Diagenetic Evolution and Formation Mechanisms of High-Quality Reservoirs under Multiple Diagenetic Environmental Constraints:An Example from the Paleogene Beach-Bar Sandstone Reservoirs in the Dongying Depression,Bohai Bay Basin

The diagenetic environment, diagenetic responses, diagenetic transformation model and formation mechanisms of high-quality reservoirs（beach-bar sandstones of the Paleogene fourth member） in the Dongying depression were studied through the analysis of fluid inclusions, thin section and burial evolution history. The diagenetic fluids of the beach-bar sandstone reservoirs evolved from early high salinity and weak alkalinity to low salinity and strong acidity, late high salinity and strong alkalinity and late low salinity and acidity, which were accompanied by two stages of oil and gas filling. The fluids at the margins of the sandbodies were continuously highly saline and strongly alkaline. The western（eastern） reservoirs experienced early open（closed）, middle open, and late closed diagenetic environments during their burial history. The flow pattern was characterized by upwelling during the majority of the diagenesis（in the east, a non-circulating pattern transitioned into an upwelling current）. Due to the evolution of the diagenetic fluids, the diagenetic sequence of the beach-bar reservoirs was as follows： early weak carbonate cementation; feldspar and carbonate cement dissolution and authigenic quartz cementation; late carbonate and anhydrite cementation, authigenic feldspar cementation, and late quartz dissolution; and late carbonate cementation, feldspar dissolution, and authigenic quartz cementation. The diagenetic strength during these stages varied or was absent altogether in different parts of the reservoirs. Due to the closeness of the diagenetic environment and the flow pattern of the diagenetic fluids, the diagenetic products are variably distributed in the sandstones interbedded with mudstones and in the fault blocks. The evolution of multiple alternating alkaline and acidic diagenetic environments controlled the distribution patterns of the reservoir diagenesis and reservoir space, and the reservoir quality index, RQI, increased gradually from the margins to the centers of the sandstones. The closeness of the diagenetic environment and the flow patterns of the diagenetic fluids controlled the differences in the reservoir properties among the fault blocks. With increasing distance from the oil-source faults, the RQI values in the west gradually decreased and in the east initially increased and then decreased.

A Reconstruction and Discussion of the Effect of Diagenetic Environment on Hydrocarbon Generation Based on Diagenetic Mineral Assemblage in Mudstone

Inorganic minerals in mudstone are composed of clay minerals,carbonate and detrital minerals.Detrital minerals(such as quartz and feldspar)are mainly original deposit.However,clay minerals(kaolinite,illite,and chlorite)and carbonate(calcite and dolomite)are mostly diagenetic minerals.Furthermore,conversion of the four kinds of clay minerals are common.The formation of clay minerals and carbonate is controlled by temperature,pressure,p H,Eh and type of cations during diagenesis.Therefore mineral assemblage can indicate the characteristics and change of diagenetic environment.In addition to inorganic minerals,there are also organic matter of different sources and chemical properties in mudstone.Traditionally,it is considered that evolution of organic matter is controlled by thermal effect.Now studies show that inorganic and organic matter can interact with each other and form clay-organic complexes.This suggest that attention should be paid to the influence of diagenetic mineral assemblage and diagenetic environment on the evolution of organic matter* Samples of mudstone from 1500-4500m of the Palaeogene in the Dongying Depression,China,were collected to investigate the changes of mudstone diagenetic environment.XRD,thin section and SEM were used to detect diagenetic minerals and assemblage characteristics.Results showed that content of detrital minerals,which are floating in mud matrix or preserved as silt laminae,is basically unchanged from shallow to deep strata.Clay minerals which are gathered as argillaceous matrix or preserved as argillaceous laminae have growth and decline relation to carbonate which mainly appear as micropoikilitic ferriferous calcite and ferriferous dolomite.All these characteristics indicate that detrital minerals are exogenetic,whereas carbonate is diagenetic minerals.Based on the SEM analysis of the clay minerals,it was found that smectite present honeycomb and reticulate structure,while illite present filiform and schistose structure and there are growth and decline relationship between them.Nevertheless,hexagonal tabular and stratified kaolinite has the highest content from 2400m to3300m.Rosette and stratified chlorite shows increase trend when the burial depth is deeper than 3300m.These characteristics indicated that clay minerals are diagenetic minerals and there are conversions among the four types.Therefore form shallow to deep,three diagenetic mineral assemblage zones can be divided based on the characteristics of carbonate and clay minerals in mudstone.Namely,smectite+illite/smectite zone in the depth of 2000-2500m;kaolinite+illite/smectite zone in the depth of 2500-3300m and illite+chlorite+carbonate zone below 3300m.Previous studies showed that kaolinite is stable under acidic conditions,while other clay minerals and carbonate are stable under alkaline conditions.Hence according to mineral assemblages feature,it was inferred that diagenetic environment of mudstonehasundergonethechangeof alkaline-acid-alkaline.For the organic matter with different chemical properties in mudstone,the hydrocarbon generation will be different in the acidic and alkaline diagenetic environment even if the conditions of temperature and pressure are the same.Therefore,for hydrocarbon generation we should not only focus on thermal effect,but also pay more attention to the differences of diagenetic environment which have great significance for the understanding of hydrocarbon generation,hydrocarbon expulsion and reservoir formation in mudstone.

Research on Diageneses of Cambrian Shoal Facies Carbonate Rocks in the Xiadong Area, Hubei Province

With continuous outcrops, developed shoal facies rocks, complete types of diagenesis and changeable diagenetic environments, Cambrian strata are well developed in the Xiadong area, Yichang, Hubei Province. Under the combined influence of numerous diageneses, secondary pores can be formed, which result in better reservoir properties of the rock strata.

Carbonate Diagenesis Controlled by Glacioeustatic Sea-Level Changes: A Case Study from the Carboniferous-Permian Boundary Section at Xikou, China

The platform-facies carbonate rocks of the Carboniferous-Permian boundary strata are well developed and outcropped in Xikou （西口）, Zhen＇an （镇安） County, Shaanxi （ 陕西 ） Province, China. The carbonate diagencsis in the Carboniferous-Permian boundary section at Xikou contains many processes with conspicuous effects, including micritization, cementation, mechanical and chemical compaction, neomorphism, and dissolution. Based on mineralogical composition and microfabrics, the diagenetic environments are distinguished into marine, near surface meteoric and burial environments. Detailed petrographical observation of abundant thin sections integrated with previous studies on sequence stratigraphy reveals that the carbonate diagenesis in the Carboniferous-Permian boundary section is related to the relative stratigraphic position of the rocks in the high-frequency cycles and controlled by the glacioeustatic sea-level changes. There are distinctive differences in diagenetic patterns between the lower transgressive sequence and the upper regressive sequence in a cyclothem. The diagenesis in the lower transgressive sequence is mainly characterized by pressure dissolution and recrystallization of mudstone and wackstone in a burial environment, and the diagenesis in the upper regressive sequence by cementation and leaching of freshwater in a meteoric environment.

Distribution Patterns of Pentacyclic TriterpenoidHydrocarbons in Low-Mature Source Rocksfrom Eastern China

: Four typical distribution patterns of pentacyclic triterpenoid hydrocarbons (types A-D) are distinguished in the low-mature source rocks from eastern China. Type A has a relatively high content of pentacyclic triterpenes. It exists in immature sediments and the distribution and abundance of triterpenes vary with the maturity of the sediments. An unknown C30 triterpene (UCT2) has also been detected in very shallow sediments. This compound is very unstable and disappears rapidly with the increase of depth. Type B is characterized by a relatively high amount of 17α(H), 21β(H)-30-homohopane. This kind of distribution pattern is common in coals and terrestrial sediments of low maturity. Type C has a relatively high content of diahopane and neohopane series. The analysis shows that this distribution pattern may have an indirect relationship with the input of higher plants despite its microbial source. There are C30—unconfirmed triterpane (UCT2) and a relatively high content of C35 hopane in type D. The distribution patterns of pentacyclic triterpenoids are varied under influences of biological sources, diagentic and sedimentary environments, thermal maturity etc. Therefore, they can provide useful information about the source rocks. Based on geochemical characteristics of the source rocks, the authors postulated that the type B and type C patterns are mainly related to suboxic-anoxic environments. Type D indicates the reducing to anoxic environment, in which C30-UCT3 may be related to some specific biological source in saline environments. The precursors and thermal evolution of some triterpenoid hydrocarbons are also discussed herein.

Application of mapping and dating techniques in the study of ancient carbonate reservoirs: A case study of Sinian Qigebrak Formation in northwestern Tarim Basin, NW China

Ancient marine carbonates experienced complex modifications,making it difficult to identify reservoir genesis and effective porosity before hydrocarbon migration.To solve these issues,we used element mapping and carbonate mineral laser U-Pb radiometric dating techniques to study the diagenetic environments based on geochemistry and diagenesis-porosity evolution based on geochronology of the dolomite reservoir of the Sinian Qigebrak Formation,northwest Tarim Basin.Two major understandings were obtained as follows:(1)Supported by petrographic observations,the element mapping,stable isotopes,strontium isotope,and cathodoluminescence tests were performed on different phases of dolomite cements precipitated in vugs and dissolved fissures.The results show that the dolomite reservoirs of the Qigebrak Formation went through freshwater,marine,extremely shallow burial,burial and hydrothermal diagenetic environments after synsedimentary dolomitization;the reservoir spaces were mainly formed in the synsedimentary period(primary pores)and freshwater environment(supergene dissolution pores)before burial;whereas the marine,burial and hydrothermal environments caused the gradual filling of reservoir space by dolomite cements.(2)Based on the above understandings,each phase of dolomite cement precipitated in the reservoir space was dated by the U-Pb radiometric dating technique,and the diagenesis-porosity evolution curves constrained by geochronology were established.The loss of reservoir porosity mainly occurred in the early Caledonian,and during the peak period of hydrocarbon generation of Yuertusi Formation source rock,the reservoirs still maintained at a porosity of 6%?10%.The above understandings provide a certain basis for the evaluation of accumulation effectiveness of the Sinian Qigebrak Formation,northwestern Tarim Basin,and provide a case for the application of mapping and dating techniques in the study of ancient carbonate reservoirs.

Studies on the Inversion Phenomenon of Physical Properties Observed in the Huagang Formation Reservoir in the Xihu Sag Based on the Water-Rock Reaction Experiments

In the Xihu Sag,the reservoirs of the Paleogene Huagang formation have entered the middle diagenetic stage A and the rock physical properties of the water layer are considerably more suitable for the gas migration and storage than those of the present gas layer,indicating the inversion of the physical properties.In this study,core samples were collected from the corresponding reservoir to conduct water-rock reaction experiments in acidic,alkaline,and neutral systems under the specific temperature and pressure.The reasons for the inversion of physical properties were investigated based on the experiment results in reservoir diagenetic environments.The inversion of physical properties can be attributed to the fact that the diagenetic environment around the gas-water interface controls the water-rock reaction effect.With different types of acidic substances,two different situations corresponding to inverted physical properties were analyzed along with the corresponding mechanisms.When the pore fluid is acidic,the physical properties make the overall water layer a better reservoir space than the gas layer,which can be referred to as the overall inversion of physical properties.When the fluid were generally neutral or weakly alkaline and the gas layer was rich in CO2,only the physical properties of the water layer adjacent to the gas-water interface were more favorable for the gas migration than those of the gas layer.This phenomenon can be referred to as the near-interface inversion of physical properties.

Relationship Between Paleogene Reservoir Densification and Hydrocarbon Accumulation in the Xihu Depression

Fluid inclusion analysis and testing were conducted to clarify the relationship between reservoir densification and hydrocarbon accumulation in the Paleogene Pinghu and Huagang formations in the Xihu Depression.The hydrocarbon accumulation stages of the reservoirs were studied in combination with the reconstruction results of burial and thermal evolution histories.Furthermore,the relationship between reservoir densification and accumulation charging was clarified in combination with the pore evolutionary history.In accordance with the time relation between reservoir densification and hydrocarbon charging,the reservoirs were classified into three types:pre-charging,syn-charging,and after-charging densification.Results indicated that large-scale hydrocarbon charging occurred in 11–0Myr.Reservoir densification was mainly caused by strong mechanical compaction and pore filling by well-developed siliceous and carbonate cements.Entering the middle diagenetic stage A1,the reservoir was under an acidic-diagenetic environment,resulting in the development of secondary dissolution pores.If large-scale hydrocarbon charging occurred during this period,then an after-charging densification reservoir,which is the most suitable type for hydrocarbon accumulation,might have developed.Entering the middle diagenetic stage A2,the reservoir was under an acidic-alkaline transitional diagenetic environment.During this stage,dissolution became weak,and compaction and cementation were enhanced,resulting in the continuous loss of pore space and reservoir densification.Entering the middle diagenetic period B,the reservoir was under an alkaline-diagenetic environment,and the reservoir had been largely densified.If large-scale hydrocarbon charging occurred during this period,a pre-charging densified reservoir,which is the worst reservoir type for hydrocarbon accumulation,might have developed.

Characteristics of dolomite karstic reservoir in the Sinian Dengying Formation,Sichuan Basin

The Sinian dolomite reservoir in Dengying Formation was developed extensively in the Sichuan Basin,and typically was the facies-controlled dolomite karstic reservoir.The development of this kind of the reservoir was related with the special deposits,diagenetic environment as well as the multi-phase and multi-type dissolution and fracturing actions.The arid-hot/dry paleo-climate was favourable to develop the large-scale microbial reef-shoal bodies and moundeshoal bodies,which was characterized by the organic framework and the sea floor hardening,thus forming primary matrix pore-type reservoir.In the background of the arid-hot/dry paleo-climate,the water-rock interaction was weak,the mineral stabilization process was slowly,and the vadose pisoliths,aragonite and high-magnesium calcite were well preserved,therefore,this diagenetic environment especially was beneficial for pore preservation.Moreover,the syngenetic and penecontemporaneous dissolution,especially three phases of weathered crust karstification due to three episodes of the Tongwan movement,led to further dissolution of spaces and form numerous non-fabric selective dissolution fractures and dissolution caves along faults and fractures.Multi-phase fractures,especially the late Yanshanian-Himalayan tectonic fractures,resulted in connection among pores,vugs and dissolution caves,and improved quality of the reservoir tremendously.