Key geological factors governing sweet spots in the Wufeng-Longmaxi shales of the Sichuan Basin,China

Production performance of the Wufeng-Longmaxi shales varies significantly among Fuling,Weirong,and Wulong fields in the Sichuan Basin.Total organic carbon(TOC)content,mineralogy,and organic matter(OM)pore characteristics are investigated to identify key factors governing sweet spots.Siliceous shales with good preservation conditions in the Fuling Field exhibit large thickness,high TOC content and thin-section porosity(TSP),and well-developed OM macropores,thus high initial production and estimated ultimate recovery(EUR).Thin carbonate-containing siliceous shales with good preservation conditions in the Weirong Field feature medium-to-high TOC and well-developed OM macropores but low TSP,leading to high initial production but low EUR.Siliceous shales with poor preservation conditions in the Wulong Field are characterized by large thickness,high TOC,low TSP and poorly-developed OM macropores,causing low initial production and EUR.Both sedimentary and preservation conditions are intrinsic decisive factors of sweet spots,as they control the mineral composition,TOC,and OM macropore development.Deep-water shales in transgressive systems tracts(TSTs)exhibit better-developed OM macropores and greater TOC compared to highstand systems tracts(HSTs).OM macropores are most prevalent in siliceous shales,followed by carbonate-containing siliceous shales and then argillaceous shales.Furthermore,good preservation conditions are conducive to retain OM macropores with low pore aspect ratio(PAR).Comparison among the three fields shows that high-TOC silicious shales with good preservation conditions are the highest in TSP and EUR.Therefore,organic richness,lithofacies,and preservation conditions are the major factors which determine OM pore development,governing the sweet spots of the Wufeng-Longmaxi shales.

Controlling Factors of Organic Nanopore Development: A Case Study on Marine Shale in the Middle and Upper Yangtze Region, South China

The Upper Ordovician Wufeng-Lower Silurian Longmaxi and the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi shales are the major targets for shale gas exploration and development in China.Although the two organic-rich shales share similar distribution ranges and thicknesses,they exhibit substantially different exploration and development results.This work analyzed the nanopore structures of the shale reservoirs in this region.Pore development of 51 shale samples collected from various formations and locations was compared using the petromineralogical,geochemical,structural geological and reservoir geological methods.The results indicate that the reservoir space in these shales is dominated by organic pores and the total pore volume of micropores,mesopores,macropores in different tectonic areas and formations show different trends with the increase of TOC.It is suggested that organic pores of shale can be well preserved in areas with simple structure and suitable preservation conditions,and the shale with smaller maximum ancient burial depth and later hydrocarbongeneration-end-time is also more conducive to pore preservation.Organic pore evolution models are established,and they are as follows:①Organic matter pore development stage,②Early stage of organic matter pore destruction,and③late stage of organic matter pore destruction.The areas conducive to pore development are favorable for shale gas development.Research results can effectively guide the optimization and evaluation of favorable areas of shale gas.