PetroChina's Natural Gas Exploration Clue in the Near Future

PetroChina's natural Exploration Situationand Problems Exploration situation Recently natural gas development of PetroChina Company Limited (hereinafter referred to as PetroChina) was in good situation. Its natural gas Exploration has entered a rapid development stage.

Important Achievement and Advance of Natural Gas Geology and Geochemical Exploration in China

Academician Dai Jinxing has long been engaged in natural gas geology and geochemical researches,and has made prominent contributions to the establishment and development of China’s theory of coal-derived gas.He has opened up new areas of coal-derived gas exploration,natural gas formation theory and formation“ control conditions of large ” medium gas fields.

Formation conditions and exploration direction of large and medium gas reservoirs in the Junggar Basin, NW China

The Junggar Basin is rich in oil but lacks natural gas, which is inconsistent with its geological background of natural gas. Based on the analysis of main source kitchens, and the evaluation of geological setting and controlling factors of gas accumulation, it is proposed that three significant fields for gas exploration should be emphasized. The first field is the Carboniferous volcanic rocks. The Carboniferous residual sags and large-scale reservoirs were developed in three active continental margins, i.e., the southeastern, northeastern and northwestern active continental margins. Gas accumulation is controlled by the favorable reservoir-caprock combinations composed of volcanic rocks and their superimposed lacustrine mudstones in the Upper Wuerhe Formation. Dinan, Eastern and Zhongguai uplifts are three favorable directions for natural gas exploration. The second field is the Lower combinations in the southern margin of Junggar Basin. Rows of structural traps were developed in this area with ideal preservation conditions and space-time configuration for trap-source combinations. Sets of clastic reservoirs and overpressured mudstones formed perfect reservoir-caprock combinations which are the main exploration direction for Jurassic coal-type gas reservoirs in this area. The seven large structural traps in the middle-east section are recently the most significant targets. The last field is the Central Depression. Large hydrocarbon generating centers, i.e., Mahu, Fukang and Shawan sags, were developed in this area, their source rocks were deeply buried and at highly-mature stage. Thus the Central Depression is a favorable exploration direction for Permian high-over mature gas fields(reservoirs). Great attentions should be paid to two types of targets, the deeply–buried structures and structural-lithologic traps. Based on three main gas systems, gas exploration is suggested be strengthened within three fields and on three levels.

Paleoenvironment reconstruction of the Middle Ordovician thick carbonate from western Ordos Basin, China

Reconstructing paleoenvironments has long been considered a vital component for understanding the development and evolution of carbonate reservoirs.The Middle Ordovician Period is considered the archetypical greenhouse interval,and also a critical period in biological evolution.The Middle Darriwilian isotope carbon excursion has been observed in many areas of the world and may be related to the biological explosions caused by decreases in the temperature.The thick carbonate rocks in the fifth member of the Middle Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Dingbei area of the Ordos Basin were chosen as an example,based on the concentration of major,trace and rare earth elements as well as C,O and Sr isotopic analyses,the paleoenvironment was reconstructed.And its impact on natural gas exploration was analyzed.The results show that the seawater paleotemperature was 29℃,suboxicanoxic paleoredox conditions were observed,and the seawater paleosalinity was high.A large number of plankton in the biological explosion caused a rapid increase in the total organic carbon in carbonate rocks,which provided natural gas as supplemental source rocks.Affected by early meteoric water,the dissolution of gypsum laid the foundation for high-quality reservoirs,and the residual gypsum also further preserved natural gas.This study provides new data for the paleoenvironment and a theoretical basis for further natural gas exploration.

Yinggehai Basin Gas Exploration:Comparison with Jiyang Depression

Yinggehai（莺歌海） basin and Jiyang（济阳） depression experienced similar tectonic evo-lution,which is mainly controlled by the strike-slip faults.The strike pull-apart basins are characteris-tic by multiple deposition cycles,migration of deposition and subsidence center,and diversity deposi-tional systems.Furthermore,both basins show abnormal formation pressure.Compared with the oil and gas-rich Jiyang depression,Yinggehai basin developed the similar geological background that is favorable to the formation of funnel-shaped meshwork-carpet subtle reservoirs.Overpressure diapir body is the core of hydrocarbon accumulation in central diaper zone of Yinggehai basin.Driven by high pressure,oil and gas migrate along the funnel-shaped passage system into the overlying low-potential zone formed.The overlying sand bodies of overpressure diapirs are the favorable gas exploration zone.