We present a systematic summary of the geological characteristics,exploration and development history and current state of shale oil and gas in the United States.The hydrocarbon-rich shales in the major shale basins o...We present a systematic summary of the geological characteristics,exploration and development history and current state of shale oil and gas in the United States.The hydrocarbon-rich shales in the major shale basins of the United States are mainly developed in six geological periods:Middle Ordovician,Middle-Late Devonian,Early Carboniferous(Middle-Late Mississippi),Early Permian,Late Jurassic,and Late Cretaceous(Cenomanian-Turonian).Depositional environments for these shales include intra-cratonic basins,foreland basins,and passive continental margins.Paleozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed in six basins,including the Appalachian Basin(Utica and Marcellus shales),Anadarko Basin(Woodford Shale),Williston Basin(Bakken Shale),Arkoma Basin(Fayetteville Shale),Fort Worth Basin(Barnett Shale),and the Wolfcamp and Leonardian Spraberry/Bone Springs shale plays of the Permian Basin.The Mesozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed on the margins of the Gulf of Mexico Basin(Haynesville and Eagle Ford)or in various Rocky Mountain basins(Niobrara Formation,mainly in the Denver and Powder River basins).The detailed analysis of shale plays reveals that the shales are different in facies and mineral components,and"shale reservoirs"are often not shale at all.The United States is abundant in shale oil and gas,with the in-place resources exceeding 0.246×10^(12)t and 290×10^(12)m^(3),respectively.Before the emergence of horizontal well hydraulic fracturing technology to kick off the"shale revolution",the United States had experienced two decades of exploration and production practices,as well as theory and technology development.In 2007-2023,shale oil and gas production in the United States increased from approximately 11.2×10^(4)tons of oil equivalent per day(toe/d)to over 300.0×10^(4)toe/d.In 2017,the shale oil and gas production exceeded the conventional oil and gas production in the country.In 2023,the contribution from shale plays to the total U.S.oil and gas production remained above 60%.The development of shale oil and gas has largely been driven by improvements in drilling and completion technologies,with much of the recent effort focused on“cube development”or“co-development”.Other efforts to improve productivity and efficiency include refracturing,enhanced oil recovery,and drilling of“U-shaped”wells.Given the significant resources base and continued technological improvements,shale oil and gas production will continue to contribute significant volumes to total U.S.hydrocarbon production.展开更多
In oil and gas exploration,elucidating the complex interdependencies among geological variables is paramount.Our study introduces the application of sophisticated regression analysis method at the forefront,aiming not...In oil and gas exploration,elucidating the complex interdependencies among geological variables is paramount.Our study introduces the application of sophisticated regression analysis method at the forefront,aiming not just at predicting geophysical logging curve values but also innovatively mitigate hydrocarbon depletion observed in geochemical logging.Through a rigorous assessment,we explore the efficacy of eight regression models,bifurcated into linear and nonlinear groups,to accommodate the multifaceted nature of geological datasets.Our linear model suite encompasses the Standard Equation,Ridge Regression,Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator,and Elastic Net,each presenting distinct advantages.The Standard Equation serves as a foundational benchmark,whereas Ridge Regression implements penalty terms to counteract overfitting,thus bolstering model robustness in the presence of multicollinearity.The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator for variable selection functions to streamline models,enhancing their interpretability,while Elastic Net amalgamates the merits of Ridge Regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator,offering a harmonized solution to model complexity and comprehensibility.On the nonlinear front,Gradient Descent,Kernel Ridge Regression,Support Vector Regression,and Piecewise Function-Fitting methods introduce innovative approaches.Gradient Descent assures computational efficiency in optimizing solutions,Kernel Ridge Regression leverages the kernel trick to navigate nonlinear patterns,and Support Vector Regression is proficient in forecasting extremities,pivotal for exploration risk assessment.The Piecewise Function-Fitting approach,tailored for geological data,facilitates adaptable modeling of variable interrelations,accommodating abrupt data trend shifts.Our analysis identifies Ridge Regression,particularly when augmented by Piecewise Function-Fitting,as superior in recouping hydrocarbon losses,and underscoring its utility in resource quantification refinement.Meanwhile,Kernel Ridge Regression emerges as a noteworthy strategy in ameliorating porosity-logging curve prediction for well A,evidencing its aptness for intricate geological structures.This research attests to the scientific ascendancy and broad-spectrum relevance of these regression techniques over conventional methods while heralding new horizons for their deployment in the oil and gas sector.The insights garnered from these advanced modeling strategies are set to transform geological and engineering practices in hydrocarbon prediction,evaluation,and recovery.展开更多
Coal measure gas(also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas)is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years.The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas(coalbed methan...Coal measure gas(also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas)is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years.The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas(coalbed methane,coal shale gas and coal measure tight sandstone gas)from single coalbed methane has greatly expanded the field and space of resource evaluation,which is of positive significance for realizing the comprehensive utilization of coal resources,maximizing the benefits and promoting the innovation of oil and gas geological theory and technological advances in exploration and development.For the first time,in Yangmeishu Syncline of Western Guizhou Province,the public welfare coalbed methane geological survey project of China Geological Survey has been carried out a systematic geological survey of coal measure gas for the Upper Permian Longtan Formation,identified the geological conditions of coal measure gas and found high quality resources.The total geological resource quantity of coalbed methane and coal shale gas is 51.423×109 m3 and the geological resource abundance is up to 566×106 m3/km2.In this area,the coal measures are characterized by many layers of minable coal seams,large total thickness,thin to the medium thickness of the single layer,good gas-bearing property of coal seams and coal measure mudstone and sandstone,good reservoir physical property and high-pressure coefficient.According to the principle of combination of high quality and similarity of key parameters of the coal reservoir,the most favorable intervals are No.5-2,No.7 and No.13-2 coal seam in Well YMC1.And the pilot tests are carried out on coal seams and roof silty mudstone,such as staged perforation,increasing hydraulic fracturing scale and"three gas"production.The high and stable industrial gas flow with a daily gas output of more than 4000 m3 has been obtained,which has realized the breakthrough in the geological survey of coal measure gas in Southwest China.Based on the above investigation results,the geological characteristics of coal measure gas in the multi-thin-coal-seam-developed area and the coexploration and co-production methods,such as the optimization method of favorable intervals,the highefficiency fracturing and reservoir reconstruction method of coal measures,and the"three gas"drainage and production system,are systematically summarized in this paper.It will provide a reference for efficient exploration and development of coal measure gas in similar geological conditions in China.展开更多
Oil/gas exploration around the world has extended into deep and ultra-deep strata because it is increasingly difficult to find new large-scale oil/gas reservoirs in shallow–middle buried strata. In recent years, Chin...Oil/gas exploration around the world has extended into deep and ultra-deep strata because it is increasingly difficult to find new large-scale oil/gas reservoirs in shallow–middle buried strata. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in oil/gas exploration in ultra-deep areas including carbonate and clastic reservoirs. Some (ultra) large-scale oil and gas fields have been discovered. The oil/gas accumulation mechanisms and key technologies of oil/gas reservoir exploration and development are summarized in this study in order to share China’s experiences. Ultra-deep oil/gas originates from numerous sources of hydrocarbons and multiphase charging. Liquid hydrocarbons can form in ultradeep layers due to low geothermal gradients or overpressures, and the natural gas composition in ultra-deep areas is complicated by the reactions between deep hydrocarbons, water, and rock or by the addition of mantle- or crust-sourced gases. These oils/gases are mainly stored in the original highenergy reef/shoal complexes or in sand body sediments. They usually have high original porosity. Secondary pores are often developed by dissolution, dolomitization, and fracturing in the late stage. The early pores have been preserved by retentive diageneses such as the early charging of hydrocarbons. Oil/gas accumulation in ultra-deep areas generally has the characteristics of near-source accumulation and sustained preservation. The effective exploration and development of ultra-deep oil/gas reservoirs depend on the support of key technologies. Use of the latest technologies such as seismic signal acquisition and processing, low porosity and permeability zone prediction, and gas–water identification has enabled the discovery of ultra-deep oil/gas resources. In addition, advanced technologies for drilling, completion, and oil/gas testing have ensured the effective development of these fields.展开更多
The distribution and treatment of harmful gas (H2S) in the Liaohe Oilfield, Northeast China, were investigated in this study. It was found that abundant toxic gas (H2S) is generated in thermal recovery of heavy oi...The distribution and treatment of harmful gas (H2S) in the Liaohe Oilfield, Northeast China, were investigated in this study. It was found that abundant toxic gas (H2S) is generated in thermal recovery of heavy oil. The H2S gas is mainly formed during thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) occurring in oil reservoirs or the thermal decomposition of sulfocompounds (TDS) in crude oil. H2S generation is controlled by thermal recovery time, temperature and the injected chemical compounds. The quantity of SO4^2- in the injected compounds is the most influencing factor for the rate of TSR reaction. Therefore, for prevention of H2S formation, periodic and effective monitoring should be undertaken and adequate H2S absorbent should also be provided during thermal recovery of heavy oil. The result suggests that great efforts should be made to reduce the SO4^2- source in heavy oil recovery, so as to restrain H2S generation in reservoirs. In situ burning or desulfurizer adsorption are suggested to reduce H2S levels. Prediction and prevention of H2S are important in heavy oil production. This will minimize environmental and human health risks, as well as equipment corrosion.展开更多
The South Yellow Sea Basin is a large sedimentary basin superimposed by the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine sedimentary basin and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic terrestrial sedimentary basin, where no oil and gas fields have been di...The South Yellow Sea Basin is a large sedimentary basin superimposed by the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine sedimentary basin and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic terrestrial sedimentary basin, where no oil and gas fields have been discovered after exploration for 58 years. After the failure of oil and gas exploration in terrestrial basins, the exploration target of the South Yellow Sea Basin turned to the marine Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata. After more than ten years' investigation and research, a lot of achievements have been obtained. The latest exploration obtained effective seismic reflection data of deep marine facies by the application of seismic exploration technology characterized by high coverage, abundant low-frequency components and strong energy source for the deep South Yellow Sea Basin. In addition, some wells drilled the Middle-Upper Paleozoic strata, with obvious oil and gas shows discovered in some horizons. The recent petroleum geological research on the South Yellow Sea Basin shows that the structure zoning of the marine residual basin has been redetermined, the basin structure has been defined, and 3 seismic reflection marker layers are traceable and correlatable in the residual thick Middle-Paleozoic strata below the continental Meso-Cenozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin. Based on these, the seismic sequence of the marine sedimentary strata was established. According to the avaliable oil and gas exploration and research, the marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic oil and gas prospects of the South Yellow Sea were predicted as follows.(1) The South Yellow Sea Basin has the same sedimentary formation and evolution history during the sedimentary period of the Middle-Paleozoic marine basin with the Sichuan Basin.(2) There are 3 regional high-quality source rocks.(3) The carbonate and clastic reservoirs are developed in the Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata.(4) The three source-reservoir-cap assemblages are relatively intact.(5) The Laoshan Uplift is a prospect area for the Lower Paleozoic oil and gas, and the Wunansha Uplift is one for the marine Upper Paleozoic oil and gas.(6) The Gaoshi stable zone in the Laoshan Uplift is a favorable zone.(7) The marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin has the geological conditions required to form large oil and gas fields, with remarkable oil and gas resources prospect. An urgent problem to be addressed now within the South Yellow Sea Basin is to drill parametric wells for the Lower Paleozoic strata as the target, to establish the complete stratigraphic sequence since the Paleozoic period, to obtain resource evaluation parameters, and to realize the strategic discovery and achieve breakthrough in oil and gas exploration understanding.展开更多
This paper summarizes the important progress in the field of oil and gas production engineering during the"Thirteenth Five-Year Plan"period of China,analyzes the challenges faced by the current oil and gas p...This paper summarizes the important progress in the field of oil and gas production engineering during the"Thirteenth Five-Year Plan"period of China,analyzes the challenges faced by the current oil and gas production engineering in terms of technological adaptability,digital construction,energy-saving and emission reduction,and points out the future development direction.During the"Thirteenth Five-Year Plan"period,series of important progresses have been made in five major technologies,including separated-layer injection,artificial lift,reservoir stimulation,gas well de-watering,and workover,which provide key technical support for continuous potential tapping of mature oilfields and profitable production of new oilfields.Under the current complex international political and economic situation,oil and gas production engineering is facing severe challenges in three aspects:technical difficulty increases in oil and gas production,insignificant improvements in digital transformation,and lack of core technical support for energy-saving and emission reduction.This paper establishes three major strategic directions and implementation paths,including oil stabilization and gas enhancement,digital transformation,and green and low-carbon development.Five key research areas are listed including fine separated-layer injection technology,high efficiency artificial lift technology,fine reservoir stimulation technology,long term gas well de-watering technology and intelligent workover technology,so as to provide engineering technical support for the transformation,upgrading and high-quality development of China’s oil and gas industry.展开更多
The global exploration investment, new oil and gas discoveries, exploration business adjustment strategies of oil companies in 2021, and future favorable exploration domains are systematically analyzed using commercia...The global exploration investment, new oil and gas discoveries, exploration business adjustment strategies of oil companies in 2021, and future favorable exploration domains are systematically analyzed using commercial databases such as IHS and public information of oil companies. It has been found that the world oil and gas exploration situation in 2021 has continued the downturn since the outbreak of COVID-19. The investment and drilling workload decreased slightly, but the success rate of exploration wells, especially deepwater exploration wells, increased significantly, and the newly discovered reserves increased slightly compared with last year. Deep waters of the passive continental margin basins are still the leading sites for discovering conventional large and medium-sized oil and gas fields. The conventional oil and gas exploration in deep formations of onshore petroliferous basins has been keeping a good state, with tight/shale oil and gas discoveries made in Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other countries. While strengthening the exploration and development of local resources, national, international, and independent oil companies have been focusing on major overseas frontiers using their advantages, including risk exploration in deep waters and natural gas. Future favorable exploration directions in the three major frontiers, the global deep waters, deep onshore formations, and unconventional resources, have been clarified. Four suggestions are put forward for the global exploration business of Chinese oil companies: first, a farm in global deepwater frontier basins in advance through bidding at a low cost and adopt the “dual exploration model” after making large-scale discoveries;second, enter new blocks of emerging hot basins in the world through farm-in and other ways, to find large oil and gas fields quickly;third, cooperate with national oil companies of the resource host countries in the form of joint research and actively participate exploration of deep onshore formations of petroliferous basins;fourth, track tight/shale oil and gas cooperation opportunities in a few countries such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, and take advantage of mature domestic theories and technologies to farm in at an appropriate time.展开更多
Ground gravity survey for regional structure unit delineation and oil and gas exploration in China is addressed in this paper with examples. Gravity survey scales, coverage, technical regulations and achievements at t...Ground gravity survey for regional structure unit delineation and oil and gas exploration in China is addressed in this paper with examples. Gravity survey scales, coverage, technical regulations and achievements at the national level are introduced, including data processing and anomaly interpretation techniques. Bouguer anomalies of terrestrial territories of China and classification of anomalous feature zones are also described;they are well correlated with lithotectonical boundaries, fault zones, and unexposed igneous plutons. Recent study results of petroliferous sedimentary basins are presented as well, including concealed boundaries and major structures of large basins. It is concluded that gravity survey is the most effective and economic method in unveiling unexposed and deep-seated structures, targeting and delineating oil and gas-bearing sedimentary basins, and locating main trap structures within prolific basins in early stage of exploration in China. Suggestions for improving exploration of both conventional and unconventional oil and gas reservoirs in China are also given in the paper.展开更多
This paper summarizes the latest achievements and technological progress in oil and gas production engineering of China National Petroleum Corporation(CNPC) and discusses the main four challenges faced: developing low...This paper summarizes the latest achievements and technological progress in oil and gas production engineering of China National Petroleum Corporation(CNPC) and discusses the main four challenges faced: developing low quality resource at low oil price; keeping stable production of mature oilfields when well oil production drops year by year; low systematic efficiency, high cost, prominent environmental protection issue and short of technological strategy for high water cut ratio and high oil recovery ratio oilfields; and lacking of high level horizontal well drilling and completion technology to develop unconventional and deep reservoirs. Three technological development directions to address these challenges are put forward: developing fracture controlling stimulation and well factory to produce low quality resource economically, developing re-fracturing technology for old wells in mature oilfields, promoting the fourth generation separate layer water injection technology to stabilize the production of mature oilfields; innovating new technologies of water flooding with nano-material, injecting and producing through one well.展开更多
This study reviews the development history of PetroChina’s overseas oil and gas field development technologies, summarizes the characteristic technologies developed, and puts forward the development goals and technol...This study reviews the development history of PetroChina’s overseas oil and gas field development technologies, summarizes the characteristic technologies developed, and puts forward the development goals and technological development directions of overseas business to overcome the challenges met in overseas oil and gas production. In the course of PetroChina’s overseas oil and gas field production practice of more than 20 years, a series of characteristic technologies suitable for overseas oil and gas fields have been created by combining the domestic mature oil and gas field production technologies with the features of overseas oil and gas reservoirs, represented by the technology for high-speed development and stabilizing oil production and controlling water rise for overseas sandstone oilfields, high efficiency development technology for large carbonate oil and gas reservoirs and foamy oil depletion development technology in use of horizontal wells for extra-heavy oil reservoirs. Based on in-depth analysis of the challenges faced by overseas oil and gas development and technological requirements, combined with the development trends of oil and gas development technologies in China and abroad, overseas oil and gas development technologies in the future are put forward, including artificial intelligence reservoir prediction and 3 D geological modeling, secondary development and enhanced oil recovery(EOR) of overseas sandstone oilfields after high speed development, water and gas injection to improve oil recovery in overseas carbonate oil and gas reservoirs, economic and effective development of overseas unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, efficient development of marine deep-water oil and gas reservoirs. The following goals are expected to be achieved: keep the enhanced oil recovery(EOR) technology for high water-cut sandstone oilfield at international advanced level, and make the development technology for carbonate oil and gas reservoirs reach the international advanced level, and the development technologies for unconventional and marine deep-water oil and gas reservoirs catch up the level of international leading oil companies quickly.展开更多
Large volumes of water are generated in gas- and oil-production. This includes the water that is present originally in the reservoirs, but also water that is injected into the wells. While currently much of the produc...Large volumes of water are generated in gas- and oil-production. This includes the water that is present originally in the reservoirs, but also water that is injected into the wells. While currently much of the produced water is either reinjected or disposed of after treatment, treated produced water is increasingly seen as an interesting resource, especially in water-scarce regions. This review looks at different PW treatment methods available, with an emphasis on the management of PW in oil- and gas production on the Arabian Peninsula.展开更多
Based on the recent oil and gas discoveries and geological understandings on the ultra-deep strata of sedimentary basins, the formation and occurrence of hydrocarbons in the ultra-deep strata were investigated with re...Based on the recent oil and gas discoveries and geological understandings on the ultra-deep strata of sedimentary basins, the formation and occurrence of hydrocarbons in the ultra-deep strata were investigated with respect to the processes of basin formation, hydrocarbon generation, reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation, and key issues in ultra-deep oil and gas exploration were discussed. The ultra-deep strata in China underwent two extensional-convergent cycles in the Meso-Neoproterozoic Era and the Early Paleozoic Era respectively, with the tectonic-sedimentary differentiation producing the spatially adjacent source-reservoir assemblages. There are diverse large-scale carbonate reservoirs such as mound-beach, dolomite, karst fracture-vug, fractured karst and faulted zone, as well as over-pressured clastic rock and fractured bedrock reservoirs. Hydrocarbons were accumulated in multiple stages, accompanied by adjusting and finalizing in the late stage. The distribution of hydrocarbons is controlled by high-energy beach zone, regional unconformity, paleo-high and large-scale fault zone. The ultra-deep strata endow oil and gas resources as 33% of the remaining total resources, suggesting an important successive domain for hydrocarbon development in China. The large-scale pool-forming geologic units and giant hydrocarbon enrichment zones in ultra-deep strata are key and promising prospects for delivering successive discoveries. The geological conditions and enrichment zone prediction of ultra-deep oil and gas are key issues of petroleum geology.展开更多
The global trends in deepwater oil and gas exploration,characteristics of deepwater oil and gas discovery,and layout of deepwater oil and gas exploration business by seven major international oil companies are systema...The global trends in deepwater oil and gas exploration,characteristics of deepwater oil and gas discovery,and layout of deepwater oil and gas exploration business by seven major international oil companies are systematically analyzed using commercial databases(e.g.S&P Global and Rystad)and public information of oil companies.The deepwater area is currently the most important domain for global oil and gas exploration and discovery,with the most discoveries and reserves in passive continental margin basins.The deepwater discoveries have the greatest contribution to the total newly discovered oil and gas reserves in the sea areas,with an increasing number of lithological reservoirs discovered,and oil and gas discoveries mainly distributed in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic.The seven major international oil companies are widely active in various aspects of deepwater oil and gas exploration and development,and play a leading role.Based on years of theoretical understanding of global oil and gas geology and resource evaluation,it is proposed that favorable deepwater exploration areas in the future will mainly focus on three major areas:the Atlantic coast,the Indian Ocean periphery,and the Arctic Ocean periphery.Six suggestions are put forward for expanding overseas deepwater oil and gas exploration business:first,expand the sources for obtaining multi-user seismic data and improve the scientific selection of deepwater exploration areas;second,increase efforts to obtain deepwater exploration projects in key areas;third,adopt various methods to access into/exit from resource licenses flexibly;fourth,acquire licenses with large equity and operate in“dual-exploration”model;fifth,strengthen cooperation with leading international oil companies in deepwater technology;and sixth,improve business operation capabilities and gradually transform from“non-operators”to“operators”.展开更多
Complicated oil and gas fields occupy an important position in oil and gas exploration. In this paper, complicated oil and gas fields are grouped into four types: fault-block, lithologic, stratigraphic and fissure typ...Complicated oil and gas fields occupy an important position in oil and gas exploration. In this paper, complicated oil and gas fields are grouped into four types: fault-block, lithologic, stratigraphic and fissure types. On the basis of the new theory of petroleum geological exploration in composite oil and gas accumulation areas within continental basins, a new exploration sequence suitable for complicated oil and gas fields has been established, which comprises four stages:(1) initial exploration;(2) preliminary exploration;(3) early step-by-step exploration and development: and(4) late step-by-step exploration and development. The idea of cybernetics has been taken to control various links of a systematic exploration project so as to fully, effectively and comprehensively utilize the new exploration techniques, eventually realizing the optimization of exploration with the aim of raising the efficiency of exploration of complicated oil and gas fields.展开更多
There is natural occurrence of pressure-induced solid bitumen, here referred to as “compression dynamometamorphic solid bitumen”. It differs in physical properties and chemical structure from thermal metamorphic sol...There is natural occurrence of pressure-induced solid bitumen, here referred to as “compression dynamometamorphic solid bitumen”. It differs in physical properties and chemical structure from thermal metamorphic solid bitumen. Under a high pressure and moderate temperature, the solid bitumen forms crystals and its reflectance rises rapidly with increasing crystallization. Accordingly, its reflectance can reach a very high value without having been exposed to a high level of thermal stress. Laboratory simulation confirms the formation of pressure-induced solid bitumen at moderate temperatures. The revelation of this new bitumen type is very helpful in the accurate maturity determination of carbonate organic matter.展开更多
Based on the results of researches and applications for many years, it has been discovered that new methods and techniques for geochemical exploration of oil and gas such as δC, altered carbonate, Hg in absorption ph...Based on the results of researches and applications for many years, it has been discovered that new methods and techniques for geochemical exploration of oil and gas such as δC, altered carbonate, Hg in absorption phase, Ks, Fe2+, δ13C, fluorescence in two and three dimensions, and N2 and O2 in heat release can give full play in the following five fields: (1) optimization of the favourable target or hollow zones and structural zones in a region; (2) evaluation of oil traps and delineation of prospective oil and gas areas; (3) prediction of deep-seated oil-bearing horizons; (4) evaluation of the genesis of oil and gas geochemical anomalies and determination of the types of oil and gas accumulations; (5) forecast of the burial depths of oil and gas pools.展开更多
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 an...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.展开更多
基金supported by the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery(STARR)programthe Bureau of Economic Geology's Tight Oil Resource Assessment(TORA)Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory(MSRL)consortia。
文摘We present a systematic summary of the geological characteristics,exploration and development history and current state of shale oil and gas in the United States.The hydrocarbon-rich shales in the major shale basins of the United States are mainly developed in six geological periods:Middle Ordovician,Middle-Late Devonian,Early Carboniferous(Middle-Late Mississippi),Early Permian,Late Jurassic,and Late Cretaceous(Cenomanian-Turonian).Depositional environments for these shales include intra-cratonic basins,foreland basins,and passive continental margins.Paleozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed in six basins,including the Appalachian Basin(Utica and Marcellus shales),Anadarko Basin(Woodford Shale),Williston Basin(Bakken Shale),Arkoma Basin(Fayetteville Shale),Fort Worth Basin(Barnett Shale),and the Wolfcamp and Leonardian Spraberry/Bone Springs shale plays of the Permian Basin.The Mesozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed on the margins of the Gulf of Mexico Basin(Haynesville and Eagle Ford)or in various Rocky Mountain basins(Niobrara Formation,mainly in the Denver and Powder River basins).The detailed analysis of shale plays reveals that the shales are different in facies and mineral components,and"shale reservoirs"are often not shale at all.The United States is abundant in shale oil and gas,with the in-place resources exceeding 0.246×10^(12)t and 290×10^(12)m^(3),respectively.Before the emergence of horizontal well hydraulic fracturing technology to kick off the"shale revolution",the United States had experienced two decades of exploration and production practices,as well as theory and technology development.In 2007-2023,shale oil and gas production in the United States increased from approximately 11.2×10^(4)tons of oil equivalent per day(toe/d)to over 300.0×10^(4)toe/d.In 2017,the shale oil and gas production exceeded the conventional oil and gas production in the country.In 2023,the contribution from shale plays to the total U.S.oil and gas production remained above 60%.The development of shale oil and gas has largely been driven by improvements in drilling and completion technologies,with much of the recent effort focused on“cube development”or“co-development”.Other efforts to improve productivity and efficiency include refracturing,enhanced oil recovery,and drilling of“U-shaped”wells.Given the significant resources base and continued technological improvements,shale oil and gas production will continue to contribute significant volumes to total U.S.hydrocarbon production.
文摘In oil and gas exploration,elucidating the complex interdependencies among geological variables is paramount.Our study introduces the application of sophisticated regression analysis method at the forefront,aiming not just at predicting geophysical logging curve values but also innovatively mitigate hydrocarbon depletion observed in geochemical logging.Through a rigorous assessment,we explore the efficacy of eight regression models,bifurcated into linear and nonlinear groups,to accommodate the multifaceted nature of geological datasets.Our linear model suite encompasses the Standard Equation,Ridge Regression,Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator,and Elastic Net,each presenting distinct advantages.The Standard Equation serves as a foundational benchmark,whereas Ridge Regression implements penalty terms to counteract overfitting,thus bolstering model robustness in the presence of multicollinearity.The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator for variable selection functions to streamline models,enhancing their interpretability,while Elastic Net amalgamates the merits of Ridge Regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator,offering a harmonized solution to model complexity and comprehensibility.On the nonlinear front,Gradient Descent,Kernel Ridge Regression,Support Vector Regression,and Piecewise Function-Fitting methods introduce innovative approaches.Gradient Descent assures computational efficiency in optimizing solutions,Kernel Ridge Regression leverages the kernel trick to navigate nonlinear patterns,and Support Vector Regression is proficient in forecasting extremities,pivotal for exploration risk assessment.The Piecewise Function-Fitting approach,tailored for geological data,facilitates adaptable modeling of variable interrelations,accommodating abrupt data trend shifts.Our analysis identifies Ridge Regression,particularly when augmented by Piecewise Function-Fitting,as superior in recouping hydrocarbon losses,and underscoring its utility in resource quantification refinement.Meanwhile,Kernel Ridge Regression emerges as a noteworthy strategy in ameliorating porosity-logging curve prediction for well A,evidencing its aptness for intricate geological structures.This research attests to the scientific ascendancy and broad-spectrum relevance of these regression techniques over conventional methods while heralding new horizons for their deployment in the oil and gas sector.The insights garnered from these advanced modeling strategies are set to transform geological and engineering practices in hydrocarbon prediction,evaluation,and recovery.
基金This study was supported by the China Geological Survey Projects(DD20160186,12120115008201)
文摘Coal measure gas(also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas)is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years.The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas(coalbed methane,coal shale gas and coal measure tight sandstone gas)from single coalbed methane has greatly expanded the field and space of resource evaluation,which is of positive significance for realizing the comprehensive utilization of coal resources,maximizing the benefits and promoting the innovation of oil and gas geological theory and technological advances in exploration and development.For the first time,in Yangmeishu Syncline of Western Guizhou Province,the public welfare coalbed methane geological survey project of China Geological Survey has been carried out a systematic geological survey of coal measure gas for the Upper Permian Longtan Formation,identified the geological conditions of coal measure gas and found high quality resources.The total geological resource quantity of coalbed methane and coal shale gas is 51.423×109 m3 and the geological resource abundance is up to 566×106 m3/km2.In this area,the coal measures are characterized by many layers of minable coal seams,large total thickness,thin to the medium thickness of the single layer,good gas-bearing property of coal seams and coal measure mudstone and sandstone,good reservoir physical property and high-pressure coefficient.According to the principle of combination of high quality and similarity of key parameters of the coal reservoir,the most favorable intervals are No.5-2,No.7 and No.13-2 coal seam in Well YMC1.And the pilot tests are carried out on coal seams and roof silty mudstone,such as staged perforation,increasing hydraulic fracturing scale and"three gas"production.The high and stable industrial gas flow with a daily gas output of more than 4000 m3 has been obtained,which has realized the breakthrough in the geological survey of coal measure gas in Southwest China.Based on the above investigation results,the geological characteristics of coal measure gas in the multi-thin-coal-seam-developed area and the coexploration and co-production methods,such as the optimization method of favorable intervals,the highefficiency fracturing and reservoir reconstruction method of coal measures,and the"three gas"drainage and production system,are systematically summarized in this paper.It will provide a reference for efficient exploration and development of coal measure gas in similar geological conditions in China.
基金the National Science and Technology Major Project (2017ZX05005)the National Natural Science Foundations of China (41672123).
文摘Oil/gas exploration around the world has extended into deep and ultra-deep strata because it is increasingly difficult to find new large-scale oil/gas reservoirs in shallow–middle buried strata. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in oil/gas exploration in ultra-deep areas including carbonate and clastic reservoirs. Some (ultra) large-scale oil and gas fields have been discovered. The oil/gas accumulation mechanisms and key technologies of oil/gas reservoir exploration and development are summarized in this study in order to share China’s experiences. Ultra-deep oil/gas originates from numerous sources of hydrocarbons and multiphase charging. Liquid hydrocarbons can form in ultradeep layers due to low geothermal gradients or overpressures, and the natural gas composition in ultra-deep areas is complicated by the reactions between deep hydrocarbons, water, and rock or by the addition of mantle- or crust-sourced gases. These oils/gases are mainly stored in the original highenergy reef/shoal complexes or in sand body sediments. They usually have high original porosity. Secondary pores are often developed by dissolution, dolomitization, and fracturing in the late stage. The early pores have been preserved by retentive diageneses such as the early charging of hydrocarbons. Oil/gas accumulation in ultra-deep areas generally has the characteristics of near-source accumulation and sustained preservation. The effective exploration and development of ultra-deep oil/gas reservoirs depend on the support of key technologies. Use of the latest technologies such as seismic signal acquisition and processing, low porosity and permeability zone prediction, and gas–water identification has enabled the discovery of ultra-deep oil/gas resources. In addition, advanced technologies for drilling, completion, and oil/gas testing have ensured the effective development of these fields.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 4060201640773032)the National Basic Research Program of China (Contract No. 2007CB209500)
文摘The distribution and treatment of harmful gas (H2S) in the Liaohe Oilfield, Northeast China, were investigated in this study. It was found that abundant toxic gas (H2S) is generated in thermal recovery of heavy oil. The H2S gas is mainly formed during thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) occurring in oil reservoirs or the thermal decomposition of sulfocompounds (TDS) in crude oil. H2S generation is controlled by thermal recovery time, temperature and the injected chemical compounds. The quantity of SO4^2- in the injected compounds is the most influencing factor for the rate of TSR reaction. Therefore, for prevention of H2S formation, periodic and effective monitoring should be undertaken and adequate H2S absorbent should also be provided during thermal recovery of heavy oil. The result suggests that great efforts should be made to reduce the SO4^2- source in heavy oil recovery, so as to restrain H2S generation in reservoirs. In situ burning or desulfurizer adsorption are suggested to reduce H2S levels. Prediction and prevention of H2S are important in heavy oil production. This will minimize environmental and human health risks, as well as equipment corrosion.
文摘The South Yellow Sea Basin is a large sedimentary basin superimposed by the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine sedimentary basin and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic terrestrial sedimentary basin, where no oil and gas fields have been discovered after exploration for 58 years. After the failure of oil and gas exploration in terrestrial basins, the exploration target of the South Yellow Sea Basin turned to the marine Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata. After more than ten years' investigation and research, a lot of achievements have been obtained. The latest exploration obtained effective seismic reflection data of deep marine facies by the application of seismic exploration technology characterized by high coverage, abundant low-frequency components and strong energy source for the deep South Yellow Sea Basin. In addition, some wells drilled the Middle-Upper Paleozoic strata, with obvious oil and gas shows discovered in some horizons. The recent petroleum geological research on the South Yellow Sea Basin shows that the structure zoning of the marine residual basin has been redetermined, the basin structure has been defined, and 3 seismic reflection marker layers are traceable and correlatable in the residual thick Middle-Paleozoic strata below the continental Meso-Cenozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin. Based on these, the seismic sequence of the marine sedimentary strata was established. According to the avaliable oil and gas exploration and research, the marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic oil and gas prospects of the South Yellow Sea were predicted as follows.(1) The South Yellow Sea Basin has the same sedimentary formation and evolution history during the sedimentary period of the Middle-Paleozoic marine basin with the Sichuan Basin.(2) There are 3 regional high-quality source rocks.(3) The carbonate and clastic reservoirs are developed in the Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata.(4) The three source-reservoir-cap assemblages are relatively intact.(5) The Laoshan Uplift is a prospect area for the Lower Paleozoic oil and gas, and the Wunansha Uplift is one for the marine Upper Paleozoic oil and gas.(6) The Gaoshi stable zone in the Laoshan Uplift is a favorable zone.(7) The marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin has the geological conditions required to form large oil and gas fields, with remarkable oil and gas resources prospect. An urgent problem to be addressed now within the South Yellow Sea Basin is to drill parametric wells for the Lower Paleozoic strata as the target, to establish the complete stratigraphic sequence since the Paleozoic period, to obtain resource evaluation parameters, and to realize the strategic discovery and achieve breakthrough in oil and gas exploration understanding.
基金Supported by the Basic Science Center Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(72088101)National Natural Science Funded Project(52074345)CNPC Scientific Research and Technology Development Project(2020D-5001-21)。
文摘This paper summarizes the important progress in the field of oil and gas production engineering during the"Thirteenth Five-Year Plan"period of China,analyzes the challenges faced by the current oil and gas production engineering in terms of technological adaptability,digital construction,energy-saving and emission reduction,and points out the future development direction.During the"Thirteenth Five-Year Plan"period,series of important progresses have been made in five major technologies,including separated-layer injection,artificial lift,reservoir stimulation,gas well de-watering,and workover,which provide key technical support for continuous potential tapping of mature oilfields and profitable production of new oilfields.Under the current complex international political and economic situation,oil and gas production engineering is facing severe challenges in three aspects:technical difficulty increases in oil and gas production,insignificant improvements in digital transformation,and lack of core technical support for energy-saving and emission reduction.This paper establishes three major strategic directions and implementation paths,including oil stabilization and gas enhancement,digital transformation,and green and low-carbon development.Five key research areas are listed including fine separated-layer injection technology,high efficiency artificial lift technology,fine reservoir stimulation technology,long term gas well de-watering technology and intelligent workover technology,so as to provide engineering technical support for the transformation,upgrading and high-quality development of China’s oil and gas industry.
基金Petro China Scientific Research and Technology Development Project(2021DJ3101,2022-FW-041)。
文摘The global exploration investment, new oil and gas discoveries, exploration business adjustment strategies of oil companies in 2021, and future favorable exploration domains are systematically analyzed using commercial databases such as IHS and public information of oil companies. It has been found that the world oil and gas exploration situation in 2021 has continued the downturn since the outbreak of COVID-19. The investment and drilling workload decreased slightly, but the success rate of exploration wells, especially deepwater exploration wells, increased significantly, and the newly discovered reserves increased slightly compared with last year. Deep waters of the passive continental margin basins are still the leading sites for discovering conventional large and medium-sized oil and gas fields. The conventional oil and gas exploration in deep formations of onshore petroliferous basins has been keeping a good state, with tight/shale oil and gas discoveries made in Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other countries. While strengthening the exploration and development of local resources, national, international, and independent oil companies have been focusing on major overseas frontiers using their advantages, including risk exploration in deep waters and natural gas. Future favorable exploration directions in the three major frontiers, the global deep waters, deep onshore formations, and unconventional resources, have been clarified. Four suggestions are put forward for the global exploration business of Chinese oil companies: first, a farm in global deepwater frontier basins in advance through bidding at a low cost and adopt the “dual exploration model” after making large-scale discoveries;second, enter new blocks of emerging hot basins in the world through farm-in and other ways, to find large oil and gas fields quickly;third, cooperate with national oil companies of the resource host countries in the form of joint research and actively participate exploration of deep onshore formations of petroliferous basins;fourth, track tight/shale oil and gas cooperation opportunities in a few countries such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, and take advantage of mature domestic theories and technologies to farm in at an appropriate time.
文摘Ground gravity survey for regional structure unit delineation and oil and gas exploration in China is addressed in this paper with examples. Gravity survey scales, coverage, technical regulations and achievements at the national level are introduced, including data processing and anomaly interpretation techniques. Bouguer anomalies of terrestrial territories of China and classification of anomalous feature zones are also described;they are well correlated with lithotectonical boundaries, fault zones, and unexposed igneous plutons. Recent study results of petroliferous sedimentary basins are presented as well, including concealed boundaries and major structures of large basins. It is concluded that gravity survey is the most effective and economic method in unveiling unexposed and deep-seated structures, targeting and delineating oil and gas-bearing sedimentary basins, and locating main trap structures within prolific basins in early stage of exploration in China. Suggestions for improving exploration of both conventional and unconventional oil and gas reservoirs in China are also given in the paper.
基金Supported by the China National Science and Technology Major Project(2016ZX05023 2017ZX05013-005)
文摘This paper summarizes the latest achievements and technological progress in oil and gas production engineering of China National Petroleum Corporation(CNPC) and discusses the main four challenges faced: developing low quality resource at low oil price; keeping stable production of mature oilfields when well oil production drops year by year; low systematic efficiency, high cost, prominent environmental protection issue and short of technological strategy for high water cut ratio and high oil recovery ratio oilfields; and lacking of high level horizontal well drilling and completion technology to develop unconventional and deep reservoirs. Three technological development directions to address these challenges are put forward: developing fracture controlling stimulation and well factory to produce low quality resource economically, developing re-fracturing technology for old wells in mature oilfields, promoting the fourth generation separate layer water injection technology to stabilize the production of mature oilfields; innovating new technologies of water flooding with nano-material, injecting and producing through one well.
文摘This study reviews the development history of PetroChina’s overseas oil and gas field development technologies, summarizes the characteristic technologies developed, and puts forward the development goals and technological development directions of overseas business to overcome the challenges met in overseas oil and gas production. In the course of PetroChina’s overseas oil and gas field production practice of more than 20 years, a series of characteristic technologies suitable for overseas oil and gas fields have been created by combining the domestic mature oil and gas field production technologies with the features of overseas oil and gas reservoirs, represented by the technology for high-speed development and stabilizing oil production and controlling water rise for overseas sandstone oilfields, high efficiency development technology for large carbonate oil and gas reservoirs and foamy oil depletion development technology in use of horizontal wells for extra-heavy oil reservoirs. Based on in-depth analysis of the challenges faced by overseas oil and gas development and technological requirements, combined with the development trends of oil and gas development technologies in China and abroad, overseas oil and gas development technologies in the future are put forward, including artificial intelligence reservoir prediction and 3 D geological modeling, secondary development and enhanced oil recovery(EOR) of overseas sandstone oilfields after high speed development, water and gas injection to improve oil recovery in overseas carbonate oil and gas reservoirs, economic and effective development of overseas unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, efficient development of marine deep-water oil and gas reservoirs. The following goals are expected to be achieved: keep the enhanced oil recovery(EOR) technology for high water-cut sandstone oilfield at international advanced level, and make the development technology for carbonate oil and gas reservoirs reach the international advanced level, and the development technologies for unconventional and marine deep-water oil and gas reservoirs catch up the level of international leading oil companies quickly.
文摘Large volumes of water are generated in gas- and oil-production. This includes the water that is present originally in the reservoirs, but also water that is injected into the wells. While currently much of the produced water is either reinjected or disposed of after treatment, treated produced water is increasingly seen as an interesting resource, especially in water-scarce regions. This review looks at different PW treatment methods available, with an emphasis on the management of PW in oil- and gas production on the Arabian Peninsula.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U19B6003-01,42330810).
文摘Based on the recent oil and gas discoveries and geological understandings on the ultra-deep strata of sedimentary basins, the formation and occurrence of hydrocarbons in the ultra-deep strata were investigated with respect to the processes of basin formation, hydrocarbon generation, reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation, and key issues in ultra-deep oil and gas exploration were discussed. The ultra-deep strata in China underwent two extensional-convergent cycles in the Meso-Neoproterozoic Era and the Early Paleozoic Era respectively, with the tectonic-sedimentary differentiation producing the spatially adjacent source-reservoir assemblages. There are diverse large-scale carbonate reservoirs such as mound-beach, dolomite, karst fracture-vug, fractured karst and faulted zone, as well as over-pressured clastic rock and fractured bedrock reservoirs. Hydrocarbons were accumulated in multiple stages, accompanied by adjusting and finalizing in the late stage. The distribution of hydrocarbons is controlled by high-energy beach zone, regional unconformity, paleo-high and large-scale fault zone. The ultra-deep strata endow oil and gas resources as 33% of the remaining total resources, suggesting an important successive domain for hydrocarbon development in China. The large-scale pool-forming geologic units and giant hydrocarbon enrichment zones in ultra-deep strata are key and promising prospects for delivering successive discoveries. The geological conditions and enrichment zone prediction of ultra-deep oil and gas are key issues of petroleum geology.
基金CNPC Major Science and Technology Projects(2023ZZ07-01,2023ZZ07-02,2023ZZ07-05).
文摘The global trends in deepwater oil and gas exploration,characteristics of deepwater oil and gas discovery,and layout of deepwater oil and gas exploration business by seven major international oil companies are systematically analyzed using commercial databases(e.g.S&P Global and Rystad)and public information of oil companies.The deepwater area is currently the most important domain for global oil and gas exploration and discovery,with the most discoveries and reserves in passive continental margin basins.The deepwater discoveries have the greatest contribution to the total newly discovered oil and gas reserves in the sea areas,with an increasing number of lithological reservoirs discovered,and oil and gas discoveries mainly distributed in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic.The seven major international oil companies are widely active in various aspects of deepwater oil and gas exploration and development,and play a leading role.Based on years of theoretical understanding of global oil and gas geology and resource evaluation,it is proposed that favorable deepwater exploration areas in the future will mainly focus on three major areas:the Atlantic coast,the Indian Ocean periphery,and the Arctic Ocean periphery.Six suggestions are put forward for expanding overseas deepwater oil and gas exploration business:first,expand the sources for obtaining multi-user seismic data and improve the scientific selection of deepwater exploration areas;second,increase efforts to obtain deepwater exploration projects in key areas;third,adopt various methods to access into/exit from resource licenses flexibly;fourth,acquire licenses with large equity and operate in“dual-exploration”model;fifth,strengthen cooperation with leading international oil companies in deepwater technology;and sixth,improve business operation capabilities and gradually transform from“non-operators”to“operators”.
文摘Complicated oil and gas fields occupy an important position in oil and gas exploration. In this paper, complicated oil and gas fields are grouped into four types: fault-block, lithologic, stratigraphic and fissure types. On the basis of the new theory of petroleum geological exploration in composite oil and gas accumulation areas within continental basins, a new exploration sequence suitable for complicated oil and gas fields has been established, which comprises four stages:(1) initial exploration;(2) preliminary exploration;(3) early step-by-step exploration and development: and(4) late step-by-step exploration and development. The idea of cybernetics has been taken to control various links of a systematic exploration project so as to fully, effectively and comprehensively utilize the new exploration techniques, eventually realizing the optimization of exploration with the aim of raising the efficiency of exploration of complicated oil and gas fields.
基金Supported by Chinese Key Project of Science and Technology!(96-111-03-0 4)
文摘There is natural occurrence of pressure-induced solid bitumen, here referred to as “compression dynamometamorphic solid bitumen”. It differs in physical properties and chemical structure from thermal metamorphic solid bitumen. Under a high pressure and moderate temperature, the solid bitumen forms crystals and its reflectance rises rapidly with increasing crystallization. Accordingly, its reflectance can reach a very high value without having been exposed to a high level of thermal stress. Laboratory simulation confirms the formation of pressure-induced solid bitumen at moderate temperatures. The revelation of this new bitumen type is very helpful in the accurate maturity determination of carbonate organic matter.
文摘Based on the results of researches and applications for many years, it has been discovered that new methods and techniques for geochemical exploration of oil and gas such as δC, altered carbonate, Hg in absorption phase, Ks, Fe2+, δ13C, fluorescence in two and three dimensions, and N2 and O2 in heat release can give full play in the following five fields: (1) optimization of the favourable target or hollow zones and structural zones in a region; (2) evaluation of oil traps and delineation of prospective oil and gas areas; (3) prediction of deep-seated oil-bearing horizons; (4) evaluation of the genesis of oil and gas geochemical anomalies and determination of the types of oil and gas accumulations; (5) forecast of the burial depths of oil and gas pools.
基金Supported by the China National Science and Technology Major Project(2016ZX05029).
文摘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.