Strata Architectural Variability and Facies Distribution in a Structural Transfer Zone: A Case Study of Fushan Sag, Northern South China Sea

Structural transfer zones in a half-graben rift basin play a significant role in controlling sandy sediments and providing a target for hydrocarbon exploration. Previous studies have classified the transfer zone in lacustrine environments into two different patterns: synthetic approaching transfer zones and synthetic overlapping transfer zones. However, the evolution of the depositional pattern and the controlling factors of the above transfer zones are still unclear. In the Fushan Sag, the northern South China Sea, an overlapping transfer zone developed in the early Eocene Epoch, while a synthetic approaching transfer zone developed in the late Eocene, due to tectonic uplift. This evolutionary process provided an opportunity to study the stacking pattern of strata architectural variability and facies distribution in the structural transfer zone of the Eocene lacustrine basin. In this study, following the indications of the oriented sedimentary structures in core samples and heavy mineral assemblages of 18 wells, the evolution of the paleo-hydrodynamic distribution during the early and late Eocene has been reconstructed. The sequence-stratigraphy was then divided and the sand body parameters calculated, according to the seismic data and well log interpretations. During the early Eocene, the lake level was at a low stand, the faults broken displacement in the East block being over 50 m. The prograding delta and turbidites are oriented perpendicular to the structural transfer zone. According to the quantitative analysis of the flow rate and the depositional parameters, we speculate that gravity transportation of the sediment and the sediment-supply are the dominating factors during this period. Up to the late Eocene, the rising lake level and the decreased fault displacement leads the flow to divert to a NE-direction, resulting in it being parallel to the axis of the transfer zone. Thus, we speculate that the accommodation space is predominant in this period. In comparison with the above two periods, a braided river delta with an isolated sand body and turbidites developing in the deep area is prominent in the overlapping transfer zone, while a meandering river delta is characteristic of the synthetic approaching transfer zone.

Combination and distribution of reservoir space in complex carbonate rocks

This paper discusses the reservoir space in carbonate rocks in terms of types,combination features,distribution regularity,and controlling factors,based on core observations and tests of the North Truva Oilfield,Caspian Basin.According to the reservoir space combinations,carbonate reservoirs can be divided into four types,i.e.,pore,fracture-pore,pore-cavity-fracture,and pore-cavity.Formation and distribution of these reservoirs is strongly controlled by deposition,diagenesis,and tectonism.In evaporated platform and restricted platform facies,the reservoirs are predominately affected by meteoric fresh water leaching in the supergene-para-syngenetic period and by uplifting and erosion in the late stage,making both platform facies contain all the above-mentioned four types of reservoirs,with various pores,such as dissolved cavities and dissolved fractures,or structural fractures occasionally in favorable structural locations.In open platform facies,the reservoirs deposited continuously in deeper water,in an environment of alternative high-energy shoals（where pore-fracture-type reservoirs are dominant） and low-energy shoals（where pore reservoirs are dominant）.

Sedimentary characteristics and processes of the Paleogene Dainan Formation in the Gaoyou Depression, North Jiangsu Basin, eastern China

In this paper,the type,vertical evolution,and distribution pattern of sedimentary facies of the Paleogene Dainan Formation in the Gaoyou Depression of the North Jiangsu Basin are studied in detail.Results show that fan delta,delta,nearshore subaqueous fan,and lacustrine facies developed during the Dainan Formation period and their distribution pattern was mainly controlled by tectonics and paleogeography.The fan delta and nearshore subaqueous fan facies predominantly occur in the southern steep slope region where fault-induced subsidence is thought to have created substantial accommodation,whereas the delta facies are distributed on the northern gentle slope which is thought to have experienced less subsidence.Finally,the lacustrine facies is shown to have developed in the center of the depression,as well as on the flanks of the fan delta,delta,and nearshore subaqueous fan facies.Vertically,the Dainan Formation represents an integrated transgressiveregressive cycle,with the E2d1being the transgressive sequence and the E2d2being the regressive sequence.This distribution model of sedimentary facies plays an important role in predicting favorable reservoir belts for the Dainan Formation in the Gaoyou Depression and similar areas.In the Gaoyou Depression,sandstones of the subaqueous distributary channels in the fan delta and the subaqueous branch channels in the delta are characterized by physical properties favorable for reservoir formation.

Seismic analysis of early-mid Miocene carbonate platform in the southern Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

The southern uplift of the Qiongdongnan Basin is a deepwater area in which no wells have beens drilled. The Miocene-Quaternary strata in the Xisha Islands, which are located 40–100 km to the south, are composed of carbonate reef formations. Paleotectonic and paleogeographic analyses of the basin suggest that the southern uplift experienced favorable geological conditions for the development of carbonate reefs during the Miocene.The high-impedance carbonates have high amplitudes and low frequencies on seismic profiles. The reefs are distributed on paleotectonic highs and are thicker than the contemporaneous formations. A forward model of the variation in carbonate thickness based on lithological and velocity information from wells in nearby regions can simulate the seismic response of carbonates with different thicknesses. We identified several important controlling points for determining the thickness of carbonates from seismic profiles, including the pinchout point,the λ/4 thickness point, and the λ/2 thickness point. We depict a carbonate thickness map in the deepwater area of the southern Qiongdongnan Basin based on this model. The carbonate thickness map, the paleotectonic and paleogeographic background, and the seismic response characteristics of reefs suggest that the carbonates that developed on the southern uplift of the Qiongdongnan Basin during the Miocene were mainly an isolated carbonate platform peninsula and ramp deposits. It consisted of gentle ramp platform, steep slope platform,platform depression, gravity flow, and reef bank facies.

Bridging element-free Galerkin and pluri-Gaussian simulation for geological uncertainty estimation in an ensemble smoother data assimilation framework

The facies distribution of a reservoir is one of the biggest concerns for geologists,geophysicists,reservoir modelers,and reservoir engineers due to its high importance in the setting of any reliable decisionmaking/optimization of field development planning.The approach for parameterizing the facies distribution as a random variable comes naturally through using the probability fields.Since the prior probability fields of facies come either from a seismic inversion or from other sources of geologic information,they are not conditioned to the data observed from the cores extracted from the wells.This paper presents a regularized element-free Galerkin(R-EFG)method for conditioning facies probability fields to facies observation.The conditioned probability fields respect all the conditions of the probability theory(i.e.all the values are between 0 and 1,and the sum of all fields is a uniform field of 1).This property achieves by an optimization procedure under equality and inequality constraints with the gradient projection method.The conditioned probability fields are further used as the input in the adaptive pluri-Gaussian simulation(APS)methodology and coupled with the ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation(ES-MDA)for estimation and uncertainty quantification of the facies distribution.The history-matching of the facies models shows a good estimation and uncertainty quantification of facies distribution,a good data match and prediction capabilities.