Characteristics of carbon isotopic composition of alkane gas in large gas fields in China

Exploration and development of large gas fields is an important way for a country to rapidly develop its natural gas industry.From 1991 to 2020,China discovered 68 new large gas fields,boosting its annual gas output to 1925×108m3in 2020,making it the fourth largest gas-producing country in the world.Based on 1696 molecular components and carbon isotopic composition data of alkane gas in 70 large gas fields in China,the characteristics of carbon isotopic composition of alkane gas in large gas fields in China were obtained.The lightest and average values ofδ^(13)C_(1),δ13C2,δ13C3andδ13C4become heavier with increasing carbon number,while the heaviest values ofδ^(13)C_(1),δ13C2,δ13C3andδ13C4become lighter with increasing carbon number.Theδ^(13)C_(1)values of large gas fields in China range from-71.2‰to-11.4‰(specifically,from-71.2‰to-56.4‰for bacterial gas,from-54.4‰to-21.6‰for oil-related gas,from-49.3‰to-18.9‰for coal-derived gas,and from-35.6‰to-11.4‰for abiogenic gas).Based on these data,theδ^(13)C_(1)chart of large gas fields in China was plotted.Moreover,theδ^(13)C_(1)values of natural gas in China range from-107.1‰to-8.9‰,specifically,from-1071%o to-55.1‰for bacterial gas,from-54.4‰to-21.6‰for oil-related gas,from-49.3‰to-13.3‰for coal-derived gas,and from-36.2‰to-8.9‰for abiogenic gas.Based on these data,theδ^(13)C_(1)chart of natural gas in China was plotted.

Two highly efficient accumulation models of large gas fields in China

Based on reserve abundance,large gas fields in China can be divided into two types：type one of high abundance large gas fields,dominated by structural gas reservoirs; type two of low abundance large gas fields,dominated by stratigraphic and lithologic gas reservoirs.The formation of these two types of large gas fields is related to the highly efficient accumulation of natural gas.The accumulation of high abundance gas fields is dependent on the rapid maturation of the source kitchen and huge residual pressure difference between the gas source kitchen and reservoir,which is the strong driving force for natural gas migration to traps.Whereas the accumulation of low abundance gas fields is more complicated,involving both volume flow charge during the burial stage and diffusion flow charge during the uplift stage,which results in large area accumulation and preservation of natural gas in low porosity and low permeability reservoirs.This conclusion should assist gas exploration in different geological settings.

Formation of overpressure system and its relationship with the distribution of large gas fields in typical foreland basins in central and western China

Based on the data of measured formation pressure, drilling fluid density of key exploration wells and calculated pressure by well logging, combined with the analysis of natural gas geological conditions, the characteristics and formation mechanisms of formation fluid overpressure systems in different foreland basins and the relationship between overpressure systems and large-scale gas accumulation are discussed.(1) The formation mechanisms of formation overpressure in different foreland basins are different. The formation mechanism of overpressure in the Kuqa foreland basin is mainly the overpressure sealing of plastic salt gypsum layer and hydrocarbon generation pressurization in deep–ultra-deep layers, that in the southern Junggar foreland basin is mainly hydrocarbon generation pressurization and under-compaction sealing, and that in the western Sichuan foreland basin is mainly hydrocarbon generation pressurization and paleo-fluid overpressure residual.(2) There are three common characteristics in foreland basins, i.e. superimposed development of multi-type overpressure and multi-layer overpressure, strong–extremely strong overpressure developed in a closed foreland thrust belt, and strong–extremely strong overpressure developed in a deep foreland uplift area.(3) There are four regional overpressure sealing and storage mechanisms, which play an important role in controlling large gas fields, such as the overpressure of plastic salt gypsum layer, the overpressure formed by hydrocarbon generation pressurization, the residual overpressure after Himalayan uplift and denudation, and the under-compaction overpressure.(4) Regional overpressure is an important guarantee for forming large gas fields, the sufficient gas source, large-scale reservoir and trap development in overpressure system are the basic conditions for forming large gas fields, and the overpressure system is conducive to forming deep to ultra-deep large gas fields.

North slope transition zone of Songnan-Baodao sag in Qiongdongnan Basin and its control on medium and large gas fields,South China Sea

Based on analysis of newly collected 3D seismic and drilled well data,the geological structure and fault system of Baodao sag have been systematically examined to figure out characteristics of the transition fault terrace belt and its control on the formation of natural gas reservoirs.The research results show that the Baodao sag has the northern fault terrace belt,central depression belt and southern slope belt developed,among them,the northern fault terrace belt consists of multiple transition fault terrace belts such as Baodao B,A and C from west to east which control the source rocks,traps,reservoirs,oil and gas migration and hydrocarbon enrichment in the Baodao sag.The activity of the main fault of the transition belt in the sedimentary period of Yacheng Formation in the Early Oligocene controlled the hydrocarbon generation kitchen and hydrocarbon generation potential.From west to east,getting closer to the provenance,the transition belt increased in activity strength,thickness of source rock and scale of delta,and had multiple hydrocarbon generation depressions developed.The main fault had local compression under the background of tension and torsion,giving rise to composite traps under the background of large nose structure,and the Baodao A and Baodao C traps to the east are larger than Baodao B trap.Multiple fault terraces controlled the material source input from the uplift area to form large delta sand bodies,and the synthetic transition belt of the west and middle sections and the gentle slope of the east section of the F12 fault in the Baodao A transition belt controlled the input of two major material sources,giving rise to a number of delta lobes in the west and east branches.The large structural ridge formed under the control of the main fault close to the hydrocarbon generation center allows efficient migration and accumulation of oil and gas.The combination mode and active time of the main faults matched well with the natural gas charging period,resulting in the hydrocarbon gas enrichment.Baodao A transition belt is adjacent to Baodao 27,25 and 21 lows,where large braided river delta deposits supplied by Shenhu uplift provenance develop,and it is characterized by large structural ridges allowing high efficient hydrocarbon accumulation,parallel combination of main faults and early cessation of faulting activity,so it is a favorable area for hydrocarbon gas accumulation.Thick high-quality gas reservoirs have been revealed through drilling,leading to the discovery of the first large-scale gas field in Baodo 21-1 of Baodao sag.This discovery also confirms that the north transition zone of Songnan-Baodao sag has good reservoir forming conditions,and the transition fault terrace belt has great exploration potential eastward.

Sichuan super gas basin in southwest China

A sedimentary basin is classified as a super basin when its cumulative production exceeds 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent(6.82×10^(8) t of oil or 7931.66×10^(8) m^(3) of gas)and its remaining recoverable resources are at least 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent.By the end of 2019,the total output of oil and gas in Sichuan Basin had been 6569×10^(8) m^(3),the ratio of gas to oil was 80:1,and the total remaining recoverable resources reached 136404×10^(8) m^(3),which makes it as a second-tier super basin.Because the output is mainly gas,it is a super gas basin.The reason why the Sichuan Basin is a super gas basin is that it has four advantages:(1)The advantage of gas source rocks:it has the most gas source rocks(9 sets)among all the basins in China.(2)The advantage of resource quantity:it has the most total remaining recoverable resources among all the basins in China(136404×10^(8) m^(3)).(3)The advantage of large gas fields:it has the most large gas fields(27)among all the basins in China.(4)The advantage of total production:by the end of 2019,the total gas production had been 6487.8×10^(8) m^(3),which ranked the first among all the basins in China.There are four major breakthroughs in natural gas exploration in Sichuan Basin:(1)Breakthrough in shale gas:shale gas was firstly found in the Ordovician Wufeng-Silurian Longmaxi formations in China.(2)Breakthrough in tight sandstone gas:the Triassic Xu2 Member gas reservoir in Zhongba gas field is the first high recovery tight sandstone gas reservoir in China.(3)Breakthrough in giant carbonate gas fields.(4)Breakthrough in ultra-deep gas reservoir.These breakthroughs have led to important progress in different basins across the country.Super basins are classified according to three criteria:accumulative oil and gas production,remaining recoverable resources,tectonic attributes of the basin and the proportion of oil and gas in accumulative oil and gas production.

Stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes of gases from the large tight gas fields in China

By the end of the year 2010, a total of 15 large tight gas fields have been found in China, located in the Ordos, Sichuan, and Tarim basins. The annual production and total reserves of these fields in 2010 were 222.5× 108 and 28657× 108 m3, respectively, accounting for 23.5% and 37.3%, respectively, of the total annual production and reserves of natural gases in China. They took a major part of all natural gas production and reserves in China. According to the analyses of 81 gas samples, the stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of tight gases in China have following characteristics： （1） Plots of δ13CI-δ13C2-δ13C3, δ13C1-C1/C2＋3 and δ13C1-δ 13C2 demonstrate the coal-derived origin of tight gases in China; （2） For the primary alkane gases, both carbon and hydrogen isotopic values increase with increasing molecular mass, i.e., δ13C1〈δ13C2〈δ13C3〈δ13C4 and δ2HI〈δ2Hz〈δ2H3; （3） The isotopic differences of δ13C2-δ13C1, δ13C3-δ13C1, δ2H2-δ22Hl and cTZH3-62H1 decrease with in- creasing Ro （%） and C1/C1-4; （4） There are seven causes for the carbon and hydrogen isotopic reversal, however, the carbon and hydrogen isotopic reversal of tight gases in China is caused mainly by multiple stages of gas charge and accumulation.

Characteristics and accumulation mode of large-scale Sinian-Cambrian gas reservoirs in the Gaoshiti-Moxi region, Sichuan Basin

The Sinian-Cambrian formations of the Sichuan Basin have favorable hydrocarbon accumulation conditions,but the exploration for large-scale gas fields is quite challenging due to old strata and multiple tectonic movements.Since the Weiyuan Sinian large gas field was found in 1964,the largest monoblock gas field(Anyue Gasfield)was discovered in the Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation of the Moxi region in 2013 with proven gas reserves of 440.1×109 m3.Total proven,probable and possible reserves exceed one trillion cubic meters in the Sinian Dengying Formation and the Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation of the Gaoshiti-Moxi region.The natural gas components,light hydrocarbons,reservoir bitumen abundance and other evidences prove that the dry natural gas was mainly derived from oil-cracking,with methane(a content of 82.65%-97.35%),ethane(a content of 0.01%-0.29%),nitrogen(a content of 0.44%-6.13%),helium(a content of 0.01%-0.06%),and hydrogen sulphide(0.62-61.11 g/m^(3)).Gas reservoir pressure increases gradually from the Sinian normal pressure(a pressure coefficient of 1.07-1.13)to high pressure(a pressure coefficient of 1.53-1.70)in the Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation.The temperature of the gas reservoir is 137.5-163 ℃.Gas reservoir traps are divided into three categories:tectonic type,tectonic-formation type and tectonic-lithologic type.The large-scale enrichment of the Sinian-Cambrian natural gas results from effective configuration of the large stable inherited palaeo-uplift during the Tongwan tectonic movement,wide distribution of ancient source rocks,high-quality reservoirs with vast pore-cavity,crude oil cracking of large palaeo-reservoirs and favorable preservation conditions.According to the palaeo-structure pattern prior to crude oil cracking of the palaeo-reservoirs,and bitumen abundance as well as the distribution characteristics of current gas reservoirs,the accumulation patterns of the cracking gas reservoir can be classified into three types:accumulation type,semi-accumulation and semi-dispersion type,and dispersion type.This understanding will play an important role in guiding the exploration of the Sinian-Cambrian natural gas exploration in the Sichuan Basin.