Gas expansion caused by formation uplifting and its effects on tight gas accumulation:A case study of Sulige gas field in Ordos Basin,NW China

Gas expansion caused by significant exhumation in the Sulige gas field in the Ordos Basin since Late Cretaceous and its effects on hydrocarbon accumulation have been investigated systematically based on comprehensive analysis of geochemical,fluid inclusion and production data.The results indicate that gas volume expansion since the Late Cretaceous was the driving force for adjustment and secondary charging of tight sandstone gas reservoirs in the Sulige gas field of the Ordos Basin.The gas retained in the source rocks expanded in volume,resulting in gas re-expulsion,migration and secondary charging into reservoirs,while the gas volume expansion in the tight reservoirs caused the increase of gas saturation,gas-bearing area and gas column height,which worked together to increase the gas content of the reservoir and bring about large-scale gas accumulation events.The Sulige gas field had experienced a two-stage accumulation process,burial before the end of Early Cretaceous and uplifting since the Late Cretaceous.In the burial stage,natural gas was driven by hydrocarbon generation overpressure to migrate and accumulate,while in the uplifting stage,the gas volume expansion drove internal adjustment inside gas reservoirs and secondary charging to form new reservoirs.On the whole,the gas reservoir adjustment and secondary charging during uplifting stage is more significant in the eastern gas field than that in the west,which is favorable for forming gas-rich area.

Eogenetic karst and its control on reservoirs in the Ordovician Majiagou Formation, eastern Sulige gas field, Ordos Basin, NW China

To further ascertain the origin of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation reservoirs in the Ordos Basin,the M54-M51 sub-members of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the eastern Sulige gasfield of Ordos Basin were taken as examples to analyze the vertical development characteristics of eogenetic karst and to discover the dissolution mechanism and its control on reservoirs through observation of a large number of cores and thin sections.According to detailed analysis of petrologic characteristics,the reservoir rock types include micritic dolomite,grain dolomite and microbialite which have mainly moldic pore,intergranular(dissolved)pore,and(dissolved)residual framework pore as main reservoir space respectively.The study area developed upward-shallowing sequences,with an exposure surface at the top of a single upward-shallowing sequence.The karst systems under the exposure surface had typical exposure characteristics of early dissolution and filling,indicating these reservoirs were related to the facies-controlled eogenetic karstification.With the increase of karstification intensity,the reservoirs became worse in physical properties.

Diagenetic mineralogy and its effect on the reservoir properties of the sandstones of the Permian of S120 block(Sulige gas field),Ordos Basin,NW China

The characteristics of diagenetic minerals and their effects on reservoir quality of the tight sandstones of the Permian in Sulige gas field of the Ordos Basin were studied through observations on thin sections,scanning electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis and electron microprobe analysis.Diagenetic minerals in the Permian sandstones consist of illite,kaolinite,chlorite,siliceous and calcite cements.Large amounts of intercrystalline pores between kaolinite and illite provide channels for acidic fluids flow and thereby were conducive to the formation of clastic solution pores,intergranular solution pores and composite pores.Authigenic chlorite occurs in the form of three morphotypes as grain-coating,pore-lining and pore-filling.Grain-coating and pore-lining chlorite with different crystal shapes occur as coatings on the framework grains.Pore-filling chlorite precipitated as discrete flaky plates in pore spaces.Quartz microcrystals developed but quartz overgrowth did not develop because of the occurrence of porelining chlorite.This,in turn,led to the preservation of primary pores by occupying potential nucleation sites for quartz overgrowth and thereby preventing quartz microcrystals from merging into quartz overgrowth.This process is regarded as the most important for influencing the quality of the lithophysical properties.Calcite cement was mainly precipitated during a late diagenetic stage and has a negative effect on the reservoir quality.This study provides important insights into analyzing the relationship between diagenetic minerals and reservoir quality and the results are directly applicable to the exploration and development of tight sandstone reservoirs all over the world.

Sulige Gas Field super project

Owner:Petro China Changqing Oilfield Company Design unit:Petro China Changqing Oilfield Company Construction unit:Petro China Changqing Oilfield Company,CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited,CNPC Greatwall Drilling Company。