Reservoir characteristics and formation model of Upper Carboniferous bauxite series in eastern Ordos Basin,NW China

Through core observation,thin section identification,X-ray diffraction analysis,scanning electron microscopy,and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and isothermal adsorption experiments,the lithology and pore characteristics of the Upper Carboniferous bauxite series in eastern Ordos Basin were analyzed to reveal the formation and evolution process of the bauxite reservoirs.A petrological nomenclature and classification scheme for bauxitic rocks based on three units(aluminum hydroxides,iron minerals and clay minerals)is proposed.It is found that bauxitic mudstone is in the form of dense massive and clastic structures,while the(clayey)bauxite is of dense massive,pisolite,oolite,porous soil and clastic structures.Both bauxitic mudstone and bauxite reservoirs develop dissolution pores,intercrystalline pores,and microfractures as the dominant gas storage space,with the porosity less than 10% and mesopores in dominance.The bauxite series in the North China Craton can be divided into five sections,i.e.,ferrilite(Shanxi-style iron ore,section A),bauxitic mudstone(section B),bauxite(section C),bauxite mudstone(debris-containing,section D)and dark mudstone-coal section(section E).The burrow/funnel filling,lenticular,layered/massive bauxite deposits occur separately in the karst platforms,gentle slopes and low-lying areas.The karst platforms and gentle slopes are conducive to surface water leaching,with strong karstification,well-developed pores,large reservoir thickness and good physical properties,but poor strata continuity.The low-lying areas have poor physical properties but relatively continuous and stable reservoirs.The gas enrichment in bauxites is jointly controlled by source rock,reservoir rock and fractures.This recognition provides geological basis for the exploration and development of natural gas in the Upper Carboniferous in the study area and similar bauxite systems.

Coal reservoir characteristics and their controlling factors in the eastern Ordos basin in China

In the eastern Ordos basin, due to the diversity of the tectonic setting, coal rank, gas content and permeability, coal reservoirs have differing characteristics. In this paper, based on coal reservoir geometry, gas content, adsorption capacity, pores and fissures developments and permeability data, the coalbed methane(CBM) reservoir characteristics and their controlling factors in the eastern Ordos basin is discussed. The results show that, due to undergoing different paleo-temperatures in the geological history,coal rank has a higher trend from the north part to the south and from the shallow part to the inward basin, which determines CBM distribution and recoverability. In the north, although having large coal thickness and high permeability, Zhungeer-Xingxian coal rank is low, and gas content is small. In the central part, with medium rank, higher gas content and relatively high permeability, and the Wubao-Liulin area is the most favorable area in the eastern Ordos basin. In the southern part, medium and high metamorphism coal occurs, and although having the highest gas content, the permeability in the Hancheng area is low due to the development of sheared coal.

Paleoenvironment controls on organic matter accumulation in transitional shales from the eastern Ordos Basin,China

To investigate the paleoenvironmental controls on organic matter accumulation of Upper Paleozoic shales in the eastern Ordos Basin,China,26 shale samples were collected from two wells drilled into the Shanxi and Taiyuan Formations.The total organic carbon(TOC)content,mineral compositions and elemental geochemistry of the samples were analyzed.Quartz(35.42%)and clay minerals(48.34%)are the dominant minerals and trace elements(Li,Cs,Cu,V,Co,and Cr)are commonly enriched in the shale samples compared to the Upper Continental Crust.C-values(ranging from 0.2 to 4.5),chemical indices of weathering(CIW)values(48.82 to 99.11),and Sr/Cu ratios(1.00 to 11.05)suggest that the paleoclimate was humid in the study area during the Late Paleozoic.Elemental redox indices(e.g.,Al_(2)O_(3)/(Al_(2)O_(3)+Fe_(2)O_(3)),V/Cr,Ni/Co,V/(V+Ni)and U/Th)indicate a dysoxic to oxic paleoenvironment characterized by transi-tional sedimentary deposits in a continental margin setting.In addition,chemical index of alteration(CIA,ranging from 77.92%to 98.36%)and CIW(89.19%to 99.11%)values suggest that there was intense chemical weathering in the study area,while the Al_(2)O_(3)-CaO^(*)+Na_(2)O-K_(2)O(A-CN-K)ternary diagram demonstrates that the shales were not subjected to potassium metasomatism during diagen-esis.Al_(2)O_(3)/TiO_(2)and TiO_(2)/Zr ratios,as well as REE characteristics suggest a felsic source rocks and discount seawater as an REE source.Ce anomalies indicate an oxic environment with terrigenous input during black shale deposition,and LREE enrichment with negative Eu anomalies suggests that both shale formations were affected by detrital input rather than hydrothermal fluids.The correlation of TOC(ranging from 1.10%to 6.39%,with an average of 2.77%)with trace elemental redox indices(Sr/Cu,Sr/Ba,V/Cr,and U/Th)indicates that a warm-humid,dysoxic to oxic environment preserved much of the organic matter.

Paleogeomorphy evolution of the Ordovician weathering crust and its implication for reservoir development,eastern Ordos Basin

Gas reservoir development of the Ordovician weathering crust in the Ordos Basin is closely controlled by the pre-Carboniferous paleogeomorphy.Previous studies show that the paleogeomorphy is high in the west and low in the east,and the karst highland,karst slope and karst basin are developed from west to east.With further exploration in recent years,many karst breccia that represent strong karstification,are found in the east area which previously is considered to be the Ordovician karst basin.Thus,it is necessary to revaluate controlling factors of karst paleogeomorphy development from a viewpoint of the dynamic paleogeomorphy evolution,to investigate the paleogeomorphy evolution of the Ordovician weathering crust in geological history and guide further research and prediction of development law of reservoir spaces.In order to reconstruct the paleogeomorphy of the weathering crust in the top of Ordovician in the east Ordos Basin,paleogeography,thickness of residual strata and paleokarst characteristics are well studied.The result shows that a wide range of paleokarst highland occurred in the central to east part of Ordos Basin in the early period,and the karst reservoir spaces were formed;but in the late period,the east part of the basin gradually evolved into the paleokarst basin,the current pre-Carboniferous paleogeomorphy was thus formed,and the dissolution reservoir spaces formed in the early period were mostly filled,accordingly the reservoirs were tight.However fracture networks formed by cave collapse connect intercrystalline pores of dolomite,therefore,the reservoirs can still be well preserved locally and are worthy targets for hydrocarbon exploration.

The origin mechanism of coalbed methane in the eastern edge of Ordos Basin

In the eastern edge of the Ordos Basin,the coalbed methane(CBM)development has not made substantial progress in the past20 years,and the origin of gas can be used to guide the CBM block-selecting and development.Based on the 37 sets of carbon isotope data,the origin of the gas was determined and the origin mechanism was studied in this work.The 13CPDB of methane ranges from 70.5‰to 36.19‰in the eastern edge in the Ordos Basin and the value becomes heavier from the north to the south.The secondary biogenic gas and the thermogenic gas are mixed in the shallow area and the thermogenic gas occurs in the medium and deep levels.The phenomenon is controlled mainly by the distribution of coal rank and hydrodynamics.Firstly,based on the relationship between China coal rank and methane 13CPDB,the medium rank coal is dominant in the eastern edge of the Ordos Basin,and the mixture of the secondary biogenic gas and the thermogenic gas is formed in the coal of vitrinite reflectant ratio(Rmax)between 0.5%and 2.0%if there is appropriate hydrodynamics;at the same time,because of the shallow burial depth,and the well-developed coal outcrop,meteoric water and other surface water carrying bacteria recharge the coal reservoir,metabolize the organic compounds at a relatively low temperature,and generate methane and carbon dioxide.Wherever the trapping mechanisms occur in the coal,such as Liulin and Hancheng,modern gas content should be high.