Source Rocks for the Giant Puguang Gas Field,Sichuan Basin:Implication for Petroleum Exploration in Marine Sequences in South China

Detailed geochemistry studies were conducted to investigate the origin of solid bitumens and hydrocarbon gases in the giant Puguang gas field. Two types of solid bitumens were recognized： low sulfur content, low reflectance （LSLR） solid bitumens in sandstone reservoirs in the Xujiahe Formation and high sulfur content, high reflectance （HSHR） solid bitumens in the carbonate reservoirs in the Lower Triassic Feixianguan and Upper Permian Changxing formations. Solid bitumens in the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation correlate well with extracts from the Upper Triassic to Jurassic nonmarine source rocks in isotopic composition of the saturated and aromatic fractions and biomarker distribution. Solid bitumens in the Feixianguan and Changxing formations are distinctly different from extracts from the Cambrian and Silurian rocks but display reasonable correlation with extracts from the Upper Permian source rocks both in isotopic composition of the saturated and aromatic fractions and in biomarker distribution, suggesting that the Permian especially the Upper Permian Longtan Formation was the main source of solid bitumens in the carbonate reservoirs in the Feixianguan and Changxing formations in the Puguang gas field. Chemical and isotopic composition of natural gases indicates that the majority of hydrocarbon gases originated from sapropelic organic matter and was the products of thermal cracking of accumulated oils. This study indicates that source rock dominated by sapropelic organic matter existed in the Upper Permian and had made major contribution to the giant Puguang gas field, which has important implication for petroleum exploration in marine sequences in South China.

Accumulation Mechanisms and Evolution History of the Giant Puguang Gas Field,Sichuan Basin,China

Solid bitumens were found throughout the carbonate reservoirs in the Puguang gas field, the largest gas field so far found in marine carbonates in China, confirming that the Puguang gas field evolved from a paleo-oil reservoir. The fluid conduit system at the time of intensive oil accumulation in the field was reconstructed, and petroleum migration pathways were modeled using a 3-D model and traced by geochemical parameters. The forward modeling and inversion tracing coincided with each other and both indicated that oils accumulated in the Puguang-Dongyuezhai structure originated from a generative kitchen to the northwest of the Puguang gas field. The deposition of organic-rich Upper Permian source rocks dominated by sapropelic organic matter in the Northeast Sichuan Basin, the development of fluid conduit system that was vertically near-source rock and laterally near-generative kitchen, and the focusing of oils originated from a large area of the generative kitchen, were the three requirements for the formation of the giant paleo-oil reservoir from which the giant Puguang gas field evolved. The Puguang gas field had experienced a three-stage evolution. The post-accumulation processes, especially the organic-inorganic interaction in the hydrocarbon-water-rock system, had not only profoundly altered the composition and characteristics of the petroleum fluids, but also obviously changed the physicochemical conditions in the reservoir and resulted in complicated precipitation and solution of carbonate minerals.

Characteristics and genesis of the Feixianguan Formation oolitic shoal reservoir, Puguang gas field, Sichuan Basin, China

The Lower Triassic Feixianguan Formation at the well-known Puguang gasfield in the northeastern Sichuan Basin of southwest China produces a representa- tive oolitic reservoir, which has been the biggest marinesourced gasfield so far in China （discovered in 2003 with proven gas reserves greater than 350× 10^8 m3）. This study combines core, thin section, and scanning electron microscopy observations, and geochemical analysis （C, O, and Sr isotopes） in order to investigate the basic characteristics and formation mechanisms of the reservoir. Observations indicate that platform margin oolitic dolomites are the most important reservoir rocks. Porosity is dominated by intergranular and intragranular solution, and moldic pore. The dolomites are characterized by medium porosity and permeability, averaging at approximately 9% and 29.7 mD, respectively. ^87Sr/^86Sr （0.707536-0.707934） and δ^13CpDB （1.8 ‰--3.5 ‰） isotopic values indicate that the dolomitization fluid is predominantly concentrated seawater by evaporation, and the main mechanism for the oolitic dolomite formation is seepage reflux at an early stage of eodiagenesis. Both sedimentation and diagenesis （e.g., dolomitization and dissolution） have led to the formation of high-quality rocks to different degrees. Dolomite formation may have little contribution, karst may have had both positive and negative influences, and burial dissolution-TSR （thermochemical sulfate reduction） may not impact widely. The preservation of primary intergranular pores and dissolution by meteoric or mixed waters at the early stage of eogenesis are the main influences. This study may assist oil and gas explorationactivities in the Puguang area and in other areas withdolomitic reservoirs.

Paleogeothermal Reconstruction and Thermal Evolution Modeling of Source Rocks in the Puguang Gas Field, Northeastern Sichuan Basin

The thermal history and organic matter maturity evolution of the source rocks of boreholes in the Puguang gas field were reconstructed. An integrated approach based on vitrinite reflectance and apatite fission track data was used in the reconstruction. Accordingly, the geothermal conditions of gas accumulation were discussed in terms of the geological features of reservoirs in the northeastern Sichuan Basin. The strata reached their maximum burial depth in the Late Cretaceous era and were then uplifted and denuded continuously to the present day. The geothermal gradient and heat flow in the Late Cretaceous era were approximately 30.0 °C/km and 66 mW/m2, respectively, which were both higher than those at present. The tectonothermal evolution from the Late Cretaceous era to the present is characterized by denudation and cooling processes with an erosion thickness of2.7 km. In addition to the Triassic era, the Jurassic era represents an important hydrocarbon generation period for both Silurian and Permian source rocks, and the organic matter maturity of these source rocks entered into a dry gas period after oil generation. The thermal conditions are advantageous to the accumulation of conventional and unconventional gas because the hydrocarbon generation process of the source rocks occurs after the formation of an effective reservoir cap. In particular, the high geothermal gradient and increasing temperature before the denudation in the Late Cretaceous era facilitated the generation of hydrocarbons, and the subsequent cooling process favored its storage.

Paleo-oil-Water Contact and Present-Day Gas-Water Contact:Implication for Evolution History of Puguang Gas Field, Sichuan Basin, China

The Puguang （普光） gas field is the largest gas field found in marine carbonate in China. The Puguang gas field experienced complicated evolution history from paleo-oil pool to gas pool. The purpose of this article is to reveal the evolution history of Puguang gas field through systematic study on the relationship between paleo-oil-water contact （POWC） and present-day gas-water contact （PGWC）. POWC was recognized by observing the change of relative content of residual solid bitumen in the cores, and PGWC was observed using log and drilling stem test data. Two types of relationship between POWC and PGWC were observed in the Puguang gas field： POWC is above PGWC, and POWC is below PGWC. The former is normal as oil cracking may cause gas-water contact to move downward. The latter can be interpreted by lateral gas re-migration and re-accumulation caused by changes in structural configuration. The relationship between POWC and PGWC suggests that during oil charge, the southwestern and northwestern parts of the Puguang gas field were structurally lower than the northeastern and southeastern parts. Thrusting from Xuefengshan （雪峰山） since Yanshanian movement and from Dabashan （大巴山） since Himalayan movement resulted in the relative uplift of the southwestern and northwestern parts of the Puguang structure, which significantly changed the structural configuration. Based on the paleo-structure discussed in this article, the most probable migration directions of paleo-oil were from the northwest to the southeast and from the southwest to the northeast. Consequently, the evolution history of the Puguang gas field can be divided into three stages, namely,oil charging （200-170 Ma）, cracking oil to gas （155-120 Ma）, and gas pool adjustment （12-0 Ma）.

Three Episodes of Hydrocarbon Generation and Accumulation of Marine Carbonate Strata in Eastern Sichuan Basin,China

It is concluded that there are three hydrocarbon generation and accumulation processes in northeastern Sichuan on the basis of the characteristics of solid bitumen, gas-light oils-heavy oils, homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions and diagenesis for beach- and reef-facies dolomite gas- bearing reservoirs in the Puguang Gas Field, northeastern Sichuan Basin, southern China. The first hydrocarbon generation and accumulation episode occurred in the Indosinian movement （late Middle Triassic）. The sapropelic source rocks of the O3w （Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation）-S1l （Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation） were buried at depths of 2500 m to 3000 m with the paleogeothermal temperature ranging from 70℃ to 95℃, which yielded heavy oil with lower maturity. At the same time, intercrystalline pores, framework pores and corrosion caused by organic acid were formed within the organic reef facies of P2ch （Upper Permian Changxing Formation）. And the first stage of hydrocarbon reservoir occurred, the level of surface porosity of residual solid bitumen {solid bitumen/ （solid bitumen ＋ residual porosity）} was higher than 60%. The second episode occurred during the Middle Yanshanian movement （late Middle Jurassic）. During that period, the mixed organic source rocks were deposited in an intra-platform sag during the Permian and sapropelic source rocks of O3w-S1l experienced a peak stage of crude oil or light oil and gas generation because they were buried at depths of 3500 m to 6800 m with paleogeothermal temperatures of 96-168℃. At that time, the level of surface porosity of residual solid bitumen of the T1f shoal facies reservoirs was between 25% and 35%, and the homogenization temperatures of the first and second stages of fluid inclusions varied from 100℃ to 150℃. The third episode occurred during the Late Yanshanian （Late Cretaceous） to the Himalayan movement. The hydrocarbon reservoirs formed during the T1f and P2ch had the deepest burial of 7700 m to 8700 m and paleogeotemperatures of 177℃ to 220℃. They could be cracked into dry gas （methane）, and the same with the source rocks of the Permian and O3w-S1l because they all reached the pyrolysis stage under such conditions. Consequently, the present natural gas （methane） reservoirs were developed.

Study on an novel composite gel material solving serious lost circulations and pressurization sealing

Lost circulations have presented great challenges to the petroleum industry, causing great expenditures of cash and time to fighting the problem. Probably the most problematic situations are the naturally fractured formations where the operator may face total loss with no mud return in the annular. The voids or large fracture encountered in this case are often far too large to be plugged with conventional Lost Circulation Material. This paper will give a detailed introduction on a novel composite gel material usable to control severe losses and pressurization sealing. The plugging mechanics of this new composite gel material, which is different from conventional lost circulation materials, were elaborated as well. In addition, the properties of the new composite gel material such as thermostability, sealing strength and bearing resistance are characterized with specific experimental devices. The experimental results proved that the breakdown pressure of the new plugging reached more than 20MPa, and the maximum degraded temperature can be exceed 130℃. The field application at 4 wells in Puguang gas field, SINOPEC, demonstrated that the new composite gel material solved the serious loss in Ordovician carbonate fractured formation successfully and guaranteed the following completion cement operation smoothly. The composite gel sealing slurries, which was easily prepared on site, gives remarkable properties regarding pumping through drill pipes, adjustment of setting time and excellent sealing strength of the lost zone sealing, additionally, the whole pressurization sealing process was complicated within only ten hours. The on-site results show that the plugging ratio of the new composite gel was reached 100%, and the success rate of sealing operation kept above 80%.Thus the new LCM can guarantee safe drilling jobs and save operation cost more effectively.

Reserve and Pressure Change of Paleo-oil Reservoir in Puguang Area, Sichuan Basin

The Puguang （普光） gas field is the largest gas field found in marine carbonates in China. The Feixianguan （飞仙关） and Changxing （长兴） reservoirs are two such reservoirs that had been buried to a depth of about 7 000 m and experienced maximum temperature of up to 220 ℃ before uplift to the present-day depth of 5 000-5 500 m, with present-day thermal maturity between 2.0% and 3.0% equivalent vitrinite reflectance （Ro）. Bitumen staining is ubiquitous throughout the Feixianguan and Changxing formations, with the greatest concentrations in zones with the highest porosity and permeability, suggesting that the solid bitumen is the result of in-situ cracking of oil. According to the distribution of bitumen in the core, the paleo-oil boundary can be approximately determined. The paleo-oil resource is calculated to be about （0.61-0.92） × 10^9 t （average 0.76 × 10^9 t）, and the cracked gas volume is about （380.80-595.80） × 10^9 m^3 （average 488.30 × 10^9 m^3）; at least 58.74% of cracked gas is preserved in Puguang gas field. The study area experienced not only the cracking of oil but also thermochemical sulfate reduction, resulting in large quantities of nonhydrocarbon gas, with about 15.2% H2S and 8.3% CO2, together with the structural reconfiguration. During the whole process, the great change of volume and pressure compels the PVTsim modeling software to simulate various factors, such as the cracking of oil, the thermochemical sulfate reduction （TSR） and the tectonic uplift in both isolated and open geological conditions, respectively. The results show that although any one of these factors may induce greater pressure changes in an isolated system than in a closed system, the oil cracking and C3＋ involving TSR lead to overpressure during the early stage of gas reservoir. Therefore, the tectonic uplift and the methane-dominated TSR, as well as the semi-open system contribute to the reducing pressure resulting in the current normal formation pressure.