Impact of effective stress on permeability for carbonate fractured-vuggy rocks

To gain insight into the flow mechanisms and stress sensitivity for fractured-vuggy reservoirs,several core models with different structural characteristics were designed and fabricated to investigate the impact of effective stress on permeability for carbonate fractured-vuggy rocks(CFVR).It shows that the permeability performance curves under different pore and confining pressures(i.e.altered stress conditions)for the fractured core models and the vuggy core models have similar change patterns.The ranges of permeability variation are significantly wider at high pore pressures,indicating that permeability reduction is the most significant during the early stage of development for fractured-vuggy reservoirs.Since each obtained effective stress coefficient for permeability(ESCP)varies with the changes in confining pressure and pore pressure,the effective stresses for permeability of four representative CFVR show obvious nonlinear characteristics,and the variation ranges of ESCP are all between 0 and 1.Meanwhile,a comprehensive ESCP mathematical model considering triple media,including matrix pores,fractures,and dissolved vugs,was proposed.It is proved theoretically that the ESCP of CFVR generally varies between 0 and 1.Additionally,the regression results showed that the power model ranked highest among the four empirical models mainly applied in stress sensitivity characterization,followed by the logarithmic model,exponential model,and binomial model.The concept of“permeability decline rate”was introduced to better evaluate the stress sensitivity performance for CFVR,in which the one-fracture rock is the strongest,followed by the fracture-vug rock and two-horizontalfracture rock;the through-hole rock is the weakest.In general,this study provides a theoretical basis to guide the design of development and adjustment programs for carbonate fractured-vuggy reservoirs.

Method for evaluation of geological strength index of carbonate cliff rocks:Coupled hyperspectral-digital borehole image technique

The deterioration of unstable rock mass raised interest in evaluating rock mass quality.However,the traditional evaluation method for the geological strength index(GSI)primarily emphasizes the rock structure and characteristics of discontinuities.It ignores the influence of mineral composition and shows a deficiency in assessing the integrity coefficient.In this context,hyperspectral imaging and digital panoramic borehole camera technologies are applied to analyze the mineral content and integrity of rock mass.Based on the carbonate mineral content and fissure area ratio,the strength reduction factor and integrity coefficient are calculated to improve the GSI evaluation method.According to the results of mineral classification and fissure identification,the strength reduction factor and integrity coefficient increase with the depth of rock mass.The rock mass GSI calculated by the improved method is mainly concentrated between 40 and 60,which is close to the calculation results of the traditional method.The GSI error rates obtained by the two methods are mostly less than 10%,indicating the rationality of the hyperspectral-digital borehole image coupled evaluation method.Moreover,the sensitivity of the fissure area ratio(Sr)to GSI is greater than that of the strength reduction factor(a),which means the proposed GSI is suitable for rocks with significant fissure development.The improved method reduces the influence of subjective factors and provides a reliable index for the deterioration evaluation of rock mass.

Hydrocarbon Generation Characteristics of Coal-measure Source Rocks and their Contribution to Natural Gas:A Case Study of Middle and Lower Jurassic Targets from the Southern Junggar Basin Margin

In order to study the hydrocarbon generation(HCGE)characteristics of coal-bearing basins,the coal-measure source rocks of the Middle Jurassic-Lower Jurassic(MLJ)of the piedmont thrust belt in the southern margin of the Junggar Basin in Northwest China are taken as research objects.More than 60 MLJ samples were collected from outcrops and wells.Total organic carbon(TOC),rock pyrolysis(Rock-Eval),organic petrological,vitrinite reflectance(%Ro),and hydrous pyrolysis were performed to analyze the relevant samples.The pyrolysis gases and liquid products were measured,and then the chemical composition,as well as carbon isotopes of the gases,were analyzed.The results indicate that the MLJ source rocks have the capacity for large-scale gas generation.In addition,for coal-measure source rocks,the heavier the carbon isotope of kerogen(δ^(13)C_(kerogen)),the lower the liquid hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon gas yield,and the easier it is to produce non-hydrocarbon gas.It is worth noting that when theδ^(13)C_(kerogen)in organic matter(OM)is relatively heavier,the fractionation of its products may become weaker in the evolutionary process.The vital contribution of the MLJ source rock to natural gas resources in the study area was further confirmed by comparing it with the Jurassic source gas.

The constructing of pore structure factor in carbonate rocks and the inversion of reservoir parameters

With a more complex pore structure system compared with clastic rocks, carbonate rocks have not yet been well described by existing conventional rock physical models concerning the pore structure vagary as well as the influence on elastic rock properties. We start with a discussion and an analysis about carbonate rock pore structure utilizing rock slices. Then, given appropriate assumptions, we introduce a new approach to modeling carbonate rocks and construct a pore structure algorithm to identify pore structure mutation with a basis on the Gassmann equation and the Eshelby-Walsh ellipsoid inclusion crack theory. Finally, we compute a single well＇s porosity using this new approach with full wave log data and make a comparison with the predicted result of traditional method and simultaneously invert for reservoir parameters. The study results reveal that the rock pore structure can significantly influence the rocks＇ elastic properties and the predicted porosity error of the new modeling approach is merely 0.74%. Therefore, the approach we introduce can effectively decrease the predicted error of reservoir parameters.

A review of carbonates as hydrocarbon source rocks: basic geochemistry and oil–gas generation

Carbonates have been known to act as hydrocarbon source rocks, but their basic geochemical and associated hydrocarbon generation characteristics remain not well understood as they occur with argillaceous source rocks in most cases, and the hydrocarbon generation from each rock type is di cult to distinguish, forming one of puzzling issues within the field of petroleum geology and geochemistry. To improve the understanding of this critical issue, this paper reviews recent advances in this field and provides a summary of key areas that can be studied in future. Results show that carbonate source rocks are generally associated with high-salinity environments with low amounts of terrestrial inputs and low dissolved oxygen contents. Petrographically, these source rocks are dark gray or black, fine-grained, stratified, and contain bacterial and algal bioprecursors along with some other impurities. They generally have low organic matter contents, although these can vary significantly in di erent cases(e.g., the total organic carbon contents of marine and lacustrine carbonate source rocks in China are generally 0.1%–1.0% and 0.4%–4.0%, respectively). These rocks contain type I and type II kerogen, meaning there is a lack of vitrinites. This means that assessment of the maturity of the organic matter in these sediments needs to use non-traditional techniques rather than vitrinite reflectance. In terms of molecular geochemistry, carbonate source rocks have typical characteristics indicative of generally reducing and saline environments and lower organism-dominated bioprecursors of organic matter, e.g., high contents of sulfur compounds, low Pr/Ph ratios, and dominance of n-alkanes. Most of the carbonate source rocks are typically dominated by D-type organic facies in an oxidized shallow water mass, although high-quality source rocks generally contain A-and B-type organic facies in saline lacustrine and marine-reducing environments, respectively. The hydrocarbon generation model for the carbonate source rocks can involve early, middle, and late stages, with a diversity of hydrocarbons within these rocks, which can be aggregated, adsorbed, enclosed within minerals, or present as inclusions. This in turn implies that the large-scale hydrocarbon expulsion from these rocks is reliant on brittle deformation caused by external forces. Finally, a number of aspects of these source rocks remain unclear and need further study, including the e ectiveness of carbonates as hydrocarbon source rocks, bioprecursors, and hydrocarbon generation models of carbonate source rock, and the di erences between marine and lacustrine carbonate source rocks.

Is seawater geochemical composition recorded in marine carbonate? Evidence from iron and manganese contents in Late Devonian carbonate rocks

Iron and manganese are the important redoxsensitive elements in the ocean. Previous studies have established a series of paleo-depositional redox proxies based on the form and content of iron in sedimentary rocks(e.g., degree of pyritization, FeHR/FeT, Fe/Al). These proxies were developed and applied on siliciclastic-rich marine sediments. Although marine carbonate rocks are generally considered to preserve the geochemical signals of ancient seawater, neither Fe nor Mn content in marine carbonate rocks(Fecarb, Mncarb) has been independently used as a proxy to quantify environmental cues in paleo-oceans. Both Fe and Mn are insoluble in oxic conditions(Fe_2O_3, Fe(OH)_3,MnO_2), while their reduced forms(Fe^(2+) and Mn^(2+)) are soluble. Therefore, oxic seawater should have low concentrations of dissolved Fe^(2+)and Mn^(2+), and accordingly carbonate rocks precipitated from oxic seawater should have low Fecarband Mncarb, and vice versa. To evaluate whether Fecarband Mncarbcan be used to quantify oxygen fugacity in seawater, we measured Fecarband Mncarbof Upper Devonian marine carbonate rocks collected from nine sections in South China. Fecarbof intraplatform basin samples wassignificantly higher than that of shelf samples, while shelf and basin samples had comparable Mncarb. The modeling result indicates that the dramatic difference in Fecarbcannot be explained by variation in oxygen fugacity between the shelf and basin seawater. Instead, both Fecarband Mncarb appear to be more sensitive to benthic flux from sediment porewater that is enriched in Fe^(2+)and Mn^(2+). Porewater Fe^(2+)and Mn^(2+)derive from bacterial iron and manganese reduction; flux was controlled by sedimentation rate and the depth of the Fe(Mn) reduction zone in sediments, the latter of which is determined by oxygen fugacity at the water–sediment interface. Thus, high Fecarbof the basin samples might be attributed to low sedimentation rate and/or low oxygen fugacity at the seafloor. However, invariant Mncarbof the shelf and basin samples might be the consequence of complete reduction of Mn in sediments. Our study indicates that marine carbonate rocks may not necessarily record seawater composition, particularly for benthic carbonate rocks. The influence of benthic flux might cause carbonate rocks' geochemical signals to deviate significantly from seawater values. Our study suggests that interpretation of geochemical data from carbonate rocks, including carbonate carbon isotopes, should consider the process of carbonate formation.

Quick Evaluation of Present-Day Low-Total Organic Carbon Carbonate Source Rocks from Rock-Eval Data: Middle–Upper Ordovician in the Tabei Uplift, Tarim Basin

Previous studies have postulated the contribution of present-day low-total organic carbon （TOC） marine carbonate source rocks to oil accumulations in the Tabei Uplift, Tarim Basin, China. However, not all present-day low-TOC carbonates have generated and expelled hydrocarbons; therefore, to distinguish the source rocks that have already expelled sufficient hydrocarbons from those not expelled hydrocarbons, is crucial in source rock evaluation and resource assessment in the Tabei Uplift. Mass balance can be used to identify modern low-TOC carbonates resulting from hydrocarbon expulsion. However, the process is quite complicated, requiring many parameters and coefficients and thus also a massive data source. In this paper, we provide a quick and cost effective method for identifying carbonate source rock with present-day low TOC, using widely available Rock-Eval data. First, we identify present-day low-TOC carbonate source rocks in typical wells according to the mass balance approach. Second, we build an optimal model to evaluate source rocks from the analysis of the rocks＇ characteristics and their influencing factors, reported as positive or negative values of a dimensionless index of Rock-Eval data （IR）. Positive IR corresponds to those samples which have expelled hydrocarbons. The optimal model optimizes complicated calculations and simulation processes; thus it could be widely applicable and competitive in the evaluation of present-day low TOC carbonates. By applying the model to the Rock-Eval dataset of the Tabei Uplift, we identify present-day iow-TOC carbonate source rocks and primarily evaluate the contribution equivalent of 11.87×10^9 t oil.

Weathering-pedogenesis of Carbonate Rocks and Its Environmental Effects in Subtropical Region

We investigated the weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks and its environmental effects in subtropical regions of China. The investigation demonstrated that the weathering- pedogenesis of carbonate rocks is the process of a joint action of corrosion and illuviation and metasomatism in subtropical region. It is characterized by multi-stage, multi-path and multi-style. With the persisting development of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks, metasomatic pedogenesis progressively became the main process of the weathering-pedogenesis and the dominant style of formation of minerals. And it proceeds through the whole process of evolution of the weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks. The stage evolution of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks and the fractionation evolution of newly produced minerals are characterized by obvious vertically zoning structures and the rules of gradation of elements geochemical characteristics in the carbonate rocks weathering profiles. The geochemical process of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks can be divided into three geochemical evolution stages, i.e., the Ca, Mg-depletion and Si, Al-enrichment stage; the Fe, Mn enrichment stage and the Si-depletion and Al-enrichment stage in the subtropical regions. Consistent with the three geochemical evolution stages, the sequence of formation and evolution of minerals can be divided into the clay mineral stage; the Fe, Mn oxide and the gibbsite stage. The influence of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks on the chemical forms of heavy elements is mainly affected via newly produced components and minerals in the process of weathering-pedogenesis, e.g., iron oxide minerals and organic matters. The important mechanism for the mobilization, transport and pollution of F and As is affected the selective adsorption and desorption of F and As on the surface of iron oxide minerals in the subtropical karst zones, i.e., the selective adsorption and desorption on mineral surfaces of newly produced minerals in the process of weathering-pedogenesis control the geochemical behavior of elements on the Earth＇s surface and environmental quality in subtropical regions.

Heterogeneity of Parent Rocks and Its Constraints on Geochemical Criteria in Weathering Crusts of Carbonate Rocks

Owing to the low contents of their acid-insoluble components, carbonate rocks tend to decrease sharply in volume in association with the formation of weathering crust. The formation of a 1 m-thick weathering crust would usually consume more than ten meters to several tens of meters of thickness of parent rocks. The knowledge of how to identify the homogeneity of parent rocks is essential to understand the formation mechanism of weathering crust in karst regions, especially that of thick-layered red weathering crust. In this work the grain-size analyses have demonstrated that the three profiles studied are the residual weathering crust of carbonate rocks and further showed that there objectively exists the heterogeneity of parent rocks in the three studied weathering crusts. The heterogeneity of parent rocks can also be reflected m geochemical parameters of major elements, just as the characteristics of frequency plot of grain-size distribution. Conservative trace element ratios Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta are proven to be unsuitable for tracing the heterogeneity of parent rocks of weathering crust, but its geochemical mechanism is unclear. The authors strongly suggest in this paper that the identification of the homogeneity of parent rocks of weathering crust in karst regions is of prime necessity.

Fission Track Dating of Authigenic Quartz in Red Weathering Crusts of Carbonate Rocks in Guizhou Province

The Cenozoic evolution history of Guizhou Province, which is located on the southeastern flank of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is unclear because of the lack of sedimentation records. The red weathering crusts widespread on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau may bear critical information about their evolution history. This work firstly determined the ages of four red weathering crusts in eastern, central and northern Guizhou. The material used in fission track dating is well-crystallized quartz occurring in many in-situ weathering crusts of carbonate rocks. The results showed that the fission track ages of quartz vary over a wide range from 1 to 25 Ma in the four profiles, significantly younger than the ages of the Triassic and Cambrian parent rocks. In combination with the evolution history of the regional geology during the period from 25 to 1 Ma, the ages of quartz can exclude the possibility that the origin of quartz has nothing to do with primary clastic minerals in parent rocks, authigenesis during diagenesis and hydrothermal precipitation or roplacement by volcanic activities. It is deduced that the well-crystallized quartz was precipitated from Si-rich weathering fluids during the weathering process of carbonate rocks. The recorded ages of quartz from the four profiles are consistent with the episodes of the planation surfaces on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the forming stages of red soil in the tropics of South China, the tectonically stable periods in Guizhou, and the ages of weathering in other parts of the world during the Cenozoic era. That is to say, the ages of authigenic quartz dated by the fission track method are well feasible and credible.

Enhancing the spontaneous imbibition rate of water in oil-wet dolomite rocks through boosting a wettability alteration process using carbonated smart brines

Most fractured carbonate oil reservoirs have oil-wet rocks.Therefore,the process of imbibing water from the fractures into the matrix is usually poor or basically does not exist due to negative capillary pressure.To achieve appropriate ultimate oil recovery in these reservoirs,a water-based enhanced oil recovery method must be capable of altering the wettability of matrix blocks.Previous studies showed that carbonated water can alter wettability of carbonate oil-wet rocks toward less oil-wet or neutral wettability conditions,but the degree of modification is not high enough to allow water to imbibe spontaneously into the matrix blocks at an effective rate.In this study,we manipulated carbonated brine chemistry to enhance its wettability alteration features and hence to improve water imbibition rate and ultimate oil recovery upon spontaneous imbibition in dolomite rocks.First,the contact angle and interfacial tension(IFT)of brine/crude oil systems were measured for several synthetic brine samples with different compositions.Thereafter,two solutions with a significant difference in WAI(wettability alteration index)but approximately equal brine/oil IFT were chosen for spontaneous imbibition experiments.In the next step,spontaneous imbibition experiments at ambient and high pressures were conducted to evaluate the ability of carbonated smart water in enhancing the spontaneous imbibition rate and ultimate oil recovery in dolomite rocks.Experimental results showed that an appropriate adjustment of the imbibition brine(i.e.,carbonated smart water)chemistry improves imbibition rate of carbonated water in oil-wet dolomite rocks as well as the ultimate oil recovery.

Effect of overburden pressure on determination of reservoir rock types using RQI/FZI,FZI^* and Winland methods in carbonate rocks

Rock typing is an important tool in evaluation and performance prediction of reservoirs.Different techniques such as flow zone indicator(FZI),FZI~*and Winland methods are used to categorize reservoir rocks into distinct rock types.Generally,these methods are applied to petrophysical data that are measured at a pressure other than reservoir pressure.Since the pressure changes the pore structure of rock,the effect of overburden pressure on rock typing should be considered.In this study,porosity and permeability of 113 core samples were measured at five different pressures.To investigate the effect of pressure on determination of rock types,FZI,FZI~*and Winland methods were applied.Results indicated that although most of the samples remain in the same rock type when pressure changes,some of them show different trends.These are related to the mineralogy and changes in pore system of the samples due to pressure change.Additionally,the number of rock types increases with increasing pressure.Furthermore,the effect of overburden pressure on determination of rock types is more clearly observed in the Winland and FZI~*methods.Also,results revealed that a more precise reservoir dynamic simulation can be obtained by considering the reservoir rock typing process at reservoir conditions.

Applying rock mass classifications to carbonate rocks for engineering purposes with a new approach using the rock engineering system

Classical rock mass classification systems are not applicable to carbonate rocks,especially when these are affected by karst processes.Their applications to such settings could therefore result in outcomes not representative of the real stress-strain behavior.In this study,we propose a new classification of carbonate rock masses for engineering purposes,by adapting the rock engineering system(RES) method by Hudson for fractured and karstified rock masses,in order to highlight the problems of implementation of geomechanical models to carbonate rocks.This new approach allows a less rigid classification for carbonate rock masses,taking into account the local properties of the outcrops,the site conditions and the type of engineering work as well.

A New Example of Retrograde Solubility Model for Carbonate Rocks

Objective The dissolution and precipitation of carbonate during burial diagenetic process controls the reservoir property in deep buried strata. The geological process related with it has become a research focus during recent years. The most important dissolution fluids to carbonates are probably H2S and CO2 as byproducts of sulfate reduction in deep-buried setting with sulfate minerals, but carbonates are more soluble in relatively low temperature, which is the so-called retrograde solubility. Several geological processes can result in the decrease of temperature, including the upward migration of thermal fluids and tectonic uplift.

Method for identifying effective carbonate source rocks:a case study from Middle-Upper Ordovician in Tarim Basin,China

Hydrocarbon expulsion occurs only when pore fluid pressure due to hydrocarbon generation in source rock exceeds the force against migration in the adjacent carrier beds.Taking the Middle-Upper Ordovician carbonate source rock of Tarim Basin in China as an example,this paper proposes a method that identifies effective carbonate source rock based on the principles of mass balance.Data from the Well YW2 indicate that the Middle Ordovician Yijianfang Formation contains effective carbonate source rocks with low present-day TOC.Geological and geochemical analysis suggests that the hydrocarbons in the carbonate interval are likely self-generated and retained.Regular steranes from GC-MS analysis of oil extracts in this interval display similar features to those of the crude oil samples in Tabei area,indicating that the crude oil probably was migrated from the effective source rocks.By applying to other wells in the basin,the identified effective carbonate source rocks and non-source rock carbonates can be effectively identified and consistent with the actual exploration results,validating the method.Considering the contribution from the identified effective source rocks with low present-day TOC(TOC_(pd))is considered,the long-standing puzzle between the proved 3 P oil reserves and estimated resources in the basin can be reasonably explained.

Sedimentological sequence and depositional evolutionary model of Lower Triassic carbonate rocks in the South Yellow Sea Basin

Based on well logging and seismic data, combined with a comparative analysis of drilling data in the Lower Yangtze region, the sequence stratigraphic framework of the Qinglong Formation was established and divided into four third-order sequences. Each sequence is mainly composed of the transgress system tract (TST) and the high-stand system tract (HST). According to the lithology, logging curve and seismic reflection structure, the sedimentary filling characteristics and evolution law for the sequence are analyzed. The results show that each sequence is dominated by a half-cycle decline of sea level, and the rise-fall of sea level controls the distribution and evolution of sedimentary systems within the sequence. During the relative sea-level rise, sedimentation rates slow down and muddy sediments are developed. The characteristics of condensing intervals on the flooding surface are very obvious, and continental shelf and open platform deposition are mainly developed. During the relative decline of sea level, the thickness of sediments increased. The main developments were restricted platform and platform shoal environment, and locally developed evaporation platform environment.

Static dissolution-induced 3D pore network modification and its impact on critical pore attributes of carbonate rocks

To determine the effect of dissolution on pore network development in carbonate rocks, dissolution experiments, X-Ray microtomography, and thin section analysis were conducted on argillaceous limestone and grain limestone samples at different temperatures and constant pH, HCl concentration. The relationship between Ca^(2+) concentration and time was revealed through the experiments; pore size distribution before and after dissolution indicate that there is no correlation between the temperature and pore size variation, but pore size variation in grain limestone is more significant, indicating that the variation is mainly controlled by the heterogeneity of the rock itself(initial porosity and permeability) and the abundance of unstable minerals(related to crystal shape, size and mineral type). At different temperatures, the two kinds of carbonate rocks had very small variation in pore throat radius from 0.003 mm to 0.040 mm, which is 1.3 to 3.5 times more, 1.7 on average of the original pore throat radius. Their pore throat length varied from 0.05 mm to 0.35 mm. The minor changes in the pore throat radius, length and connectivity brought big changes to permeability of up to 1 000×10^(-3) μm^2.

Carbon Isotope Excursions and Paleo-Oceanography of the Ordovician–Silurian Boundary Carbonate Rocks from the Xainza Area, Tibet

Objective The Ordovician–Silurian transitional period is a special time when the global paleo-environment changed greatly.It witnessed the first mass extinction as of Phanerozoic period and glaciations that occurred frequently at a large scale in a very short time,which has thus attracted much attention among geoscientists at home and abroad.

New Computerized Method for the Geochemical Classification of Precambrian Carbonate Rocks: Case of a Set of African Cap Carbonates

Post-sedimentary transformations have masked or completely obliterated the structures and textures of Precambrian carbonate rocks. Therefore, methods of classification of the carbonate rocks founded on the observation of primary structures or textural characteristics are ill-adapted. Consequently, only certain geochemical classification methods allow us to distinguish the various rock-types in the case of Neoproterozoic carbonates. After presenting the most suitable geochemical classifications, we propose a new classification into 14 groups based on a regular ternary diagram with computerized data input. For each sample of carbonate rock, analysis of calcium and magnesium contents allows us to calculate the input data for our diagram i.e. the percentages of Calcite, Dolomite and Insoluble Residue. To automate the application of this diagram, input parameters are created in a descriptive file “Roches.ternaires.txt” using an option called “Ternaires” in the “Diagrammes” software developed by Roland Simler. Thirty cap carbonates of Africa are used to validate this new method.

An Experimental Study of Mixture Corrosion Effects of Carbonate Rocks in the Transitional Zone of Littoral Karst Areas

The mechanism for development of littoral karst differs from that of inland karst, and the mixture corrosion effects are one of the most important factors that control the development of littoral karst. Through seven groups of static experiments carried out in a closed CO2-H2O system, basic conclusions can be drawn as follows: (1) the basic law of corrosion process in a transitional zone of seawater-freshwater in littoral karst areas is identical with that in the fresh water, i.e., the lithologic characteristics and rock structure are the main factors which control the development of littoral karst; (2) the mixture corrosion rate of the carbonate rock in the above transitional zone is faster than that in fresh water or seawater; (3) the mechanism for development of carbonate rocks differs at various pressures of CO2 in a transitional zone in littoral karst areas.