Characteristics and potential analysis of Madagascar hydrocarbon-bearing basins

Madagascar becomes a large isolated island after its dislocation from East Africa at its western part during the opening of the Mozambique Channel and its separation from India at its eastern part during the opening of the basin of the Mascarene. From a stratigraphic point of view, Karroo of Madagascar shares substantial similarities with the stratigraphic strata of East Africa.While oil companies have taken a liking to the basins of East Africa, they also turn to the basins in the western part of Madagascar especially after the discovery of large oil fields at Tsimiroro and Bemolanga. According to the study of their geological history, the basins of Madagascar contain huge hydrocarbon potential. The western basins, which is more developed than the east coast of the island, have been the subject of many in-depth studies by numerous researchers. The cross-referencing of bibliographic data with geological studies, and knowledge of hydrocarbon formation and maturation stages, carried out in this study served to determine the nature of source rocks, reservoir rocks, bedrock and eventual trapping system of hydrocarbons in Madagascar. This study identified the properties of Madagascar source rocks, reservoir rocks, bedrock and the final oil and gas trap system by cross-referencing the literature and geological research, oil and gas formation and maturity stages, and shows that Madagascar has considerable hydrocarbon potential.

Interactions between hydrocarbon-bearing fluids and calcite in fused silica capillary capsules and geological implications for deeply-buried hydrocarbon reservoirs

During the burial processes of deep/ultra-deep hydrocarbon reservoirs,the interactions between hydrocarbon-bearing fluids and reservoirs significantly affect the quality evolution of hydrocarbons and reservoirs;thus,this topic requires further investigation.In this study,the continuous evolution and the coupling mechanisms in various anhydrous and hydrous nC_(16)H_(34)-(water)-(calcite)systems in fused silica capillary capsules(FSCCs)were investigated using laser Raman spectroscopy,fluorescence color analysis,and fluorescence spectroscopy,and the mineral alterations were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The experimental results show that extensive organic-inorganic interactions occur in the systems if water is present,and different inorganic components have different effects on hydrocarbon degradation.Distilled water promotes freeradical thermal cracking and steps oxidation,forming more low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons,CO_(2),and organic acids(e.g.,acetic acids)but suppresses the free-radical cross-linking,generating less high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons.However,in the presence of CaCl_(2) water,the yields of hydrocarbon gases are lower than in the distilled water system because high concentrations of Ca ions inhibit the generation of free radicals.Calcites,which exhibit different surface reactivities in different fluid conditions,affect hydrocarbon degradation in different ways.In the anhydrous nC16H34-calcite system,calcites promote the generation of both hydrocarbon gases and high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons.In contrast,in the hydrous nC16H34-distilled(CaCl_(2))watercalcite system,calcites promote the generation of hydrocarbon gases and suppress the generation of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons.Calcite also reacts with organic acids via surface reactions to form secondary pores.Therefore,except for the formation temperature and pressure,organic-inorganic interactions are controlled by multiple factors,such as the water saturation,water type,water salinity,and the mineral content,resulting in different evolutions of the hydrocarbon degradation and reservoir properties.

Control of Facies and Potential on Jurassic Hydrocarbon Accumulation and Prediction of Favorable Targets in the Hinterland Region of the Junggar Basin

Exploration practices show that the Jurassic System in the hinterland region of the Junggar Basin has a low degree of exploration but huge potential, however the oil/gas accumulation rule is very complicated, and it is difficult to predict hydrocarbon-bearing properties. The research indicates that the oil and gas is controlled by structure facies belt and sedimentary system distribution macroscopically, and hydrocarbon-bearing properties of sand bodies are controlled by lithofacies and petrophysical facies microscopically. Controlled by ancient and current tectonic frameworks, most of the discovered oil and gas are distributed in the delta front sedimentary system of a palaeo-tectonic belt and an ancient slope belt. Subaqueous branch channels and estuary dams mainly with medium and fine sandstone are the main reservoirs and oil production layers, and sand bodies of high porosity and high permeability have good hydrocarbon-bearing properties; the facies controlling effect shows a reservoir controlling geologic model of relatively high porosity and permeability. The hydrocarbon distribution is also controlled by relatively low potential energy at the high points of local structure macroscopically, while most of the successful wells are distributed at the high points of local structure, and the hydrocarbon-bearing property is good at the place of relatively low potential energy; the hydrocarbon distribution is in close connection with faults, and the reservoirs near the fault in the region of relatively low pressure have good oil and gas shows; the distribution of lithologic reservoirs at the depression slope is controlled by the distribution of sand bodies at positions of relatively high porosity and permeability. The formation of the reservoir of the Jurassic in the Junggar Basin shows characteristics of favorable facies and low-potential coupling control, and among the currenffy discovered reservoirs and industrial hydrocarbon production wells, more than 90% are developed within the scope of facies- potential index FPI〉0.5, while the FPI and oil saturation of the discovered reservoir and unascertained traps have relatively good linear correlation. By establishing the relation model between hydrocarbon- bearing properties of traps and FPI, totally 43 favorable targets are predicted in four main target series of strata and mainly distributed in the Badaowan Formation and the Sangonghe Formation, and the most favorable targets include the north and east of the Shinan Sag, the middle and south of the Mobei Uplift, Cai-35 well area of the Cainan Oilfield, and North-74 well area of the Zhangbei fault-fold zone.