The mechanism of unconventional hydrocarbon formation: Hydrocarbon self-sealing and intermolecular forces

The successful development of unconventional hydrocarbons has significantly increased global hydrocarbon resources, promoted the growth of global hydrocarbon production and made a great breakthrough in classical oil and gas geology. The core mechanism of conventional hydrocarbon accumulation is the preservation of hydrocarbons by trap enrichment and buoyancy, while unconventional hydrocarbons are characterized by continuous accumulation and non-buoyancy accumulation. It is revealed that the key of formation mechanism of the unconventional reservoirs is the self-sealing of hydrocarbons driven by intermolecular forces. Based on the behavior of intermolecular forces and the corresponding self-sealing, the formation mechanisms of unconventional oil and gas can be classified into three categories:(1) thick oil and bitumen, which are dominated by large molecular viscous force and condensation force;(2) tight oil and gas, shale oil and gas and coal-bed methane, which are dominated by capillary forces and molecular adsorption;and(3) gas hydrate, which is dominated by intermolecular clathration. This study discusses in detail the characteristics, boundary conditions and geological examples of self-sealing of the five types of unconventional resources, and the basic principles and mathematical characterization of intermolecular forces. This research will deepen the understanding of formation mechanisms of unconventional hydrocarbons, improve the ability to predict and evaluate unconventional oil and gas resources, and promote the development and production techniques and potential production capacity of unconventional oil and gas.

Construction of well logging knowledge graph and intelligent identification method of hydrocarbon-bearing formation

Based on the well logging knowledge graph of hydrocarbon-bearing formation(HBF),a Knowledge-Powered Neural Network Formation Evaluation model(KPNFE)has been proposed.It has the following functions:(1)extracting characteristic parameters describing HBF in multiple dimensions and multiple scales;(2)showing the characteristic parameter-related entities,relationships,and attributes as vectors via graph embedding technique;(3)intelligently identifying HBF;(4)seamlessly integrating expertise into the intelligent computing to establish the assessment system and ranking algorithm for potential pay recommendation.Taking 547 wells encountered the low porosity and low permeability Chang 6 Member of Triassic in the Jiyuan Block of Ordos Basin,NW China as objects,80%of the wells were randomly selected as the training dataset and the remainder as the validation dataset.The KPNFE prediction results on the validation dataset had a coincidence rate of 94.43%with the expert interpretation results and a coincidence rate of 84.38%for all the oil testing layers,which is 13 percentage points higher in accuracy and over 100 times faster than the primary conventional interpretation.In addition,a number of potential pays likely to produce industrial oil were recommended.The KPNFE model effectively inherits,carries forward and improves the expert knowledge,nicely solving the robustness problem in HBF identification.The KPNFE,with good interpretability and high accuracy of computation results,is a powerful technical means for efficient and high-quality well logging re-evaluation of old wells in mature oilfields.

Multi-Stage Fluid Charging and Critical Period of Hydrocarbon Accumulation of the Sinian Dengying Formation in Central Sichuan Basin

Objective The natural gas exploration of the Sinian reservoirs in the central Sichuan Basin has made a significant breakthrough in recent years, and has thus attracted much attention among geologists. The Sichuan Basin is known to have complicated geological settings, which has experienced multiple stages of tectonic evolution, fluid charging and hydrocarbon accumulation. This research aims to determine the geochemical characteristics of each stage of fluids, the features and time interval of fluid activity in different geologic periods, and further to restore the critical period and geological age of the hydrocarbon accumulation.

Continuous conversion of methanol to higher hydrocarbons at ambient pressure

An iodozincate ionic liquid solvent and catalyst is used to convert methanol continuously to a wide variety of hydrocarbons at atmospheric pressure.

ATR-FTIR Analysis on Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Bond(C-H)For­mation and Carboxyl Content during the Ageing of DC Air Plasma Treated Cotton Cellulose and Its Impact on Hydrophilicity

The surface of the cotton fabric was modified using a direct current(DC)air plasma treatment and hence enhances its hydrophilicity.The Box-Behnken approach(design expert software)was used to optimise the input process parameters.The sample prepared under optimized condition is subjected to ATR-FTIR and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy(FESEM)studies in order to determine the changes in hydrogen bond energies(EH),Total Crystallinity Index(TCI),Hydrogen Bond Intensity(HBI),Lateral Order Index(LOI),functionalization,lattice parameters(a,b,c&β),degree of crystallinity(in%)and surface etching.The ageing of this sample has been studied by comparing the values of carboxyl content and AC-C/AC-O-C ratio calculated using data extracted from ATR-FTIR spectra of the sample recorded periodically for one month.

Multi-Stage Hydrocarbon Accumulation and Formation Pressure Evolution in Sinian Dengying FormationCambrian Longwangmiao Formation, Gaoshiti-Moxi Structure, Sichuan Basin

Sichuan Basin is a typical superimposed basin, which experienced multi-phase tectonic movements, meanwhile Sinian–Cambrian underwent complex hydrocarbon accumulation processes, causing exploration difficulties in the past 60 years. Based on the microscopic evidence of fluid inclusions, combined with basin-modelling, this paper determines stages and time of hydrocarbon accumulation, reconstructs evolution of formation pressure and dynamic processes of hydrocarbon accumulation in Sinian Dengying Formation-Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation of Gaoshiti-Moxi structure. Three stages of inclusions are detected, including a stage of yellow-yellowgreen fluorescent oil inclusions, a stage of blue fluorescent oil-gas inclusions and a stage of non-fluorescent gas inclusions, reflecting the study area has experienced a series of complex hydrocarbon accumulation processes, such as formation of paleo-oil reservoirs, cracking of crude oil, formation of paleo-gas reservoirs and adjustment to present gas reservoirs, which occurred during 219–188, 192–146 and 168–0 Ma respectively. During the period of crude oil cracking, Dengying Formation-Longwangmiao Formation showed weak overpressure to overpressure characteristics, then after adjustment of paleo-gas reservoirs to present gas reservoirs, the pressure in Dengying Formation changed into overpressure but finally reduced to normal pressure system. However, due to excellent preservation conditions, the overpressure strength in Longwangmiao Formation only slightly decreased and was still kept to this day.

Modes of Shale-Gas Enrichment Controlled by Tectonic Evolution

The typical characteristics of shale gas and the enrichment differences show that some shale gases are insufficiently explained by the existing continuous enrichment mode. These shale gases include the Wufeng–Longmaxi shale gas in the Jiaoshiba and Youyang Blocks, the Lewis shale gas in the San Juan Basin. Further analysis reveals three static subsystems（hydrocarbon source rock, gas reservoirs and seal formations） and four dynamic subsystems（tectonic evolution, sedimentary sequence, diagenetic evolution and hydrocarbon-generation history） in shale-gas enrichment systems. Tectonic evolution drives the dynamic operation of the whole shale-gas enrichment system. The shale-gas enrichment modes controlled by tectonic evolution are classifiable into three groups and six subgroups. Group I modes are characterized by tectonically controlled hydrocarbon source rock, and include continuous in-situ biogenic shale gas（Ⅰ_1） and continuous in-situ thermogenic shale gas（Ⅰ_2）. Group Ⅱ modes are characterized by tectonically controlled gas reservoirs, and include anticline-controlled reservoir enrichment（Ⅱ_1） and fracture-controlled reservoir enrichment（Ⅱ_2）. Group Ⅲ modes possess tectonically controlled seal formations, and include faulted leakage enrichment（Ⅲ_1） and eroded residual enrichment（Ⅲ_2）. In terms of quantity and exploitation potential, Ⅰ_1 and Ⅰ_2 are the best shale-gas enrichment modes, followed by Ⅱ_1 and Ⅱ_2. The least effective modes are Ⅲ_1 and Ⅲ_2. The categorization provides a different perspective for deep shale-gas exploration.

Seismic interpretation and hydrocarbon accumulations implication of the Miocene Meishan Formation reefs in southern Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea

Numerous moundy reflections were found at the Upper Meishan Formation in southern Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea which are suspected reefs. However, no common understanding on the seismic and geologic interpretation was acquired. Based on seismic reflection identification, geometrical configuration description, wave impedance inversion, forward simulation, analysis of reef-building sedimentary environments and pseudomorph identification, these suspected-reef moundy reflections were studied in details.Three types of reefs were recognized, i.e., patch reef, platform-edge reef, and pinnacle reef. They have some typical characteristics of reefs, including moundy or lenticular shape, clear outline with crest and canal, internal foreset bedding, bidirectional uplap between limbs, and strong reflection at top and bottom. The patch reefs are of moundy seismic facies, with moderateestrong amplitude and moderate frequency, and distribute at the higher part of southern slope belt. Fore-reef and back-reef of patch reefs are slightly asymmetrical being perpendicular to palaeo-bathymetric orientation; while symmetrical to slightly asymmetrical being parallel to the palaeo-bathymetric orientation, and the wave impedance value is about 7 kg/m^3×m/s.Platform-edge reefs are of flat-moundy seismic facies with strong amplitude and moderate frequency, which develop at the carbonate platform edge of higher part of southern slope belt, and the wave impedance value is about 7.5 kg/m^3×m/s. Pinnacle reefs grow up on volcanic cones, forming the complex of pinnacle reef and volcanic cone. The Miocene Meishan Formation reefs in southern Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea, with high quality sourceereservoireseal assemblages, have good petroleum exploration prospects.

Relationship between Tanlu Fault and Hydrocarbon Accumulation in Liaozhong Sag, Bohai Bay, Eastern China

Tanlu fault （Liaozhong segment） goes straight through Liaodong Bay along NNE direc- tion and it is divided into three segments, i.e., the northern segment, the middle segment and the south- ern segment, according to the differences in structural features. There are obvious changes in deposit thickness, sag structure, tectonic nature and other aspects of the layers. Tanlu fault is a special control- ling factor concerning the reservoir formation in Liaozhong sag. First, its activities affect paleogeo- morphology and paleogeographic framework and control the distribution of the sedimentary facies and then they proceed to control the distribution of the source rock and reservoir sand bodies. Second, its activities affect the formation and deformation of the structure, control the formation of abundant traps and cause the destruction of some traps. Third, its activities also affect the juxtaposition relation among the fault, the sand bodies and unconformity surfaces and control the function and efficacy of the three as the main hydrocarbon translocation system. In this paper the hydrocarbon reservoir formation process of JZ21-1, JXI-1 and LD27~2 oil and gas fields, the representatives of Tanlu strike slip fault zone are mainly analyzed. The modes of hydrocarbon reservoir formation can be generalized as follows--hydrocarbon source acts as ＂soil＂ and oil and gas as ＂nutrient＂; hydrocarbon expulsion relies on ＂roots＂; hydrocarbon migration relies on ＂trunks＂; reservoir forms in ＂brunches＂ and the whole process follows the pattern that ＂hydrocarbon accumulates in strike slips and oil and gas reservoir forms like the growth of trees＂.

Tuning the catalytic selectivity in electrochemical CO2 reduction on copper oxide-derived nanomaterials

Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to hydrocarbons can relieve both environmental and energy stresses. However, electrocatalysts for this reaction usually suffer from a poor product selectivity and a large overpotential. Here we report that tunable catalytic selectivity for hydrocarbon formation could be achieved on Cu nanomaterials with different morphologies. By tuning the electrochemical parameters, either Cu oxide nanowires or nanoneedles were fabricated and then electrochemically reduced to the corresponding Cu nanomaterials. The Cu nanowires preferred the formation of C2H4, while the Cu nanoneedles favored the production of more CH4, rather than C2H4. Our work provides a facile synthetic strategy for preparing Cu-based nanomaterials to achieve selective CO2 reduction.

On-board measurements of gaseous pollutant emission characteristics under real driving conditions from light-duty diesel vehicles in Chinese cities

A total of 15 light-duty diesel vehicles（LDDVs） were tested with the goal of understanding the emission factors of real-world vehicles by conducting on-board emission measurements. The emission characteristics of hydrocarbons（HC） and nitrogen oxides（NOx） at different speeds, chemical species profiles and ozone formation potential（OFP） of volatile organic compounds（VOCs） emitted from diesel vehicles with different emission standards were analyzed. The results demonstrated that emission reductions of HC and NOxhad been achieved as the control technology became more rigorous from Stage I to Stage IV. It was also found that the HC and NOxemissions and percentage of O2 dropped with the increase of speed, while the percentage of CO2 increased. The abundance of alkanes was significantly higher in diesel vehicle emissions, approximately accounting for 41.1%–45.2%, followed by aromatics and alkenes. The most abundant species were propene,ethane, n-decane, n-undecane, and n-dodecane. The maximum incremental reactivity（MIR）method was adopted to evaluate the contributions of individual VOCs to OFP. The results indicated that the largest contributors to O3 production were alkenes and aromatics, which accounted for 87.7%–91.5%. Propene, ethene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1-butene, and1,2,3-trimethylbenzene were the top five VOC species based on their OFP, and accounted for 54.0%-64.8% of the total OFP. The threshold dilution factor was applied to analyze the possibility of VOC stench pollution. The majority of stench components emitted from vehicle exhaust were aromatics, especially p-diethylbenzene, propylbenzene, m-ethyltoluene, and p-ethyltoluene.