Diagenesis and reservoir quality of the fourth member sandstones of Shahejie formation in Huimin depression,eastern China

Petrographic analysis combined with various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, was used to assess the timing of growth and original mineral cements, the controls on reservoir and reservoir quality of the fourth member sandstones of Shahejie formation (Es4). The Es4 sandstones are mostly arkose and lithic arkose, rarely feldspathic litharenite, with an average mass fraction of quartz 51.6%, feldspar 33.8% and rock fragments 14.6% (Q51.6F33.8R14.6). They have an average framework composition (mass fraction) of quartz 57.10%, K-feldspar 5.76%, sodium-calcium feldspar 13.00%, calcite 5.77%, dolomite 5.63%, siderite 0.95%, pyrite 0.30%, anhydrite 0.04%, and clay mineral 11.46%. The diagenentic minerals typically include kaolinite, illite-smectite (I/S), illite, chlorite, authigenetic quartz and feldspar, and carbonate and pyrite. Es4 sandstone has undergone stages A and B of eodiagenesis, and now, it is experiencing stage A of mesodiagenesis. Reservoir quality is predominantly controlled by the mechanical compaction, for example, 45.65% of the original porosity loss is related to compaction. The original porosity loss related with cementation is only 26.00%. The reservoir quality is improved as a result of dissolution of feldspar, rock fragment and so forth. The porosity evolved from dissolution varies from 3% to 4%.

Discovery and prediction of high natural gamma sandstones in Chang 73 Submember of Triassic Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin, China

The large scale development of high natural gamma sandstones has been discovered in the Chang 73 Submember of the Triassic Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin, China. High natural gamma sandstones consist of terrigenous detrital rocks with particle sizes ranging from silt to sand. They represent turbidite deposits characterized by high gamma ray values that are more than 180 American Petroleum Institute (API) units on a natural gamma ray log profile. For a long time, very high natural gamma sandstones had been identified as high-quality source rocks, such as oil shales, from conventional well log profiles, such as natural gamma ray well logs. Therefore, predicting the distribution of high natural gamma sandstones was studied. The sedimentary, lithological, and well log characteristics, as well as the genesis of the high radioactivity of high natural gamma sandstones were analyzed in the Chang 73 Submember. Thorium (Th), uranium (U) and other radioactive elements were found, carried by deep hydrothermal activity, and probably resulted in the formation of a relatively high radioactive zone in the cross-section, where high natural gamma sandstones usually develop in large quantities. This caused many turbidite sand bodies, which should have a continuous distribution in the cross-section, to appear to have a discontinuous distribution, when using conventional well log profiles, such as natural gamma ray well logs. From the above mentioned apparent discontinuous distribution of turbidite sand bodies in the cross-section, a continuous distribution can be predicted. It is obvious that the prediction of areas of continuous turbidite sand bodies in the cross-section usually corresponds with areas where high natural gamma sandstones are developed in large quantities. Exploration and development practice demonstrated that the developed method is fast and effective in predicting high natural gamma sandstones in the Chang 73 Submember.