Hydrocarbon Generation and Expulsion of the Upper Triassic T3x5Source Rocks in the Western Sichuan Depression: Assessment for Unconventional Natural Gas

Tight-sand gas in the Jurassic and shale gas within the fifth member of Xujiahe Formation （T3xs） in the Western Sichuan Basin （WSD） are currently regarded as the most prolific emerging unconventional gas plays in China. This study conducted a conventional evaluation of T3x5 source rocks in the WSD, and investigated their hydrocarbon generation and expulsion characteristics, including intensity, efficiency and amount. The results show that, the T3x5 source rocks are thick （generally 〉200 m）, and have a high total organic content （TOC）, ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 wt%. It is thus indivative of a great hydrocarbon generation potential when they underwent high thermal evolution （Ro〉1.2%） in the area. In addition, an improved method of hydrocarbon generation potential is applied, indicating that the source rocks reached a hydrocarbon expulsion threshold with vitrinite reflectance （Ro） reaching 1.06%. and that the comprehensive hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency is about 60%. The amount of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion from Tax5 source rocks is 3.14x10^10 t and 1.86x10^10 t, respectively, with a residual amount of 1.28x10^10t within them. Continuous-type tight-sand gas is predicted to have developed in the Jurassic in the Chengdu Sag of the WSD because of the good source-reservoir configuration; the Jurassic sandstone reservoirs are tight, and the gas expelled from the T3xs source rocks migrates for very short distances vertically and horizontally. The amount of gas accumulation in the Jurassic reservoirs derived from T3x5 source rocks is up to 9.3x10s t. Geological resources of shale gas are up to 1.05x10TM t. Small differences between the amounts calculated by the volumetric method and those obtained by hydrocarbon generation potential method may be due to other gas accumulations present within interbedded sands associated with gas shales.

Utility of fluid inclusion paleo-temperature in petroleum system modelling:A case study from western offshore,India

The paleo-temperature(Th)data from fluid inclusions are utilized for thermal history modelling using PetroMod software.Generally,bottom hole temperature(BHT)and vitrinite reflectance(Ro)measurements are widely used in petroleum system modelling(PSM)in the oil industry for calibration purposes.Th representing the minimum temperature of fluid entrapment estimated from fluid-inclusion study provides extra support to build the thermal models for PSM.Fluid inclusion parameters along with Rock-Eval pyrolysis analysis have been used to predict the maturity of oil in terms of API gravity as well as the maturity of source rocks respectively.Two exploratory wells RV-1(Mumbai Offshore Basin)and KK4C-A-1(Kerala-Konkan Offshore Basin),India were examined and the T_(h)from most of the fluid inclusions of wells RV-1 and KK4C-A-1 fell in the oil window range of 60-140℃suggesting thermal conditions favourable for oil generation in both of the wells.T_(h)of coeval aqueous inclusions along with the Hydrocarbon Fluid inclusions(HCFIs)was used to calibrate PSM.Vital parameters show that source rocks of well RV-1 are mature and that of well KK4C-A-1 are immature.Two sets of PSM are created in terms of generation and expulsion for the dry wells RV-1 and KK4C-A-1 and calibrated each well using fluid inclusion Th and BHT.From the fluid inclusion analysis method,it is evident that hydrocarbon generation happened in both wells and the paleo-temperature indicates that the formations of both wells were subjected to temperatures in the oil window range,even though it was designated as dry wells in the present scenario.The present study highlights the application of fluid inclusion paleo-temperature(Th)during calibration instead of commonly used methods.We could obtain desirable and accurate data output from PSM using T_(h) calibration.

Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Generated and Expelled from the Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Source Rocks in the Lynedoch Field, Northern Bonaparte Basin, Australia

The Lynedoch field is located on the west flank of the Calder Graben in the north-eastern Bonaparte Basin, Australia. The data from the wells Lynedoch 1 and Lynedoch 2 and Seismic Line N11809 were used to reconstruct the burial and thermal histories and evaluate the hydrocarbon generated and expelled from the Jurassic to Early Cretaceous source rocks of the study area. Basin Mod 1-D and 2-D softwares were used for modeling. The Upper Jurassic Cleia (Lower Frigate) and Lower Cretaceous Echuca Shoals formations source rocks in the well Lynedoch 1 were a fair-to-good source richness with poor hydrocarbon generating potential, showing kerogen type III and gas prone. The Middle Jurassic Plover Formation source rock in the well Lynedoch 2 was a good organic matter richness with poor hydrocarbon generative potential, the late Middle Jurassic (Callovian) Elang Formation source rock in the same well was a fair source rock with poor hydrocarbon generation potential, and the Lower Cretaceous Echuca Shoals Formation source rock in the same well was a fair-to-very good organic richness with poor-to-fair hydrocarbon generating potential, gas prone with kerogen type III, and reaching wet gas window at present day. These previous formations of the both wells generated oil at the Late Cretaceous and gas at the Early Neogene. But, only Echuca Shoals Formation source rock in the well Lynedoch 2 was able to expelled hydrocarbon at the Middle Paleogene and continued up to present day. This Formation represents fair to slightly good potential source rock in the Lynedoch field.

Hydrocarbon charge history of the Paleogene reservoir in the northern Dongpu Depression,Bohai Bay Basin,China

The hydrocarbon charge history of the Paleogene in the northern Dongpu Depression was analyzed in detail based on a comprehensive analysis of the generation and expulsion history of the major hydrocarbon source rocks, fluorescence microscopic features and fluid inclusion petrography. There were two main stages of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion of oil from the major hydrocarbon source rocks. The first stage was the main hydrocarbon expulsion stage. The fluorescence microscopic features also indicated two stages of hydrocarbon accumulation. Carbonaceous bitumen, asphaltene bitumen and colloidal bitumen reflected an early hydrocarbon charge, whereas the oil bitumen reflected a second hydrocarbon charge. Hydrocarbon inclusions also indicate two distinct charges according to the diagenetic evolution sequence, inclusion petrography features combined with the homogenization temperature and reservoir burial history analysis. According to these comprehensive analysis results, the hydrocarbon charge history of the Paleogene reservoir in the northern Dongpu Depression was divided into two phases. The first phase was from the late Dongying depositional period of the Oligocene to the early uplift stages of the late Paleogene. The second phase was from the late Minghuazhen period of the Pliocene to the Quaternary. Reservoirs formed during the first period were widely distributed covering the entire area. In contrast,reservoirs formed during the second period were mainly distributed near the hydrocarbon generation sags. Vertically, it was characterized by a single phase in the upper layers and two phases in the lower layers of the Paleogene.

Assessment of recoverable oil and gas resources by in-situ conversion of shale——Case study of extracting the Chang 7_(3) shale in the Ordos Basin

The purpose of this study is to investigate the entire evolution process of shales with various total organic contents(TOC)in order to build models for quantitative evaluation of oil and gas yields and establish methods for assessing recoverable oil and gas resources from in-situ conversion of organic matters in shale.Thermal simulation experiments under in-situ conversion conditions were conducted on Chang 7_(3) shales from the Ordos Basin in a semi-open system with large capacity.The results showed that TOC and R_(o) were the key factors affecting the in-situ transformation potential of shale.The remaining oil and gas yields increased linearly with TOC but inconsistently with R_(o).R_(o) ranged 0.75%—1.25%and 1.05%—2.3%,respectively,corresponding to the main oil generation stage and gas generation stage of shale in-situ transformation.Thus a model to evaluate the remaining oil/gas yield with TOC and R_(o) was obtained.The TOC of shale suitable for in-situ conversion should be greater than 6%,whereas its R_(o) should be less than 1.0%.Shales with 0.75%(R_(o))could obtain the best economic benefit.The results provided a theoretical basis and evaluation methodology for predicting the hydrocarbon resources from in-situ conversion of shale and for the identification of the optimum“sweet spots”.The assessment of the Chang 7_(3) shale in the Ordos Basin indicated that the recoverable oil and gas resources from in-situ conversion of organic matters in shale are substantial,with oil and gas resources reaching approximately 450×10^(8) t and 30×10^(12)m^(3),respectively,from an area of 4.27×10^(4) km^(2).

Formation, preservation and connectivity control of organic pores in shale

In view of strong heterogeneity and complex formation and evolution of organic pores,field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM),Raman spectrum and fluid injection+CT/SEM imaging technology were used to study the macerals,organic pores and connectivity of organic pores in the lower Paleozoic organic-rich shale samples from Southern China.Combined with the mechanism of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion and pore forming mechanism of organic matter-based activated carbon,the relationships between organic pore development and the organic matter type,hydrocarbon generation process,diagenesis and pore pressure were explored to reveal the controlling factors of the formation,preservation and connectivity of organic pores in shale.(1)The generation of organic pores goes on through the whole hydrocarbon generation process,and is controlled by the type,maturity and decomposition of organic matter;the different hydrocarbon generation components and differential hydrocarbon-generation evolution of kerogen and solid asphalt lead to different pore development characteristics;organic pores mainly develop in solid bitumen and hydrogen-rich kerogen.(2)The preservation of organic pores is controlled by maturity and diagenesis,including the steric hindrance effect of in-situ hydrocarbon retention,rigid mineral framework formed by recrystallization,the coupling mechanism of pore-fluid pressure and shale brittleness-ductility transition.(3)The Ro of 4.0%is the maturity threshold of organic pore extinction,the shale layers with Ro larger than 3.5%have high risk for shale gas exploration,these shale layers have low gas contents,as they were in an open state before uplift,and had high hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency and strong aromatization,thus having the"congenital deficiency"of high maturity and pore densification.(4)The pores in the same organic matter particle have good connectivity;and the effective connectivity between different organic matter pores and inorganic pores and fractures depends on the abundance and distribution of organic matter,and development degree of pores and fractures in the shale;the accumulation,preservation and laminar distribution of different types of organic matter in high abundance is the prerequisite for the development and connection of organic pores,grain margin fractures and bedding fractures in reservoir.

The influence of intensity and properties of tectonic stress on the process of coalification

Through the research on stress metamorphism character of the II1 coal seam in Ludian gliding structure, the stress effecting factors of metamorphism and hydrocarbon generation process of tectonic coal were studied. It is shown that different tectonic stress has different coal evolution effects. Compared with tensional stress, compressive stress, which has apparent anisotropic characteristics, has greater stimulative effect against the increase of coal metamorphic degree, the abscission of functional group and side chains of basic structural unit, and the formation of gas primarily composed of methane.

Modeling of the whole hydrocarbon-generating process of sapropelic source rock

Based on experimental data from hydrocarbon generation with a semi-open system, hydrocarbon generation kinetics modeling in gold tube of closed system, high temperature pyrolysis chromatography mass spectrometry experiment with open system and geological data, the characteristics of whole hydrocarbon-generating process, hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency and retained hydrocarbon quantity, origins of natural gas generated in high-over mature stage and cracking temperature of methane homologs were investigated in this study. The sapropelic source rock has a hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency of 30%-60% and 60%-80% in the major oil generation window(with Ro of 0.8%-1.3%) and high maturity stage(with Ro of 1.3%-2.0%) respectively; and the contribution ratio of kerogen degradation gas to oil cracking gas in total generated gas in high maturity stage is about 1:4. The degradation gas of kerogen accounts for 20%, the retained liquid hydrocarbon cracking gas accounts for 13.5%, and the amount of out-reservoir oil cracking gas(including aggregation type and dispersed oil cracking gas) accounts for 66.5%. The lower limit of gas cracking is determined preliminarily. Based on the new understandings, a model of the whole hydrocarbon-generating process of source rock is built.

Shale oil enrichment evaluation and production law in Gulong Sag,Songliao Basin,NE China

Based on the results of drilling,tests and simulation experiments,the shales of the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation in the Gulong Sag of the Songliao Basin are discussed with respect to hydrocarbon generation evolution,shale oil occurrence,and pore/fracture evolution mechanism.In conjunction with a substantial amount of oil testing and production data,the Gulong shale oil enrichment layers are evaluated and the production behaviors and decline law are analyzed.The results are drawn in four aspects.First,the Gulong shales are in the stage of extensive hydrocarbon expulsion when R_(0) is 1.0%-1.2%,with the peak hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency of 49.5%approximately.In the low-medium maturity stage,shale oil migrates from kerogen to rocks and organic pores/fractures.In the medium-high maturity stage,shale oil transforms from adsorbed state to free state.Second,the clay mineral intergranular pores/fractures,dissolution pores,and organic pores make up the majority of the pore structure.During the transformation,clay minerals undergo significant intergranular pore/fracture development between the minerals such as illite and illite/smectite mixed layer.A network of pores/fractures is formed by organic matter cracking.Third,free hydrocarbon content,effective porosity,total porosity,and brittle mineral content are the core indicators for the evaluation of shale oil enrichment layers.Class-I layers are defined as free hydrocarbon content equal or greater than 6.0 mg/g,effective porosity equal or greater than 3.5%,total porosity equal or greater than 8.0%,and brittle mineral content equal or greater than 50%.It is believed that the favourable oil layers are Q2-Q3 and Q8-Q9.Fourth,the horizontal wells in the core area of the light oil zone exhibit a high cumulative production in the first year,and present a hyperbolic production decline pattern,with the decline index of 0.85-0.95,the first-year decline rate of 14.5%-26.5%,and the single-well estimated ultimate recovery(EUR)greater than 2.0×10^(4)t.In practical exploration and production,more efforts will be devoted to the clarification of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion mechanisms,accurate testing of porosity and hydrocarbon content/phase of shale under formation conditions,precise delineation of the boundary of enrichment area,relationship between mechanical properties and stimulated reservoir volume,and enhanced oil recovery,in order to improve the EUR and achieve a large-scale,efficient development of shale oil.

Exploration progress of the Paleogene in Jiyang Depression,Bohai Bay Basin

With increased exploration in the faulted basins of eastern China,petroleum exploration in this region has been challenged by unclear remaining petroleum resources distribution,complex reservoir and hydrocarbon enrichment patterns,and lacking of suitable exploration techniques.Aiming at resolving these problems,studies on source rocks,reservoirs,hydrocarbon accumulation and geophysical prospection were carried out by laboratory analysis,reservoir anatomy,and seismic analysis.A highlyefficient hydrocarbon generation/expulsion model of source rocks in saline environment was established,which aided in the discovery of a new set of source rocks in the Jiyang Depression.This study also reveals the formation process of high-quality reservoir by alternating acid and alkaline fluids during deposition and diagenesis,and pattern of secondary pores development in deep clastic rocks.Through the fine anatomy of the oil reservoirs,an orderly distribution pattern of the oil reservoirs is established,and the potential exploration targets in the undrilled area are identified.In addition,single-point highdensity seismic acquisition and high-resolution imaging technologies are developed,enabling fine and efficient exploration in areas with high exploration maturity.The research result plays a leading and demonstrative role in the fine and efficient exploration of faulted basins in eastern China.

柴西南区岩性油藏的形成过程

柴西南区岩性油藏勘探潜力较大,但是对岩性油藏形成过程的研究十分薄弱。在分析柴西南区主力烃源岩生、排烃史的基础上,根据储层显微荧光及流体包裹体均一温度特征,结合对岩性圈闭形成期次分析,深入分析了岩性油气藏形成过程。研究表明,柴西南区有两次主要的油气充注期:中新世中期和上新世末期;其岩性圈闭形成具有相对早期性和多期性,其主要形成期在渐新世末期和上新世末期。柴西南区岩性油气藏形成过程划分为两个阶段:成藏期及保存—破坏期。

烃源岩排烃的模拟实验研究

本文对黄县褐煤、茂名油页岩进行了热模拟实验。根据对模拟实验的产物分析,取得了一些认识:①排出烃的nC_(21)^-/nC_22^+比残留烃要高。甾萜烷,尤其是C_(27)/C_(29)甾及C_(29)萜烷、C_(30)萜烷的βα/αβ值具有较大的差异。相对于其他多环芳烃,低分子量的萘系列、联苯系列、芴系列被优先排出。重质芳烃组分如芘、(艹屈)系列、荧蒽系列则难于运移;②通过对不同温阶残留烃与排出烃的纵向对比研究,发现随排烃量的增加,它们之间的差别变小。

有效烃源岩的重要性及其研究

既有油气生成又有油气排出的岩层称为有效烃源岩 ,有机质特别富集的岩石称为优质烃源岩。过去对烃源岩仅强调生烃量 ,而忽略了排烃作用。但是现代成藏理论要求定量评价烃源岩的排烃作用和有机质富集层的分布规律 ,所以有效和优质烃源岩的研究正蓬勃开展起来。文章根据近期研究并结合文献调研 ,认为有效烃源岩形成于生物勃发与缺氧环境的叠加区域 ,它的识别既需要对实际剖面的地球化学测量 ,又需要对有机质含量和岩性不同的烃源岩进行模拟实验。有效烃源岩和优质烃源岩厚度不大、分布特殊 ,但是 ,它们对油气藏的形成作出了巨大的贡献。

辽东湾地区锦州25-1大型轻质油气田成藏条件与成藏过程

以三维地震资料、钻井资料分析以及流体包裹体资料为基础,分析锦州25-1大型轻质油气田基本成藏条件,并对其生烃史、排烃动力、成藏期次、油气充注过程进行研究。结果表明:锦州25-1油气田是一个优质的大型油气田,其形成的基本条件是该区具有多成因的大型圈闭群、充足的烃源岩条件以及理想的储盖组合;烃原岩排烃的主要动力是干酪根向油转化所产生的孔隙流体压力,孔隙流体压力的周期性累积和释放是油气幕式充注的主要原因;油气大规模充注成藏的时期是东营组末期(21～25 Ma);油气主要来自锦州25-1构造南北两翼的辽西北洼和辽西中洼;双灶供烃、超压-持续强充注、高效输导、理想储盖4因素耦合是研究区形成大型优质油气田的根本原因。

TOC changes in the process of thermal evolution of source rock and its controls

Through geological observation, simulation in laboratory and numerical modeling, the factors that control the changes in total organic content (TOC) of source rock have been studied. When the formula DTOC=(TOC0-TOC)/TOC0 (original organic carbon content in the rock) is used to measure the TOC (total organic carbon content) changes in the source rock through geological time, the degrees and directions of such changes are determined by losses and relative amounts both of organic and inorganic matter in the source rock. The DTOC equa-tion, which is used to calculate the loss rate in the process of maturation for the source rock, is therefore obtained by analyzing the mass balance relations. For a certain type of source rock with a certain maturation history, the changes of its TOC respond only to the rates of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion. In actual cases of geological entities, DTOC generally ranges from -0.05 to 0.2, while the calculated reconversion coefficient (k) for organic carbon content remains between 0.90 and 1.25. Only in an ideal situation where there are extremely high rates of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion can the DTOC value experience significant changes, with k reaching up to 2.5. It is concluded, therefore, that the cri-terion for carbonates source rock assessment, based on reconverting the TOC to the value of its original state, may have overestimated the course of the carbon-reduction, which is likely in many cases to make a poor source rock sound better.

Petroleum geological dynamics of Lower Paleozoic in the Ordos Basin, northwest China

Taking the hydrocarbon source rocks of Ordovician, Lower Paleozoic in the Ordos Basin as the main research object, the characteristics of petroleum geological dynamics about geohistory, geothermal history, hydrocarbon generation history and hydrocarbon expulsion history were studied by using the methods of basin numerical modeling dynamically and pool-forming dynamics. It is shown that the Ordovician strata had entirely undergone five stages of initial deposition, uplift and erosion, rapid subsidence, alternating uplift and subsidence, and differential uplift and erosion; that under the background of lower heat flow on the whole, the paleoheat flow of Ordovician strata in the basin could be divided into two large stages of relatively high heat flow values period before Cretaceous deposition and relatively low ones after it; that the thermal evolution of organic matters in the hydrocarbon source rocks of Ordovician had entered into high mature-postmature stage on the whole and the intensity of gas generated was greater than that of oil generated, the hydrocarbon being mainly natural gas; and that the curves of the intensity of oil and gas expulsion at each time unit showed the feature of multi-peak-type, the accumulative intensity of gas expulsion was greater than that of oil expulsion. Thus natural gas exploration potential is good.

近临界特性的地层水及其对烃源岩生排烃过程的影响

研究利用特制的地层孔隙热压模拟实验装置,开展了模拟地层孔隙空间高压液态水热体系烃源岩生排烃模拟实验.模拟实验施加的流体压力为38±2MPa,温度为290～390℃.模拟实验结果显示了有关高压液态水及其与之相联系的流体压力和孔隙空间等因素对烃源岩生排烃影响作用的一些重要现象,实验发现高压液态水介质条件有利于液态油的生成和保存,不利于液态油向气态烃的转化,而且干酪根的生烃潜力和排油效率有一定的提高.这些新的实验现象可能主要与近临界特性的高压液态地层水的作用有关,进一步推断近临界特性的高压液态水参与干酪根向油气的转化反应,增加了水对油气的溶解能力.在地下实际烃源岩生排烃的温压(100～200℃,30～120MPa)条件下,岩石孔隙中的地层水是一种相对低温高压压缩液态水,这种地层水可能具有近临界特性,对烃源岩生排烃过程有重要影响.但目前对这种现象的机理和石油地质意义还知之较少.因此,加强高压地层水近临界条件下烃源岩生排烃热压模拟实验研究,对进一步深入理解地层条件下的近临界水介质、流体压力、孔隙空间因素对生排烃过程的影响,深化烃源岩生排烃机理的探讨,建立地质尺度上的烃源岩生排烃动力学模型,都具有重要的理论和实际意义.