Theory and practice of unconventional gas exploration in carrier beds: Insight from the breakthrough of new type of shale gas and tight gas in Sichuan Basin, SW China

Unconventional gas in the Sichuan Basin mainly includes shale gas and tight gas.The development of shale gas is mainly concentrated in the Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation,but has not made any significant breakthrough in the Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation marine shale regardless of exploration efforts for years.The commercial development of tight sandstone gas is mainly concentrated in the Jurassic Shaximiao Formation,but has not been realized in the widespread and thick Triassic Xujiahe Formation.Depending on the geological characteristics of the Qiongzhusi Formation and Xujiahe Formation,the feedback of old wells was analyzed.Then,combining with the accumulation mechanisms of con-ventional gas and shale gas,as well as the oil/gas shows during drilling,changes in production and pressure during develop-ment,and other characteristics,it was proposed to change the exploration and development strategy from source and reservoir exploration to carrier beds exploration.With the combination of effective source rock,effective carrier beds and effective sand-stone or shale as the exploration target,a model of unconventional gas accumulation and enrichment in carrier beds was built.Under the guidance of this study,two significant results have been achieved in practice.First,great breakthrough was made in exploration of the silty shale with low organic matter abundance in the Qiongzhusi Formation,which breaks the traditional approach to prospect shale gas only in organic-rich black shales and realizes a breakthrough in new areas,new layers and new types of shale gas and a transformation of exploration and development of shale gas from single-layer system,Longmaxi For-mation,to multi-layer system in the Sichuan Basin.Second,exploration breakthrough and high-efficient development were re-alized for difficult-to-produce tight sandstone gas reserves in the Xujiahe Formation,which helps address the challenges of low production and unstable production of fracture zones in the Xujiahe Formation,promote the transformation of tight sandstone gas from reserves without production to effective production,and enhance the exploration and development potential of tight sandstonegas.

Preferential petroleum migration pathways and prediction of petroleum occurrence in sedimentary basins:A review

The aim of this paper is to review the major points of contention concerning secondary petroleum migration, to discuss the nature and primary controls of the positions of petroleum migration pathways in sedimentary basins, and to illustrate the importance of preferential petroleum migration pathways for the formation of large oil/gas fields away from generative kitchens. There is competition between the driving force （buoyancy） and the restraining force （capillary pressure controlled largely by permeability contrast） in controlling the positions of petroleum migration pathways in heterogeneous carrier beds. At a large scale, there is a critical angle of dip of the carrier beds which determines the relative importance of structural morphology or permeability contrasts in controlling the positions of petroleum migration pathways in heterogeneous carrier beds. Maximum-driving-force-controlled migration pathways occur in carrier beds with an angle of dip greater than the critical dip and the positions of petroleum migration pathways are controlled mainly by the morphology of the sealing surfaces. Minimum-restraining-force-determined migration pathways occur in carrier beds with an angle of dip smaller than the critical angle where permeability contrasts would exert a more important influence on the positions of petroleum migration pathways. Preferential petroleum migration pathways （PPMP）, defined as very restricted portions of carrier-beds that focus or concentrate petroleum from a large area of the generative kitchen, determine the distribution of oil and gas in sedimentary basins. The focusing of petroleum originating from a large area of the generative kitchens into restricted channels seems to be essential not only for long-range petroleum migration in hydrostatic conditions, but also for the formation of large oil or gas fields. Regions may miss out on petroleum migration because of its three-dimensional behavior, and two-dimensional migration modeling may be misleading in predicting petroleum occurrences in certain circumstances.

Paleogene geological framework and tectonic evolution of the central anticlinal zone in Lufeng 13 sag,Pearl River Mouth Basin

The Paleogene geological framework and evolution process in the central anticline zone in the Lufeng 13 sag in Pearl River Mouth Basin is well analyzed through seismic data and drilling data,and control of tectonic evolution on hydrocarbon accumulation is also discussed.The results show that the central anticline zone in the Lufeng 13 sag develops the upper deformation layer and lower deformation layer.The“arched graben system”is developed in the upper deformation layer,and the magmatic diapir structure and flowing deformation of plastic strata is developed in the lower deformation layer.The evolution process of the central anticline zone can be divided into four stages,i.e.fault block uplifting stage,prototype stage,strengthening stage and finalization stage.The geological framework and tectonic evolution of the central anticline zone control Paleogene hydrocarbon accumulation.The Paleogene twolayer geological framework is favorable for development of structural traps and composite traps;the paleostructure highs are the direction of hydrocarbon migration,and the gravitational gliding faults are the main carrier bed for vertical hydrocarbon migration;the tectonic uplift is a key factor for reservoir diagenesis improvement and preservation of primary pores,and also controls distribution of high-quality reservoirs.