“Extreme utilization” theory and practice in gas storages with complex geological conditions

Based on more than 20-year operation of gas storages with complex geological conditions and a series of research findings, the pressure-bearing dynamics mechanism of geological body is revealed. With the discovery of gas-water flowing law of multi-cycle relative permeability hysteresis and differential utilization in zones, the extreme utilization theory targeting at the maximum amount of stored gas, maximum injection-production capacity and maximum efficiency in space utilization is proposed to support the three-in-one evaluation method of the maximum pressure-bearing capacity of geological body, maximum well production capacity and maximum peak shaving capacity of storage space. This study realizes the full potential of gas storage(storage capacity) at maximum pressure, maximum formation-wellbore coordinate production, optimum well spacing density match with finite-time unsteady flow, and peaking shaving capacity at minimum pressure, achieving perfect balance between security and capacity. Operation in gas storages, such as Hutubi in Xinjiang, Xiangguosi in Xinan, and Shuang6 in Liaohe, proves that extreme utilization theory has promoted high quality development of gas storages in China.

Major Breakthroughs in Geological Theory, Key Techniques and Exploration of Tight Oil in China

In recent years,U.S.tight oil exploration and development have achieved significant progress,with rapidly increasing production,which has significantly changed the U.S.A.energy supply pattern（Fig.1）.Compared with the North American marine to marginal marine-continental transitional facies,China’s tight oil（Fig.1）

“Exploring petroleum inside source kitchen”: Connotation and prospects of source rock oil and gas

Based on the transitional background of the global energy structure, exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas, and investigation of key basins, the unconventional oil and gas resources are divided into three types: source rock oil and gas, tight oil and gas, and retention and accumulated oil and gas. Source rock oil and gas resources are the global strategic supplies of oil and gas, the key resource components in the second 150-year life cycle of the future petroleum industry, and the primary targets for "exploring petroleum inside source kitchen". The geological connotation of source rock oil and gas was proposed, and the models of source rock oil and gas generation, expulsion and accumulation were built, and five source rock oil and gas generation sections were identified, which may determine the actual resource potential under available technical conditions. The formation mechanism of the "sweet sections" was investigated, that is, shale oil is mainly accumulated in the shale section that is close to the oil generation section and has higher porosity and permeability, while the "sweet sections" of coal-bed methane(CBM) and shale gas have self-contained source and reservoir and they are absorbed in coal seams or retained in the organic-rich black shale section, so evaluation and selection of good "sweet areas(sections)" is the key to "exploring petroleum inside source kitchen". Source rock oil and gas resources have a great potential and will experience a substantial growth for over ten world-class large "coexistence basins" of conventional-unconventional oil and gas in the future following North America, and also will be the primary contributor to oil stable development and the growth point of natural gas production in China, with expected contribution of 15% and 30% to oil and gas, respectively, in 2030. Challenges in source rock oil and gas development should be paid more attention to, theoretical innovation is strongly recommended, and a development pilot zone can be established to strengthen technology and promote national support. The source rock oil and gas geology is the latest progress of the "source control theory" at the stage of unconventional oil and gas. It will provide a new theoretical basis for the new journey of the upstream business in the post-industry age.

Deep-water gravity flow deposits in a lacustrine rift basin and their oil and gas geological significance in eastern China

The types,evolution processes,formation mechanisms,and depositional models of deep-water gravity flow deposits in a lacustrine rift basin are studied through core observation and systematic analysis.Massive transport of slide and slump,fluid transport of debris flow and turbidity currents are driven by gravity in deep-water lacustrine environment.The transformation between debris flow and turbidity current,and the transformation of turbidity current between supercritical and subcritical conditions are the main dynamic mechanisms of gravity flow deposits in a lake basin.The erosion of supercritical turbidity current controls the formation of gravity-flow channel.Debris flow deposition gives rise to tongue shape lobe rather than channel.Deep-water gravity flow deposits are of two origins,intrabasinal and extrabasinal.Intrabasinal gravity flow deposits occur as single tongue-shape lobe or fan of stacking multiple lobes.Extrabasinal gravity-flow deposits occur as sublacustrine fan with channel or single channel sand body.However,the nearshore subaqueous fan is characterized by fan of stacking multiple tongue shape lobes without channel.The differential diagenesis caused by differentiation in the nearshore subaqueous fan facies belt results in the formation of diagenetic trap.The extrabasinal gravity flow deposits are one of the important reasons for the abundant deep-water sand bodies in a lake basin.Slide mass-transport deposits form a very important type of lithologic trap near the delta front often ignored.The fine-grained sediment caused by flow transformation is the potential"sweet spot"of shale oil and gas.

Criterions and Measures of Route Selection of Shallowly Embedded Long-Distance Oil and Gas Pipeline in Mountain Areas

According to the engineering investigation of long-distance oil and gas pipelines, the criterions and measures of route selection are drawn as follows： the flat landform is the first choice in route alignment. The foot of mountain is the first choice when the route passes by the valley. The route should pass by but the shady and deposited slope and not in sunny and erosive slope as possible as it can. The pipeline should be vertical to contour climbing and descending the mountain except steep slope. Tunnel can be used in crossing foothill. Perpendicularly traversing the river is better than beveling; the worst choice is to put the pipeline along the river. Bypass is the best choice in karsts area. The order of route selection should be pre-choosing, investigation, optimization and adjustment.

Progress and Development Direction of “Three-High” Oil and Gas Well Testing Technology

By reviewing the development of “three-high” oil and gas well testing technology of Sinopec in recent years, this paper systematically summarizes the application of “three-high” oil and gas well testing technology of Sinopec in engineering optimization design technology, and high temperature and high pressure testing technology, high pressure and high temperature transformation completion integration technology. Major progress has been made in seven aspects: plug removal and re-production technology of production wells in high acid gas fields;wellbore preparation technology of ultra-deep, high-pressure, and high-temperature oil and gas wells;surface metering technology;and supporting tool development technology. This paper comprehensively analyzes the challenges faced by the “three-high” oil and gas well production testing technology in four aspects: downhole tools, production testing technology, safe production testing, and the development of low-cost production test tools. Four development directions are put forward: 1) Improve ultra-deep oil and gas testing technology and strengthen integrated geological engineering research. 2) Deepen oil and gas well integrity evaluation technology to ensure the life cycle of oil and gas wells. 3) Carry out high-end, customized, and intelligent research on oil test tools to promote the low-cost and efficient development of ultra deep reservoirs. 4) Promote the fully automatic control of the surface metering process to realize the safe development of “three-high” reservoirs.

Technologcial progress and development directions of PetroChina overseas oil and gas exploration

Through a comprehensive review of PetroChina overseas oil and gas exploration of more than 20 years,we systematically summarize the development history,development status and application results of the overseas oil and gas exploration theory and technology.Overseas oil and gas exploration has experienced four stages,exploratory exploration,progressive exploration,risk exploration and efficient exploration.The overseas exploration theory and technology have also gone through the initially direct borrow of domestic mature technology to the integrated application,and then to the research innovation based on overseas features.A series of overseas oil and gas exploration theories and technologies represented by theories and technologies for passive rift basins,salt basins and foreland basin slopes,and global oil and gas geology and resource evaluation have been established.On the basis of deep analysis of the future overseas exploration development demand for the technology,and combined with the domestic and overseas future development trend of theory and technology,this paper systematically discusses the overseas exploration difficulties,technical requirements and the main development directions and aims of exploration theory and technology in the future:(1)Develop conventional onshore oil and gas exploration techniques continuously for the overseas exploration and keep them at an internationally advanced level.(2)Develop the global oil and gas resources and assets integrated optimization evaluation technology and its information system construction project innovatively to reach the international leading level.(3)Develop the deep water exploration technology integratively and narrow the gap with the world’s advanced level.

Petroleum Geology in the Tarim，Junggar and Turpan－Hami Basins Showing Favorable Conditions for the OccurrenceofLargeandMediumoilandGasFields

The frequent upwarping and subsidence,and folding and uplifting of the earth crust caused by the isostatic adjustments and tectonic movements change the types of sediments in the basins frequently,and often cause the occurrence of multi-source formations in the geologic profile.As in the Tarim basin,during the first transgression in the early paleozoic,the deepest location was the Ordovician sag,in which deep marine clastic and carbonate rocks were deposited and main source rocks were included.In the late Paleozoic,it was the second transgression cycle,the thickest sedi-ments of Carboniferous-Permian were deposited in thie Awati sag and southwest sag which would be another major petroleum source rocks(Fig.2).

Situation and Prospect of Oil and Gas Exploration in Yunnan，Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces

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Progress in China's Unconventional Oil & Gas Exploration and Development and Theoretical Technologies

The new century has witnessed a strategic breakthrough in unconventional oil ＆ gas.Hydrocarbon accumulated in micro-/nano-scale pore throat shale systems has become an important domain that could replace current oil ＆ gas resources.Unconventional oil ＆ gas plays an increasingly important role in our energy demand.Tight gas,CBM,heavy oil and asphaltic sand have served as a key domain of exploration ＆ development,with tight oil becoming a ＇bright spot＇ domain and shale gas becoming a ＇hotspot＇ domain.China has made great breakthroughs in unconventional oil ＆ gas resources,such as tight gas,shale gas,tight oil and CBM,and great progress in oil shale,gas hydrate,heavy oil and oil sand.China has an estimated（223-263）×10~8t of unconventional oil resources and（890-1260）×l0^（12）m^3 of gas resources.China has made a breakthrough for progress in unconventional oil ＆ gas study.New progress achieved in fine-grained sedimentary studies related to continental open lacustrine basin large-scale shallow-water delta sand bodies,lacustrine basin central sandy clastic flow sediments and marine-continental fine-grained sediments provide a theoretical basis for the formation and distribution of basin central reservoir bodies.Great breakthroughs have been made in unconventional reservoir geology in respect of research methodology ＆ technology,multi-scale data merging and physical simulation of formation conditions.Overall characterization of unconventional reservoirs via multi-method and multi-scale becomes increasingly popular and facilitates the rapid development of unconventional oil ＆ gas geological theory,method and technology.The formation of innovative,continuous hydrocarbon accumulation theory,the establishment of the framework of the unconventional oil ＆ gas geological theory system,and the determination of the implications,geological feature,formation mechanism,distribution rule and core technology of unconventional oil＆ gas geological study lays a theoretical foundation for extensive unconventional oil ＆ gas exploration and development.Theories and technologies of unconventional oil ＆ gas exploration and development developed rapidly,including some key evaluation techniques such as ＇sweet spot zone＇ integrated evaluation and a six-property evaluation technique that uses hydrocarbon source,lithology,physical property,brittleness,hydrocarbon potential and stress anisotropy,and some key development ＆engineering technologies including micro-seismic monitoring,horizontal drilling ＆ completion and ＂factory-like＂ operation pattern, ＂man-made reservoir＂ development,which have facilitated the innovative development of unconventional oil ＆ gas.These breakthroughs define a new understanding in four aspects：①theoretical innovation;② key technologies;③ complete market mechanism and national policy support;and ④ well-developed ground infrastructure,which are significant for prolonging the life cycle of petroleum industry,accelerating the upgrade and development of theories and technologies and altering the global traditional energy structure.

Geological Conditions and Petroleum Exploration Potential of the Albertine Graben of Uganda

The Albertine Graben in western Uganda is a Mesozoic-Cenozoic rift basin with petroleum exploration potential. A fundamental evaluation of petroleum potential of the graben is given based on field research, data processing of gravity and magnetism, analysis of graben structure, geochemistry, reservoir and composition research. The basin has a double-layered framework and a large thickness of sediments. Gravity highs shown in a residual anomaly map might indicate central uplift zones. There exist at least two sets of mature or low-maturity source rocks corresponding to a certain source rock in the Cretaceous or Paleogene and Neogene strata. The graben has basement rock with potential reservoirs and Tertiary sandstone reservoirs and thus has petroleum exploration potential.

Geological characteristics and ‘‘sweet area'' evaluation for tight oil

Tight oil has become the focus in exploration and development of unconventional oil in the world, especially in North America and China. In North America, there has been intensive exploration for tight oil in marine. In China, commercial exploration for tight oil in conti- nental sediments is now steadily underway. With the dis- covery of China＇s first tight oil field--Xin＇anbian Oilfield in the Ordos Basin, tight oil has been integrated officially into the category for reserves evaluation. Geologically, tight oil is characterized by distribution in depressions and slopes of basins, extensive, mature, and high-quality source rocks, large-scale reservoir space with micro- and nanopore throat systems, source rocks and reservoirs in close contact and with continuous distribution, and local ＂sweet area.＂ The evaluation of the distribution of tight oil ＂sweet area＂ should focus on relationships between ＂six features.＂ These are source properties, lithology, physical properties, brittleness, hydrocarbon potential, and stress anisotropy. In North America, tight oil prospects are distributed in lamellar shale or marl, where natural fractures are fre- quently present, with TOC 〉 4 %, porosity 〉 7 %, brittle mineral content 〉 50 %, oil saturation of 50 %-80 %, API 〉 35~, and pressure coefficient 〉 1.30. In China, tight oil prospects are distributed in lamellar shale, tight sand- stone, or tight carbonate rocks, with TOC 〉 2 %, poros- ity 〉 8 %, brittle mineral content 〉 40 %, oil saturation of 60 %-90 %, low crude oil viscosity, or high formation pressure. Continental tight oil is pervasive in China and its preliminary estimated technically recoverable resources are about （20-25） × lO8^ t.

Tectonic-thermal history and hydrocarbon potential of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea:Insights from borehole apatite fission-track thermochronology

The Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB)is one of the most petroliferous basins on the northern margin of the South China Sea.Knowledge of the thermal history of the PRMB is significant for understanding its tectonic evolution and for unraveling its poorly studied source-rock maturation history.Our investigations in this study are based on apatite fission-track(AFT)thermochronology analysis of 12 cutting samples from 4 boreholes.Both AFT ages and length data suggested that the PRMB has experienced quite complicated thermal evolution.Thermal history modeling results unraveled four successive events of heating separated by three stages of cooling since the early Middle Eocene.The cooling events occurred approximately in the Late Eocene,early Oligocene,and the Late Miocene,possibly attributed to the Zhuqiong II Event,Nanhai Event,and Dongsha Event,respectively.The erosion amount during the first cooling stage is roughly estimated to be about 455-712 m,with an erosion rate of 0.08-0.12 mm/a.The second erosion-driven cooling is stronger than the first one,with an erosion amount of about 747-814 m and an erosion rate between about 0.13-0.21 mm/a.The erosion amount calculated related to the third cooling event varies from 800 m to 3419 m,which is speculative due to the possible influence of the magmatic activity.

Development of the theory and technology for low permeability reservoirs in China

The development theories of low-permeability oil and gas reservoirs are refined, the key development technologies are summarized, and the prospect and technical direction of sustainable development are discussed based on the understanding and research on developed low-permeability oil and gas resources in China. The main achievements include:(1) the theories of low-permeability reservoir seepage, dual-medium seepage, relative homogeneity, etc.(2) the well location optimization technology combining favorable area of reservoir with gas-bearing prediction and combining pre-stack with post-stack;(3) oriented perforating multi-fracture, multistage sand adding, multistage temporary plugging, vertical well multilayer, horizontal and other fracturing techniques to improve productivity of single well;(4) the technology of increasing injection and keeping pressure, such as overall decreasing pressure, local pressurization, shaped charge stamping and plugging removal, fine separate injection, mild advanced water injection and so on;(5) enhanced recovery technology of optimization of injection-production well network in horizontal wells. To continue to develop low-permeability reserves economically and effectively, there are three aspects of work to be done well:(1) depending on technical improvement, continue to innovate new technologies and methods, establish a new mode of low quality reservoir development economically, determine the main technical boundaries and form replacement technology reserves of advanced development;(2) adhering to the management system of low cost technology & low cost, set up a complete set of low-cost dual integration innovation system through continuous innovation in technology and management;(3) striving for national preferential policies.

Sedimentology and Ichnology of Upper Montney Formation Tight Gas Reservoir, Northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

Several decades of conventional oil and gas production in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) have resulted in maturity of the basin, and attention is shifting to alternative hydrocarbon reservoir system, such as tight gas reservoir of the Montney Formation, which consists of siltstone with subordinate interlaminated very fine-grained sandstone. The Montney Formation resource play is one of Canada’s prime unconventional hydrocarbon reservoir, with reserve estimate in British Columbia (Natural Gas reserve = 271 TCF), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG = 12,647 million barrels), and oil reserve (29 million barrels). Based on sedimentological and ichnological criteria, five lithofacies associations were identified in the study interval: Lithofacies F-1 (organic rich, wavy to parallel laminated, black colored siltstone);Lithofacies F-2 (very fine-grained sandstone interbedded with siltstone);Lithofacies F-3A (bioturbated silty-sandstone attributed to the Skolithos ichnofacies);Lithofacies F-3B (bioturbated siltstone attributed to Cruziana ichnofacies);Lithofacies F-4 (dolomitic, very fine-grained sandstone);and Lithofacies F-5 (massive siltstone). The depositional environments interpreted for the Montney Formation in the study area are lower shoreface through proximal offshore to distal offshore settings. Rock-Eval data (hydrogen Index and Oxygen Index) shows that Montney sediments contains mostly gas prone Type III/IV with subordinate Type II kerogen, TOC ranges from 0.39 - 3.54 wt% with a rare spike of 10.9 wt% TOC along the Montney/Doig boundary. Vitrinite reflectance data and Tmax show that thermal maturity of the Montney Formation is in the realm of “peak gas” generation window. Despite the economic significance of the Montney unconventional “resource-play”, however, the location and predictability of the best reservoir interval remain conjectural in part because the lithologic variability of the optimum reservoir lithologies has not been adequately characterized. This study presents lithofacies and ichnofacies analyses of the Montney Formation coupled with Rock-Eval geochemistry to interpret the sedimentology, ichnology, and reservoir potential of the Montney Formation tight gas reservoir in Fort St. John study area (T86N, R23W and T74N, R13W), northeastern British Columbia, western Canada.

Prospect and Exploratory Strategy on Oil & Gas in Tibet

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Molecular simulation studies on natural gas hydrates nucleation and growth:A review

How natural gas hydrates nucleate and grow is a crucial scientific question.The research on it will help solve practical problems encountered in hydrate accumulation,development,and utilization of hydrate related technology.Due to its limitations on both spatial and temporal dimensions,experiment cannot fully explain this issue on a micro-scale.With the development of computer technology,molecular simulation has been widely used in the study of hydrate formation because it can observe the nucleation and growth process of hydrates at the molecular level.This review will assess the recent progresses in molecular dynamics simulation of hydrate nucleation and growth,as well as the enlightening significance of these developments in hydrate applications.At the same time,combined with the problems encountered in recent hydrate trial mining and applications,some potential directions for molecular simulation in the research of hydrate nucleation and growth are proposed,and the future of molecular simulation research on hydrate nucleation and growth is prospected.

Deep structural research of the South China Sea: Progresses and directions

The South China Sea(SCS)is the hotspot of geological scientific research and nature resource exploration and development due to the potential for enormous hydrocarbon resource development and a complex formation and evolution process.The SCS has experienced complex geological processes including continental lithospheric breakup,seafloor spreading and oceanic crust subduction,which leads debates for decades.However,there are still no clear answers regarding to the following aspects:the crustal and Moho structure,the structure of the continent-ocean transition zone,the formation and evolution process and geodynamic mechanism,and deep processes and their coupling relationships with the petroliferous basins in the SCS.Under the guidance of the“Deep-Earth”science and technology innovation strategy of the Ministry of Natural Resources,deep structural and comprehensive geological research are carried out in the SCS.Geophysical investigations such as long array-large volume deep reflection seismic,gravity,magnetism and ocean bottom seismometer are carried out.The authors proposed that joint gravitymagnetic-seismic inversion should be used to obtain deep crustal information in the SCS and construct high resolution deep structural sections in different regions of the SCS.This paper systematically interpreted the formation and evolution of the SCS and explored the coupling relationship between deep structure and evolution of Mesozoic-Cenozoic basins in the SCS.It is of great significance for promoting the geosystem scientific research and resource exploration of the SCS.

Progress of Deep Geological Survey Project under the China Geological Survey

Serving as a way to understand the material composition,structure,and dynamic process of the Earth's interior,deep earth exploration is driven by not only mankind's pursuit of natural mysteries but also mankind's basic need to obtain resources and guarantee economic and social development.The first phase of deep earth exploration of China(SinoProbe)was carried out from 2008 to 2016 and tremendous results were achieved.In 2016,the China Geological Survey launched a Deep Geological Survey Project(also referred to as the Project)to continuously explore the deep Earth.Focusing on the national energy resources strategy,the Belt and Road Initiative,and major basic issues of the geological survey,the Project was carried out in Songliao Basin(an important energy base in China)and major geological boundaries and tectonic units including Qilian Mountains-Tianshan Mountains and Qinzhou-Hangzhou juncture belt.The purpose of it is to reveal the process,structure,and forming patterns of the deep ore deposits and petroleum reservoirs,clarify the evolutionary pattern and controlling factors of Mesozoic environmental climate,and discover deep fine structures of key orogens,basins,and mountains by comprehensive geophysical exploration and scientific drilling.Great achievements have been obtained after more than three years of efforts,including a cumulative 1552 km of deep seismic reflection profiles and magnetotelluric profiles,an ultra-deep continental scientific crilling well,a scientific drilling pilot hole,and a magnetotelluric array and a portable broadband seismic array,both of which cover South China.Moreover,significant progress has been made in ultra-deep drilling technology,deep oil and gas discovery in Songliao Basin,and basic geological issues of Qilian Orogen and Qinzhou-Hangzhou juncture belt in South China,greatly accelerating the deep earth exploration in China and further consolidating China's position as a power in deep earth exploration.

Dynamic Response of the U-Typed Sandwich Panel Under Explosion Load Based on the SDOF Method

Sandwich panel is commonly used in ship and marine engineering equipment,such as side structure and superstructure deck of a ship,which is of good anti-explosion performance.This paper addresses a study on the dynamic response of the U-typed sandwich panel under explosion load through the numerical simulation and theoretical methods.Based on the orthotropic plate theory,the U-typed sandwich panel is simplified and transformed into a single degree of freedom(SDOF)spring system,the equivalent motion equation of the SDOF system and the expression of triangular explosion load function are established based on the SDOF theory,and the maximum response spectrum of the SDOF system is obtained.Then,the response of the equivalent SDOF system of the U-typed sandwich panel under explosion load is analyzed,and the theoretical results match well with the numerical simulation results,which verifies the accuracy of the theoretical method proposed in this paper.The theoretical method proposed in this paper could have good engineering applications for the structural anti-explosion design,and provide a reference for the evaluation of the anti-explosion performance of ship and offshore platform structures.