致密砂岩储集层微观孔喉结构及其分形特征——以西加拿大盆地A区块Upper Montney段为例

为表征致密砂岩储集层微观孔喉结构及其分形特征,利用铸体薄片、扫描电镜、高压压汞等测试方法,对西加拿大盆地A区块下三叠统Upper Montney段致密砂岩样品进行了研究。结果表明,研究区储集层主要孔隙类型包括溶蚀孔、原生剩余粒间孔和晶间微孔,见少量微裂缝;储集层孔喉半径多小于0.30μm,分布曲线呈多峰形态,有效储集空间主要由亚微米级和纳米级孔喉组成;研究区致密砂岩储集层可划分为Ⅰ类、Ⅱ类和Ⅲ类,其对应的孔喉总分形维数分别为2.31、2.46和2.63,Ⅰ类储集层的物性较好,非均质性相对弱;不同大小孔喉的分形特征有差异,通常亚微米级孔喉的分形维数较纳米级孔喉大,即亚微米级孔喉非均质性更强。孔喉分形维数与其结构有关,不同孔喉的发育造成了致密砂岩储集层非均质性各异。

Petroleum Source-Rock Evaluation and Hydrocarbon Potential in Montney Formation Unconventional Reservoir, Northeastern British Columbia, Canada

Source-rock characteristics of Lower Triassic Montney Formation presented in this study shows the total organic carbon (TOC) richness, thermal maturity, hydrocarbon generation, geographical distribution of TOC and thermal maturity (Tmax) in Fort St. John study area (T86N, R23W and T74N, R13W) and its environs in northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). TOC richness in Montney Formation within the study area is grouped into three categories: low TOC ( 3.5 wt%), and high TOC (>3.5 wt% %). Thermal maturity of the Montney Formation source-rock indicates that >90% of the analyzed samples are thermally mature, and mainly within gas generating window (wet gas, condensate gas, and dry gas), and comprises mixed Type II/III (oil/gas prone kerogen), and Type IV kerogen (gas prone). Analyses of Rock-Eval parameters (TOC, S2, Tmax, HI, OI and PI) obtained from 81 samples in 11 wells that penetrated the Montney Formation in the subsurface of northeastern British Columbia were used to map source rock quality across the study area. Based on total organic carbon (TOC) content mapping, geographical distribution of thermal maturity (Tmax) data mapping, including evaluation and interpretation of Rock-Eval parameters in the study area, the Montney Formation kerogen is indicative of a pervasively matured petroleum system in the study area.

Sedimentology and Ichnology of Upper Montney Formation Tight Gas Reservoir, Northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

Several decades of conventional oil and gas production in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) have resulted in maturity of the basin, and attention is shifting to alternative hydrocarbon reservoir system, such as tight gas reservoir of the Montney Formation, which consists of siltstone with subordinate interlaminated very fine-grained sandstone. The Montney Formation resource play is one of Canada’s prime unconventional hydrocarbon reservoir, with reserve estimate in British Columbia (Natural Gas reserve = 271 TCF), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG = 12,647 million barrels), and oil reserve (29 million barrels). Based on sedimentological and ichnological criteria, five lithofacies associations were identified in the study interval: Lithofacies F-1 (organic rich, wavy to parallel laminated, black colored siltstone);Lithofacies F-2 (very fine-grained sandstone interbedded with siltstone);Lithofacies F-3A (bioturbated silty-sandstone attributed to the Skolithos ichnofacies);Lithofacies F-3B (bioturbated siltstone attributed to Cruziana ichnofacies);Lithofacies F-4 (dolomitic, very fine-grained sandstone);and Lithofacies F-5 (massive siltstone). The depositional environments interpreted for the Montney Formation in the study area are lower shoreface through proximal offshore to distal offshore settings. Rock-Eval data (hydrogen Index and Oxygen Index) shows that Montney sediments contains mostly gas prone Type III/IV with subordinate Type II kerogen, TOC ranges from 0.39 - 3.54 wt% with a rare spike of 10.9 wt% TOC along the Montney/Doig boundary. Vitrinite reflectance data and Tmax show that thermal maturity of the Montney Formation is in the realm of “peak gas” generation window. Despite the economic significance of the Montney unconventional “resource-play”, however, the location and predictability of the best reservoir interval remain conjectural in part because the lithologic variability of the optimum reservoir lithologies has not been adequately characterized. This study presents lithofacies and ichnofacies analyses of the Montney Formation coupled with Rock-Eval geochemistry to interpret the sedimentology, ichnology, and reservoir potential of the Montney Formation tight gas reservoir in Fort St. John study area (T86N, R23W and T74N, R13W), northeastern British Columbia, western Canada.

Whole-Rock Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Triassic Montney Formation, Northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to analyze chemical elements—major, trace and rare earth elements (REE) concentrations, augmented with quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and thin-section petrography for mineralogical characterization of the Triassic Montney Formation in northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Results from this study indicate that integration of chemical elements with mineralogy shows affinity to the host lithologies. Evidently, chemical elements are the building blocks for minerals, thus, their significances in the interpretation of geological systems are unambiguous. Herein, major elements concentration such as Al, Fe, K, Mg, Ca, Mn in the samples analyzed from the Montney Formation are interpreted as: 1) indication of dolomitization and diagenesis;2) trace elements—Rb, Th, U, and Cs are related to the organic matter—kerogen in the clay component of the Montney Formation source rock;and 3) transition metals—Sc, V, Co, Cr, Zn show strong affinity with diagenesis in the study interval.

Isotopes (¹³C and ¹⁸O) Geochemistry of Lower Triassic Montney Formation, Northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada

Oxygen isotope (δ18O) serves as paleothermometer, and provides paleotemperature for carbonates. δ18O signature was used to estimate the temperature of fractionation of dolomite and calcite in Montney Formation, empirically calculated to have precipitated, between approximately 13°C to ±33°C during Triassic time in northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Measurements of stable isotopes (δ13C and δ18O) fractionation, supported by quantitative X-ray diffraction evidence, and whole-rock geochemical characterization of the Triassic Montney Formation indicates the presence of calcite, dolomite, magnesium, carbon and other elements. Results from isotopic signature obtained from bulk calcite and bulk dolomite from this study indicates depleted δ13CPDB (-2.18‰ to -8.46‰) and depleted δ18OPDB (-3.54‰ to -16.15‰), which is interpreted in relation to oxidation of organic matter during diagenesis. Diagenetic modification of dolomitized very fine-grained, silty-sandstone of the Montney Formation may have occurred in stages of progressive oxidation and reduction reactions involving chemical elements such as Fe, which manifest in mineral form as pyrite, particularly, during early burial diagenesis. Such mineralogical changes evident in this study from petrography and SEM, includes cementation, authigenic quartz overgrowth and mineral replacement involving calcite and dolomite, which are typical of diagenesis. High concentration of chemical elements in the Montney Formation?-Ca and Mg indicates dolomitization. It is interpreted herein, that calcite may have been precipitated into the interstitial pore space of the intergranular matrix of very fine-grained silty-sandstone of the Montney Formation as cement by a complex mechanism resulting in the interlocking of grains.

Whole-Rock Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Triassic Montney Formation, Northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to analyze chemical elements—major, trace and rare earth elements (REE) concentrations, augmented with quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and thin-section petrography for mineralogical characterization of the Triassic Montney Formation in northeastern British Columbia, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Results from this study indicate that integration of chemical elements with mineralogy shows affinity to the host lithologies. Evidently, chemical elements are the building blocks for minerals, thus, their significances in the interpretation of geological systems are unambiguous. Herein, major elements concentration such as Al, Fe, K, Mg, Ca, Mn in the samples analyzed from the Montney Formation are interpreted as: 1) indication of dolomitization and diagenesis;2) trace elements—Rb, Th, U, and Cs are related to the organic matter—kerogen in the clay component of the Montney Formation source rock;and 3) transition metals—Sc, V, Co, Cr, Zn show strong affinity with diagenesis in the study interval.

加拿大页岩气勘探开发现状及进展

加拿大页岩气资源丰富(主要集中在西加拿大沉积盆地),是继美国之后世界上第二个成功开发页岩气的国家。由于天然气价格低迷,目前加拿大页岩气勘探重点正从干气向富液天然气转变。加拿大利用已有资料开展页岩气勘探既经济又实用,值得我国借鉴。我国页岩气区块大多远离天然气管线,需要考虑以何种形式将天然气输送至用户,如果修建天然气管道,要分析管道的可行性和经济性等。

加拿大页岩气藏勘探开发进展及启示

随着美国页岩油气开发的成功，加拿大由于与美国相似的地质构造和沉积环境，成为非常规油气资源开发的另一个热点国家，并已经取得了较大的成功。美国页岩气的勘探开发经验也被借鉴到加拿大，其开发的新技术在加拿大页岩气中进行了试验及改进，并在加拿大取得长足的发展。通过对加拿大页岩气开发技术政策进行分析后认为，新型实验室分析技术、储层预测、裂缝模拟、压裂设计及钻完井技术改进等为加拿大页岩气勘探开发提供了有利技术保障。国内页岩气藏开发过程中，在吸取国外页岩气先进开发技术和成功经验的同时，应针对自身地质条件制定适合本土的开发技术政策。

Hydraulic Fracturing, Cumulative Development and Earthquakes in the Peace River Region of British Columbia, Canada

Unconventional petroleum development involving large volume fluid injection into horizontal well bores, referred to as hydraulic fracturing (HF, or fracking), began in the Montney Trend of northeast British Columbia, Canada, in 2005, quickly initiating earthquakes. Earthquake frequency increased substantially in the Montney by 2008, in relation to the number of wells fracked and the volume of injected frack water. A spatiotemporal filter was used to associate earthquakes with HF wells. A total of 439 earthquakes (M 1.0 - 4.6 (NRCAN catalogue) during 2013-2019 have close association with HF activity, of which 77% are associated with three operators. Fifteen percent of HF wells in the Montney are associated with these earthquakes, while 1.7% of HF wells are associated with M ≥ 3.0 earthquakes. There are strong linear relationships between the maximum earthquake magnitude each year and the annual volume of injected frack fluid. M ≥ 3.0 earthquakes are associated with large cumulative frack water volumes for antecedent time periods of 1 - 3 years, often with fluid injection by multiple operators. Eighty-seven percent of the Montney M ≥ 3.0 earthquakes have associated HF triggering events, but a few are sufficiently distant to be ambiguous. Distances from the induced earthquake epicentres indicate a variety of causal mechanisms are involved. It is concluded that ~60% - 70% of M ≥ 3.0 earthquakes are induced by hydraulic fracturing. HF-induced earthquakes can be considered in part related to the cumulative development density from multiple proximal operators and cumulative antecedent fluid injection over periods ranging from a few months to a few years. It is probable that induced earthquakes of M > 5 will occur in the future. There are significant public safety and infrastructure risks associated with future HF-induced earthquakes in the Peace River area. To carry out HF operations effectively and safely, potentially destructive earthquakes must be avoided or mitigated. The Traffic Light Protocol mitigation system used in British Columbia appears unlikely to prevent large magnitude earthquakes. Risk avoidance therefore becomes important and could include the establishment of frack-free zones proximal to populations and critical infrastructure.