Successive formation of secondary pores via feldspar dissolution in deeply buried feldspar-rich clastic reservoirs in typical petroliferous basins and its petroleum geological significance

Clastic rock reservoirs in petroliferous basins are generally rich in feldspars. Feldspar dissolution has developed widely in clastic reservoirs, and the resulting secondary pores are crucial in deeply buried reservoirs. Based on a study of the diagenesis of clastic reservoirs in the Bohai Bay Basin, Tarim Basin, and Pearl River Mouth Basin and physical and numerical simulation experiments of fluid-rock interactions, this paper proposed a successive formation model of secondary pores via feldspar dissolution in deeply buried clastic reservoirs, considering the global research progresses in feldspar dissolution in clastic rocks. Feldspar dissolution can occur from shallow open systems to deep-ultra deep closed systems in petroliferous basins, resulting in the successive formation of secondary pores at different diagenetic stages. The successive mechanism includes three aspects. The first aspect is the succession of corrosive fluids that dissolve minerals. Meteoric freshwater dominates at the Earth’s surface and the early diagenetic A stage. Subsequently, organic acids and COformed via kerogen maturation dominate at the early diagenetic B stage to the middle diagenetic stage. COand organic acids formed via hydrocarbon oxidation in hydrocarbon reservoirs dominate at the middle diagenetic B stage to the late diagenetic stage. The second aspect is the successive formation processes of secondary pores via feldspar dissolution. Large-scale feldspar secondary pores identified in deep reservoirs include secondary pores formed at shallow-medium depths that are subsequently preserved into deep layers, as well as secondary pores formed at deep depths. Existing secondary pores in deeply buried reservoirs are the superposition of successively feldspar dissolution caused by different acids at different stages. The third aspect is a successive change in the feldspar alteration pathways and porosity enhancement/preservation effect. Open to semi-open diagenetic systems are developed from the Earth’s surface to the early diagenetic stage, and feldspar dissolution forms enhanced secondary pores. Nearly closed to closed diagenetic systems develop in the middle to late diagenetic stages, and feldspar dissolution forms redistributional secondary pores. The associated cementation causes compression resistance of the rock, which is favorable for the preservation of secondary pores in deep layers. These new insights extend the formation window of secondary pores in petroliferous basins from the traditional acid-oil generation window to a high-temperature gas generation window after hydrocarbon charging. The proposed model explains the genesis of deep-ultra deep high-quality reservoirs with low-permeability, medium-porosity and dominating feldspar secondary pores, which is significant for hydrocarbon exploration in deep to ultra-deep layers.