppm),and the enrichment of mantle-derived helium in the gas reservoir is mainly related to the dissolution and mineralization of CO_(2).During this process,the CO_(2)/3He ratio decreases from 2×10^(9)to approximately 2×10^(6).As CO_(2)dissolves and mineralizes,the concentration of conservative gases(He and N_(2))increases in the remaining CO_(2)gas proportionally to the loss of CO_(2).Large amounts of carbonate minerals,such as dawsonite,which are relatively enriched in 13C,are found in CO_(2)reservoirs in eastern China.The relative enrichment of^(12)C in residual CO_(2)gas is important evidence of the dissolution and mineralization of CO_(2).The relative abundance of mantle-derived helium and N_(2)gas increases thousands of times during the dissolution and mineralization of CO_(2),which is the main accumulation mechanism of mantle-derived helium-rich CO_(2)gas reservoirs and helium-rich N_(2)gas reservoirs.Helium-rich gas from the mantle is mixed with alkane gas generated by organic matter in the sedimentary basin to form helium-rich hydrocarbon gas reservoirs.

An isotope study of the accumulation mechanisms of high-sulfur gas from the Sichuan Basin, southwestern China

The mechanism of hydrogen sulfide(H_2S) generation plays a key role in the exploration and development of marine high-sulfur natural gas, of which the major targets are the composition and isotope characteristics of sulfur-containing compounds.Hydrocarbon source rocks, reservoir rocks, natural gases and water-soluble gases from Sichuan Basin have been analyzed with an online method for the content of H_2S and isotopic composition of different sulfur-containing compounds. The results of comparative analysis show that the sulfur-containing compounds in the source rocks are mainly formed by bacterial sulfate reduction(BSR), and the sulfur compounds in natural gas, water and reservoir are mainly formed by thermal sulfate reduction(TSR). Moreover, it has been shown that the isotopically reversion for methane and ethane in high sulfur content gas is caused by TSR. The sulfur isotopic composition of H_2S in natural gas is inherited from the gypsum or brine of the same or adjacent layer,indicating that the generation and accumulation of H_2S have the characteristics of either a self-generated source or a near-source.

Genetic source,migration and accumulation of helium under deep thermal fluid activities:A case study of Ledong diapir area in Yinggehai Basin,South China Sea

Based on the geochemical parameters and analytical data,the heat conservation equation,mass balance law,Rayleigh fractionation model and other methods were used to quantify the in-situ yield and external flux of crust-derived helium,and the initial He concentration and thermal driving mechanism of mantle-derived helium,in the Ledong Diapir area,the Yinggehai Basin,in order to understand the genetic source,migration and accumulation mechanisms of helium under deep thermal fluid activities.The average content of mantle-derived He is only 0.0014%,the ^(3)He/^(4)He value is(0.002–2.190)×10^(−6),and the R/Ra value ranges from 0.01 to 1.52,indicating the contribution of mantle-derived He is 0.09%–19.84%,while the proportion of crust-derived helium can reach over 80%.Quantitative analysis indicates that the crust-derived helium is dominated by external input,followed by in-situ production,in the Ledong diapir area.The crust-derived helium exhibits an in-situ 4 He yield rate of(7.66–7.95)×10^(−13)cm^(3)/(a·g),an in-situ 4 He yield of(4.10–4.25)×10^(−4)cm^(3)/g,and an external 4 He influx of(5.84–9.06)×10^(−2)cm^(3)/g.These results may be related to atmospheric recharge into formation fluid and deep rock-water interactions.The ratio of initial mole volume of 3 He to enthalpy(W)is(0.004–0.018)×10^(−11) cm^(3)/J,and the heat contribution from the deep mantle(X_(M))accounts for 7.63%–36.18%,indicating that deep hot fluid activities drive the migration of mantle-derived 3 He.The primary helium migration depends on advection,while the secondary migration is controlled by hydrothermal degassing and gas-liquid separation.From deep to shallow layers,the CO_(2/3) He value rises from 1.34×10^(9)to 486×10^(9),indicating large amount of CO_(2)has escaped.Under the influence of deep thermal fluid,helium migration and accumulation mechanisms include:deep heat driven diffusion,advection release,vertical hydrothermal degassing,shallow lateral migration,accumulation in traps far from faults,partial pressure balance and sealing capability.

Mechanism and effects of snow accumulations and controls by lightweight snow fences

This paper investigates the snowdrifts caused by lightweight fences along the lines on the flatland through the computational fluid dynamics method. The characteristic ambient flows around the solid fences and the porous fences with varied heights and bottom wind gaps are simulated in the numerical model, and the working mechanism of ＂interception＂ and ＂scouring＂ of the lightweight fences are analyzed. Based on the friction velocities near the ground, two sets of criteria are proposed to evaluate the deposition and erosion effects of different fences. According to flow separation and reattachment, the simplified relationships between the most likely positions for snow accumulations and fence parameters are devel- oped. The study indicates that the capabilities for snow interception by the solid fence without wind gap and the distance from which to the second snow coverage center both increase with the fence height. Furthermore, it is found that the scouring range for snow surface increases significantly with the size of wind gap, and the snow accumulation rate on the leeward side decreases with the increasing fence porosity.

Dynamic Field Division of Hydrocarbon Migration,Accumulation and Hydrocarbon Enrichment Rules in Sedimentary Basins

Hydrocarbon distribution rules in the deep and shallow parts of sedimentary basins are considerably different, particularly in the following four aspects. First, the critical porosity for hydrocarbon migration is much lower in the deep parts of basins： at a depth of 7000 m, hydrocarbons can accumulate only in rocks with porosity less than 5%. However, in the shallow parts of basins （i.e., depths of around 1000 m）, hydrocarbon can accumulate in rocks only when porosity is over 20%. Second, hydrocarbon reservoirs tend to exhibit negative pressures after hydrocarbon accumulation at depth, with a pressure coefficient less than 0.7. However, hydrocarbon reservoirs at shallow depths tend to exhibit high pressure after hydrocarbon accumulation. Third, deep reservoirs tend to exhibit characteristics of oil （-gas）-water inversion, indicating that the oil （gas） accumulated under the water. However, the oil （gas） tends to accumulate over water in shallow reservoirs. Fourth, continuous unconventional tight hydrocarbon reservoirs are distributed widely in deep reservoirs, where the buoyancy force is not the primary dynamic force and the caprock is not involved during the process of hydrocarbon accumulation. Conversely, the majority of hydrocarbons in shallow regions accumulate in traps with complex structures. The results of this study indicate that two dynamic boundary conditions are primarily responsible for the above phenomena： a lower limit to the buoyancy force and the lower limit of hydrocarbon accumulation overall, corresponding to about 10%-12% porosity and irreducible water saturation of 100%, respectively. These two dynamic boundary conditions were used to divide sedimentary basins into three different dynamic fields of hydrocarbon accumulation： the free fluid dynamic field, limit fluid dynamic field, and restrain fluid dynamic field. The free fluid dynamic field is located between the surface and the lower limit of the buoyancy force, such that hydrocarbons in this field migrate and accumulate under the influence of, for example, the buoyancy force, pressure, hydrodynamic force, and capillary force. The hydrocarbon reservoirs formed are characterized as ＂four high,＂ indicating that they accumulate in high structures, are sealed in high locations, migrate into areas of high porosity, and are stored in reservoirs at high pressure. The basic features of distribution and accumulation in this case include hydrocarbon migration as a result of the buoyancy force and formation of a reservoir by a caprock. The limit fluid dynamic field is located between the lower limit of the buoyancy force and the lower limit of hydrocarbon accumulation overall; the hydrocarbon migrates and accumulates as a result of, for example, the molecular expansion force and the capillary force. The hydrocarbon reservoirs formed are characterized as ＂four low,＂ indicating that hydrocarbons accumulate in low structures, migrate into areas of low porosity, and accumulate in reservoirs with low pressure, and that oil（-gas）-water inversion occurs at low locations. Continuous hydrocarbon accumulation over a large area is a basic feature of this field. The restrain fluid dynamic field is located under the bottom of hydrocarbon accumulation, such that the entire pore space is filled with water. Hydrocarbons migrate as a result of the molecular diffusion force only. This field lacks many of the basic conditions required for formation of hydrocarbon reservoirs： there is no effective porosity, movable fluid, or hydrocarbon accumulation, and potential for hydrocarbon exploration is low. Many conventional hydrocarbon resources have been discovered and exploited in the free fluid dynamic field of shallow reservoirs, where exploration potential was previously considered to be low. Continuous unconventional tight hydrocarbon resources have been discovered in the limit fluid dynamic field of deep reservoirs; the exploration potential of this setting is thought to be tremendous, indicating that future exploration should be focused primarily in this direction.

Main progress and problems in research on Ordovician hydrocarbon accumulation in the Tarim Basin

The Tarim Basin is the largest petroliferous basin in the northwest of China, and is composed of a Paleozoic marine craton basin and a Meso-Cenozoic continental foreland basin. It is of great significance in exploration of Ordovician. In over 50 years of exploration, oil and gas totaling over 1.6 billion tonnes oil-equivalent has been discovered in the Ordovician carbonate formation. The accumulation mechanisms and distribution rules are quite complicated because of the burial depth more than 3,500 m, multi-source, and multi-stage accumulation, adjustment, reconstruction and re-enrichment in Ordovician. In this paper, we summarized four major advances in the hydrocarbon accumulation mechanisms of Ordovician carbonate reservoirs. First, oil came from Cambrian and Ordovician source rocks separately and as a mixture, while natural gas was mainly cracked gas generated from the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician crude oil. Second, most hydrocarbon migrated along unconformities and faults, with different directions in different regions. Third, hydrocarbon migration and accumulation had four periods： Caledonian, early Hercynian, late Hercynian and Himalayan, and the latter two were the most important for oil and gas exploration. Fourth, hydrocarbon accumulation and evolution can be generally divided into four stages： Caledonian （the period of hydrocarbon accumulation）, early Hercynian （the period of destruction）, late Hercynian （the period of hydrocarbon reconstruction and re-accumulation）, and Himalayan （the period of hydrocarbon adjustment and re-accumulation）. Source rocks （S）, combinations of reservoir-seal （C）, paleo-uplifts （M）, structure balance belt （B） matched in the same time （T） control the hydrocarbon accumulation and distribution in the Ordovician formations. Reservoir adjustment and reconstruction can be classified into two modes of physical adjustment and variation of chemical compositions and five mechanisms. These mechanisms are occurrence displacement, biodegradation, multi-source mixing, high-temperature cracking and late gas invasion. Late hydrocarbon accumulation effects controlled the distribution of current hydrocarbon. The T-BCMS model is a basic geological model to help understanding the control of reservoirs. At present, the main problems of hydrocarbon accumulation focus on two aspects, dynamic mechanisms of hydrocarbon accumulation and the quantitative models of oil-bearing in traps, which need further systemic research.

Formation mechanisms,potentials and exploration practices of large lithologic gas reservoirs in and around an intracratonic rift:Taking the Sinian-Cambrian of Sichuan Basin as an example

By examining structures,sediments,reservoirs and accumulation assemblages in the Deyang-Anyue rift and its surrounding area,four new understandings are obtained.First,during the initiation period of Deyang-Anyue rift,multiple groups of faults developed in the rift due to the effect of tensile force,bringing about multiple mound and shoal belts controlled by horsts in the second member of the Sinian Dengying Formation;in the development stage of the rift,the boundary faults of the rift controlled the development of mound and shoal belts at the platform margin in the fourth member of Dengying Formation;during the shrinkage period of the rift,platform margin grain shoals of the Cambrian Canglangpu Formation developed in the rift margin.Second,four sets of large-scale mound and shoal reservoirs in the second member of Dengying Formation,the fourth member of Dengying Formation,Canglangpu Formation and Longwangmiao Formation overlap with several sets of source rocks such as Qiongzhusi Formation source rocks and Dengying Formation argillaceous limestone or dolomite developed inside and outside the rift,forming good source-reservoir-cap rock combinations;the sealing of tight rock layers in the lateral and updip direction results in the formation model of large lithologic gas reservoirs of oil pool before gas,continuous charging and independent preservation of each gas reservoir.Third,six favorable exploration zones of large-scale lithologic gas reservoirs have been sorted out through comprehensive evaluation,namely,mound and shoal complex controlled by horsts in the northern part of the rift in the second member of Dengying Formation,isolated karst mound and shoal complex of the fourth member of Dengying Formation in the south of the rift,the superimposed area of multi-stage platform margin mounds and shoals of the second and fourth members of Dengying Formation and Canglangpu Formation in the north slope area,the platform margin mounds and shoals of the second and fourth members of Dengying Formation in the west side of the rift,the platform margin mound and shoal bodies of the fourth member of Dengying Formation in the south slope area,etc.Fourth,Well Pengtan-1 drilled on the mound and shoal complex controlled by horsts of the second member of Dengying Formation in the rift and Well Jiaotan-1 drilled on the platform margin mound and shoal complex of the North Slope have obtained high-yield gas flows in multiple target layers,marking the discovery of a new gas province with reserves of(2-3)×10^(12) m^(3).This has proved the huge exploration potential of large lithologic gas reservoir group related to intracratonic rift.

Basic principles of the whole petroleum system

This paper expounds the basic principles and structures of the whole petroleum system to reveal the pattern of conventional oil/gas-tight oil/gas-shale oil/gas sequential accumulation and the hydrocarbon accumulation models and mechanisms of the whole petroleum system.It delineates the geological model,flow model,and production mechanism of shale and tight reservoirs,and proposes future research orientations.The main structure of the whole petroleum system includes three fluid dynamic fields,three types of oil and gas reservoirs/resources,and two types of reservoir-forming processes.Conventional oil/gas,tight oil/gas,and shale oil/gas are orderly in generation time and spatial distribution,and sequentially rational in genetic mechanism,showing the pattern of sequential accumulation.The whole petroleum system involves two categories of hydrocarbon accumulation models:hydrocarbon accumulation in the detrital basin and hydrocarbon accumulation in the carbonate basin/formation.The accumulation of unconventional oil/gas is self-containment,which is microscopically driven by the intermolecular force(van der Waals force).The unconventional oil/gas production has proved that the geological model,flow model,and production mechanism of shale and tight reservoirs represent a new and complex field that needs further study.Shale oil/gas must be the most important resource replacement for oil and gas resources of China.Future research efforts include:(1)the characteristics of the whole petroleum system in carbonate basins and the source-reservoir coupling patterns in the evolution of composite basins;(2)flow mechanisms in migration,accumulation,and production of shale oil/gas and tight oil/gas;(3)geological characteristics and enrichment of deep and ultra-deep shale oil/gas,tight oil/gas and coalbed methane;(4)resource evaluation and new generation of basin simulation technology of the whole petroleum system;(5)research on earth system-earth organic rock and fossil fuel system-whole petroleum system.