Key factors controlling shale oil enrichment in saline lacustrine rift basin:implications from two shale oil wells in Dongpu Depression,Bohai Bay Basin

Comparative analyses of petroleum generation potential,reservoir volume,frackability,and oil mobility were conducted on 102 shale cores from the Dongpu Depression.Results show the shale has high organic matter contents composed of oil-prone type I and type II kerogens within the oil window.Various types of pores and fractures exist in the shale,with a porosity of up to 14.9%.The shale has high brittle mineral contents,extensive fractures,and high potential for oil mobility due to high seepage capacity and overpressure.Although the petroleum generation potential of the shale at Well PS18-8 is relatively greater than that at Well PS18-1,oil content of the latter is greater due to the greater TOC.The porosity and fracture density observed in Well PS18-1 are greater and more conducive to shale oil enrichment.Although the shales in Wells PS18-1 and PS18-8 have similar brittle mineral contents,the former is more favorable for anthropogenic fracturing due to a higher preexisting fracture density.Besides,the shale at Well PS18-1 has a higher seepage capacity and overpressure and therefore a higher oil mobility.The fracture density and overpressure play key roles in shale oil enrichment.

Several issues worthy of attention in current lacustrine shale oil exploration and development

Based on the current research status of shale oil exploration and development at home and abroad,through field observations,dissection of typical shale oil regions,analysis and testing of organic-rich shale samples,etc.,we compare the differences in geological and engineering characteristics of shale oil reservoirs in marine and continental basins in China and the United States,put forward several issues worthy of attention in the exploration and development of lacustrine shale oil in typical basins of China,including the concept of tight oil and shale oil,vertical permeability and horizontal permeability,differences between continental and marine shale oil reservoirs,medium-low maturity and medium-high maturity,source-reservoir and source-caprock,geology and engineering,selection criteria of favorable areas and“sweet spots”,basic scientific research and application research.By comparing and analyzing organic-rich shales in the Triassic Yanchang Formation of the Ordos Basin,the Permian Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag of the Junggar Basin,the Permian Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag,the Cretaceous Qingshankou&Nenjiang Formation in the Songliao Basin and the Paleogene Kongdian&Shahejie Formation in the Bohai Bay Basin,we believe that three key scientific issues must be studied in-depth from shale oil exploration to development in the future:(1)the physical,chemical and biological processes during the deposition of terrestrial fine-grained sediments and the formation mechanism of terrestrial organic-rich shale;(2)the dynamic evolution of diagenesis-hydrocarbon generation-reservoir formation,and the mechanisms of hydrocarbon formation and accumulation;(3)the fracturing mechanisms of terrestrial shale layers in different diagenetic stages and the multi-phase and multi-scale flow mechanism of shale oil in shale layers of different maturities.In addition,we should clarify the main controlling factors of shale oil reservoir characterization,oil-bearing properties,compressibility and fluidity of shale oil with different maturities,establish a lacustrine shale oil enrichment model and the evaluation methodology,to provide effective development methods,and ultimately to establish theoretical foundation and technical support for the large scale economical exploration and development of lacustrine shale oil resources in China.

Theories,technologies and practices of lacustrine shale oil exploration and development:A case study of Paleogene Kongdian Formation in Cangdong sag,Bohai Bay Basin,China

As the main factors affecting stable and high production and the production regularity of lacustrine shale oil are unclear,the theoretical understandings,key exploration and development technologies,development effect and production regularity of lacustrine shale oil have been analyzed and summarized based on 700 m cores taken systematically from Paleogene Kong 2 Member of 4 wells in Cangdong sag,over 100000 analysis data and formation testing data.Three theoretical understandings on shale oil enrichment and high production have been reached:(1)High-quality shale with“three highs and one low”is the material base for shale oil enrichment.(2)Medium-slightly high thermal evolution degree is the favorable condition for shale oil enrichment.(3)Laminar felsic shale is the optimal shale layer for oil enrichment in semi-deep lake facies.Key exploration and development technologies such as shale oil enrichment layer and area evaluation and prediction,horizontal well pattern layout,shale oil reservoir fracturing,optimization of shale oil production regime have been established to support high and stable shale oil production.Under the guidance of these theoretical understandings and technologies,shale oil in Cangdong sag has achieved high and stable production,and 4 of them had the highest production of over 100 tons a day during formation testing.In particular,Well GY5-1-1 L had a daily oil production of 208 m^(3).By April,2022,the 28 wells combined have a stable oil production of 300–350 tons a day,and have produced 17.8×10^(4) t of oil cumulatively.It is found that the shale oil production of horizontal well declines exponentially in natural flow stage,and declines in step pattern and then tends stable in the artificial lift stage.Proportion of light hydrocarbons in produced shale oil is in positive correlation with daily oil production and decreases regularly during production test.

Effect of petroleum chemical fraction and residual oil content in saline lacustrine organic-rich shale: A case study from the Paleogene Dongpu Depression of North China

Halite and gypsum minerals in saline shale make the retention mechanism and chemical fractionation of residual oil unique. The Dongpu Depression in North China is a typically saline lacustrine basin with developing halite and gypsum. The effect of gypsum minerals on residual oil content and chemical fractionation remains unclear. In this study, shale samples with different gypsum contents were used in organic geochemical experiments, showing that the high total organic matter (TOC) content and type II kerogen leads to a high residual oil content, as shown by high values of volatile hydrocarbon (S1) and extractable organic matter (EOM). XRD and FE-SEM result indicate that the existence of gypsum in saline shale contributes to an enhanced pore space and a higher residual oil content in comparison to non-gypsum shale. Additionally, the increase in the gypsum mineral content leads to an increase in the saturated hydrocarbon percentage and a decrease in polar components percentage (resins and asphaltene). Furthermore, thermal simulation experiments on low-mature saline shale show that the percentage of saturated hydrocarbons in the residual oil is high and remains stable and that the storage space is mainly mesoporous (> 20 nm) in the oil expulsion stage. However, the saturated hydrocarbons percentage decreases rapidly, and oil exists in mesopores (> 20 nm and < 5 nm) in the gas expulsion stage. In general, gypsum is conducive to the development of pore space, the adsorption of hydrocarbons and the occurrence of saturated hydrocarbon, leading to large quantities of residual oil. The data in this paper should prove to be reliable for shale oil exploration in saline lacustrine basins.

Rhenium-osmium(Re-Os)geochronology of crude oil from lacustrine source rocks of the Hailar Basin,NE China

Re-Os radiometric dating of crude oil can be used to constrain the timing of hydrocarbon generation,migration or charge.This approach has been successfully applied to marine petroleum systems;however,this study reports on its application to lacustrine-sourced natural crude oils.Oil s amples from multiple wells producing from the Cretaceous Nantun Formation in the Wuerxun-Beier depression of the Hailar Basin in NE China were analysed.Subsets of the Re-Os data are compatible with a Cretaceous hydrocarbon generation event(131.1±8.4 Ma)occurring within 10 Myr of deposition of the Nantun Formation source rocks.In addition,two younger age trends of 54±12 Ma and 1.28±0.69 Ma can be regressed from the Re-Os data,which may reflect the timing of subsequent hydrocarbon generation events.The Re-Os geochronometer,when combined with complementary age dating techniques,can provide direct temporal constraints on the evolution of petroleum system in a terrestrial basin.

Accumulation contribution differences between lacustrine organic-rich shales and mudstones and their significance in shale oil evaluation

The differences in organic matter abundance and rock composition between shale and mudstone determine the discrepancy of their contributions to the formation of conventional and shale oil/gas reservoirs.The evaluation criteria of source rocks are different in the future exploration in self-sourced petroleum systems.Shales are deposited in deep/semi-deep lacustrine,with low sedimentation rate and chemical depositions of various degrees,while mudstones are mostly formed in shallow lacustrine/lakeside,with high deposition rate and density flow characteristics.Three factors contribute to the enrichment of organic matter in shales,including the"fertility effect"caused by volcanic ash deposition and hydrothermal injection,excessive and over-speed growth of organisms promoted by radioactive materials,and deep-water anaerobic environment and low sedimentation rate to protect the accumulation of organic matter from dilution.Lamellations in shales are easy to be stripped into storage space,and acid water produced during hydrocarbon generation can dissolve some particles to generate new pores.The massive mudstones with high clay content are of poor matrix porosity.Shales with high total organic carbon,developed laminations,relatively good reservoir property,and high brittle mineral content,are the most favorable lithofacies for shale oil exploration and development.It is necessary to conduct investigation on the differences between shale and mudstone reservoirs,to identify resources distribution in shale and mudstone formations,determine the type and standard of"sweet-spot"evaluation parameters,optimize"sweet-spot areas/sections",and adopt effective development technologies,which is of great significance to objectively evaluate the total amount and economy of shale oil resources,as well as the scale of effective exploitation.

Elemental characteristics of lacustrine oil shale and its controlling factors of palaeo-sedimentary environment on oil yield： a case from Chang 7 oil layer of Triassic Yanchang Formation in southern Ordos Basin

As an important unconventional resource, oil shale has received widespread attention. The oil shale of the Chang 7 oil layer from Triassic Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin represents the typical lacustrine oil shale in China. Based on analyzing trace elements and oil yield from boreholes samples, characteristics and paleo-sedi- mentary environments of oil shale and relationship between paleo-sedimentary environment and oil yield were studied. With favorable quality, oil yield of oil shale varies from 1.4% to 9.1%. Geochemical data indicate that the paleo-redox condition of oil shale＇s reducing condition from analyses of V/Cr, V/（V ＋ Ni）, U/Th, δU, and authi genic uranium. Equivalent Boron, Sp, and Sr/Ba illustrate that paleosalinity of oil shale is dominated by fresh water. The paleoclimate of oil shale is warm and humid by calculating the chemical index of alteration and Sr/Cu. Fe/Ti and （Fe ＋ Mn）/Ti all explain that there were hot water activities during the sedimentary period of oil shale. In terms of Zr/Rb, paleohydrodynamics of oil shale is weak. By means of Co abundance and U/Th, paleo-water-depth of oil shale is from 17.30 to 157.26 m, reflecting sedimentary environment which is mainly in semi deep-deep lake facies. Correlation analyses between oil yield and six paleoenvironmental factors show that the oil yield of oil shale is mainly controlled by paleo-redox conditions, paleoclimate, hot water activities, and depth of water.Paleosalinity and paleohydrodynamics have an inconspicuous influence on oil yield.

Successful International Symposiumon Oil ＆ Gas Exploration in Lacustrine Basin

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Enrichment and exploration of deep lacustrine shale oil in the first member of Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, southern Songliao Basin, NE China

Pure shales in the first member of Qingshankou Formation(simplified as Qing 1 Member)in the southern Songliao Basin,i.e.,the semi-deep and deep lacustrine shales,are characterized by a high content of clay minerals and poor hydrocarbon mobility,making the development of shale oil difficult.According to the drilling and testing results,the shale of Qing 1 Member can be classified into 3 lithofacies,i.e.,bedded argillaceous shale,laminated diamictite shale,and interbedded felsic shale.The TOC and brittle minerals control the enrichment of shale oil,of them,TOC controls the total oil content,in other words,the total oil content increases with the increase of TOC;while the laminae made up of brittle minerals contain a large number of bigger intergranular pores which are favorable enrichment space for movable shale oil.In consideration of the origins of the 3 lithofacies,two shale oil enrichment models are classified,i.e.,the deep lacustrine high-TOC bedded argillaceous shale(Model-I)and the semi-deep lacustrine moderate-high-TOC laminated diamictite shale(Model-II).In the Model-I,the shale is characterized by high hydrocarbon generation ability,high total oil content,abundant horizontal bedding fractures,and vertical and high angle fractures locally;the complex fracture network formed by horizontal bedding fractures and vertical fractures improve the storage capacity and permeability of the shale reservoir,increase the enrichment space for movable oil.In the Model-II,the shale is characterized by good hydrocarbon generation ability and fairly high total oil content,and as the brittle laminae contain large intergranular pores,the shale has a higher movable oil content.Based on the two models,shale oil sweet-spot areas of 2880 km2 in the southern Songliao Basin are favorable for further exploration.Aimed at the difficulties in reservoir fracturing of the lacustrine shale with a high content of clay minerals,the composite fracturing technology with supercritical carbon dioxide was used in the shale oil reservoir for the first time,realizing large-scale volume fracturing in shale with a high content of clay minerals and strong heterogeneity,marking a breakthrough of oil exploration in continental shale with a high content of clay minerals in China.

Geochemical characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons in saline lacustrine crude oils and their significance as exemplified by the south area of western Qaidam Basin

Based on quantitative GC-MS analysis of 40 crude oil samples collected from the south area of western Qaidam Basin,one of the largest saline lacustrine basins in China,the geochemical characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons in oils were studied systematically in this paper.Among those constitutes,naphthalene(43% 59%),phenanthrene(12% 21%) and taromatic-sterane series(6% 28%) were the main ones of aromatic hydrocarbons.The ratio of aromatic hydrocarbon maturity parameter vs.saturated hydrocarbon maturity parameter C 29 20S/(20S+20R) shows that some aromatic hydrocarbon maturity parameters are not suitable for low-mature oils,including MPI,MNR,DNR,etc.Meanwhile,maturity parameters for dibenzothiophene and taromatic-sterane series are more appropriate for low maturity saline lacustrine crude oils.Based on the ratio of 4,6-DMDBT/1,4-DMDBT,the R c values are within the range of 0.59% 0.72%.However,the abundance of dibenzothiophene(DBT) is low,and the dibenzofuran(DBF) content is even lower,suggesting that the crude oils were formed in a saline lacustrine anaerobic environment.The high abundance of C 26 triaromatic steroid also indicates that the source material is brackish water-saline water with strong reducibility.

Hydrocarbon generation from lacustrine shales with retained oil during thermal maturation

Thermal maturation in the shale oil/gas system is inherently complex due to the competitive interplays between hydrocarbon generation and retention processes.To study hydrocarbon generation characteristics from shales within different stages of thermal maturation under the influence of retained oil,we performed Micro-Scale Sealed Vessels(MSSV)pyrolysis on a set of artificially matured lacustrine shale s amples from the Shahejie Formation in the Dongpu Depression in Bohai B ay Basin,China.Experimental results show that hydrocarbon yields of shale samples with or without retained oil at various thermal maturities follow different evolution paths.Heavy components(C15+)in samples crack at high temperatures and generally follow a sequence,where they first transform into C6-14 then to C2-5 and C1.Methane accounts for most of the gaseous products at high temperatures in all samples,with different origins.The cracking of C2-5 is the main methane-generating process in samples with retained oil,whereas the source of methane in samples without retained oil is kerogen.In the studied shales,retained oils at early-mature stage retard the transformation of liquid to gaseous hydrocarbon and prompt the cracking of C2-5 to C1 to some extent.TSR reaction related to gypsum in the studied samples is the primary reason that can explain the loss of hydrocarbon yields,especially at high temperatures.In addition,transformation of volatile hydrocarbons to gas and coke also accounts for the loss of generated hydrocarbon,as a secondary factor.

Petroleum geochemistry and origin of shallow-buried saline lacustrine oils in the slope zone of the Mahu sag, Junggar Basin, NW China

Recently, significant oil discoveries have been made in the shallower pay zones of the Jurassic Badaowan Formation (J_(1)b) in the Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin, Northwest China. However, little work has been done on the geochemical characteristics and origins of the oil in the J_(1)b reservoir. This study analyzes 44 oil and 14 source rock samples from the area in order to reveal their organic geochemical characteristics and the origins of the oils. The J_(1)b oils are characterized by a low Pr/Ph ratio and high β-carotene and gammacerane indices, which indicate that they were mainly generated from source rocks deposited in a hypersaline environment. The oils are also extremely enhanced in C_(29) regular steranes, possibly derived from halophilic algae. Oil-source correlation shows that the oils were derived from the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation (P_(1)f) source rocks, which were deposited in a strongly stratified and highly saline water column with a predominance of algal/bacterial input in the organic matter. The source rocks of the Middle Permian lower-Wuerhe Formation (P_(2)w), which were deposited in fresh to slightly saline water conditions with a greater input of terrigenous organic matter, make only a minor contribution to the J_(1)b oils. The reconstruction of the oil accumulation process shows that the J_(1)b oil reservoir may have been twice charged during Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous and the Paleogene–Neogene, respectively. A large amount volume of hydrocarbons generated in the P_(1)f source rock and leaked from T_(1)b oil reservoirs migrated along faults connecting source beds and shallow-buried secondary faults into Jurassic traps, resulting in large-scale accumulations in J_(1)b. These results are crucial for understanding the petroleum system of the Mahu Sag and will provide valuable guidance for petroleum exploration in the shallower formations in the slope area of the sag.

Investigation of oil and water migrations in lacustrine oil shales using 20 MHz 2D NMR relaxometry techniques

The behavior of oil and water in tight rocks can change the distribution of oil or water in pores,which affects the production of crude oil.Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(NMR)method is an effective and nondestructive tool for evaluating rocks with comparison and analysis both quantitatively and qualitatively.In our study,20 MHz NMR Relaxometry is used as a key technique to study the changes of water and oil behaviors in Chinese lacustrine Qingshankou shales under different saturated states(imbibition and evaporation without pressure).The results show that variation in different proton populations(water,oil and organic)can be distinguished using 2D T_(1)-T_(2)maps.The comparison among T_(1)-T_(2)maps with different saturated states shows that different signal regions changed during oil and water migrations,which the 1D NMR Relaxometry may be not easy to approach.Combined with the pyrolysis analysis,T2 shift and differences of signal regions in T_(1)-T_(2)maps can reflect properties such as wettability and composition(organic matter,clay and magnetic minerals)to some extent.This study provides better insight into oil and water behaviors in lacustrine oil shales with further understanding of 20 MHz NMR 2D T_(1)-T_(2)maps both in qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Pore Characteristics and Factors Controlling Lacustrine Shales from the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation of the Songliao Basin,Northeast China:A Study Combining SEM,Low-temperature Gas Adsorption and MICP Experiments

To investigate pore characteristics and the factors controlling lacustrine shales,geochemical,mineralogical and petrophysical experiments were performed on 23 shale samples from the Qingshankou Formation of the Songliao Basin,China.A comparison of mercury injection capillary pressure(MICP)and low-temperature N2 adsorption pore-size distribution showed that MICP has a higher pore-size distribution(PSD)line in its overlapping pore diameter range,which may be elevated by the higher pressure of MICP.Therefore,in the overlapping range,low-temperature N2 adsorption data were preferred in pore characterization.Negative correlations were observed between pore volumes and TOC content,indicating organic matter pores are not well-developed in the studied samples.This may be related to their low grade of maturity and type I kerogens.There existed negative relationships between pore volumes and S1,which illustrated that liquid hydrocarbons occupied some pore space.Micropore volume had a better correlation with S1 than mesopore and macropore volumes,which suggests that liquid hydrocarbons preferentially occur in micropores.No obvious relationships between pore volumes and quartz or feldspar were observed,while pore volumes increased with the increasing clay mineral content.These relationships indicate that intraparticle pores in clay minerals represent the principal pore type.

Mixed carbonate rocks lithofacies features and reservoirs controlling mechanisms in a saline lacustrine basin in Yingxi area,Qaidam Basin,NW China

Taking the mixed pre-salt carbonate rocks in the upper member of Eocene Xiaganchaigou Formation(E_(3)^(2))of Yingxi area in the Qaidam Basin as an example,the lithofacies and controlling mechanisms of reservoir formation are analyzed based on a large dataset of cores,thin sections and geochemical analysis.The reservoirs in E_(3)^(2)pre-salt layers have five types of lithofacies,of them,mixed granular calcareous dolostone,massive calcareous dolostone,plaque calcareous dolostone,and laminated dolomtic limestone are of sedimentary origin,and breccia calcareous dolostone is of tectonic origin.The four types of sedimentary lithofacies are divided into two types of saline sedimentary sequence lithofacies combinations,low-energy type in the sag area and low to high-energy type in the slope and paleo-uplift zone in the depression.Affected by high-frequency supply of continental clastic material,the two types of salty sedimentary sequences are mostly incomplete subtypes of lithofacies.Lithofacies have strong impacts on pre-salt reservoirs in E_(3)^(2):(1)Lithofacies type and sedimentary sequence controlled the formation and distribution of dolomite intercrystalline pores and dissolved pores during the pene-sedimentary period.(2)The structure of laminated dolomitic limestone controlled the formation of large-scale laminated fractures and high permeability channels during the diagenetic period.(3)Granular,massive,plaque calcareous dolostones have low mud content and strong brittleness,in the late tectonic reactivation period,the distribution of the three types of lithofacies,together with their distance from the top large slip faults and secondary faults,controlled the formation and distribution of high-efficiency fracture-cave brecciaed calcareous dolostone reservoirs.The above research led to the composite lithofacies-tectonic formation model of pre-salt reservoir in E_(3)^(2)of Yingxi area.The tempo-spatial distribution of tectonic breccia calcareous dolostone reservoirs,laminated dolomitic limestone shale oil reservoirs and granular,massive calcareous dolostone dissolved-intercrystalline pore tight reservoirs in various structural belts of the studied area have been figured out.These findings gave new insights into tight-shale oil accumulation theory in mixed carbonate successions from saline lacustrine basins,aiding in high efficient exploration and development of petroleum in the studied area.

Formation conditions and enrichment model of retained petroleum in lacustrine shale: A case study of the Paleogene in Huanghua depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China

Compared with marine facies shale strata,lacustrine shale strata are more complicated in geological conditions,and thus more difficult to explore and develop.To realize economic exploration and development of lacustrine shale oil,the geological regularities of accumulation and high yield of retained movable petroleum in shale should be understood first.In this work,taking the shale strata of Kong 2 Member and Sha 3 Member in the Paleogene of Huanghua depression in the Bohai Bay Basin as examples,based on the previous joint analysis results of over ten thousand core samples and the latest oil testing,production test and geochemical data of more than 30 horizontal wells,accumulation conditions and models of retained movable petroleum in lacustrine shale were studied comprehensively.The study shows that at moderate organic matter abundance(with TOC from 2%to 4%),shale strata have the best match between oil content and brittleness,and thus are rich in oil and good in fracability.Moderate ancient lake basin size and moderate sediment supply intensity are the internal factors leading to best coupling of organic matter abundance and brittle mineral content in the shale formation.Moderate thermal evolution maturity of Ro of 0.7%–1.0%(at burial depth of 3200 to 4300 m)is the interval where oil generation from thermal evolution and oil adsorption by kerogen in shale layers match best,and retained movable petroleum is high in proportion.Moderate diagenetic evolution stage(3200 to 4300 m in the middle diagenetic stage A)is conducive to the formation of a large number of dissolved pores and organic matter pores,which provide storage space for shale oil enrichment.Moderate development degree of natural fractures(without damaging the shale oil roof and floor sealing conditions)is conducive to the storage,seepage and preservation of shale oil.The research results have overthrown the general understanding that high organic matter abundance,high maturity,and high development degree of natural fractures are conducive to shale oil enrichment,and have guided the comprehensive evaluation of shale oil and gas sweet spots and well deployment in the second member of the Kongdian Formation in the Cangdong sag and the Shahejie Formation in the Qikou sag.Industrial development of the shale oil in Kong 2 Member of the Cangdong sag has made major breakthrough,and important signs of shale oil have been found in Sha 3 Member of the Qikou sag,demonstrating huge exploration potential of lacustrine shale oil.

Hydrocarbon Accumulation in Lacustrine Turbidite in the Rift Basin, Bohai Bay

Three types of turbidites are identified in the studied area, including proximal turbidite along the northern steep slope （alluvial fans, fan delta, and subaqueous fans via short-distance transportation）, distal turbidites along the southern gentle slope （stacked sliding of delta and fan delta front）, and fluxoturbidite in the central depression. Detailed studies of several case histories and the relationship between sedimentary facies and faults suggest a significant role of tectonic setting and faults in the development of turbidite, which created source areas, effected slope topography, controlled the climate and paleo-environment, and formed enough slope angle and slope break for sedimentary instabilities and massive block movement to form turbidite. According to statistics, 0.86%, with an average value of 40.3%, of the trap volumes in the 69 identified Tertiary lacustrine turbidites in the Jiyang Superdepression in the Bohai Bay Basin are filled with oil. The porosity and permeability of turbidite sands vary widely. The productive reservoirs are generally those from the braided channels of both distal and proximal turbidite, and from the main channel of proximal turbidite, with a low carbonate content and the porosity and permeability higher than 12% and 1 mD respectively. Most of the lithologic oil pools in the Jiyang Superdepression are enveloped by the effective source rocks, and the percentage of the trap volume generally increases with the hydrocarbon expulsion intensity of source rocks. This is in contrast with structural-lithologic traps （i.e. proximal turbidite along the steep slope and distal turbidite along the gentle slope）, in which, graben-boundary faults play an important role in oil migration, as the turbidites are not in direct contact with effective hydrocarbon source rocks.

Differences in source kitchens for lacustrine in-source and out-of-source hydrocarbon accumulations

Because of the differences of hydrocarbon accumulation between in-source and out-of-source oil pools, the demand for source kitchen is different. Based on the establishment of source-to-reservoir correlation in the known conventional accumulations, and the characteristics of shale oil source kitchens as well, this paper discusses the differences of source kitchens for the formation of both conventional and shale oils. The formation of conventional oil pools is a process of hydrocarbons enriching from disperse state under the action of buoyancy, which enables most of the oil pools to be formed outside the source kitchens. The source rock does not necessarily have high abundance of organic matter, but has to have high efficiency and enough amount of hydrocarbon expulsion. The TOC threshold of source rocks for conventional oil accumulations is 0.5%, with the best TOC window ranging from 1% to 3%. The oil pools formed inside the source kitchens, mainly shale oil, are the retention of oil and gas in the source rock and there is no large-scale hydrocarbon migration and enrichment process happened, which requires better quality and bigger scale of source rocks. The threshold of TOC for medium to high maturity of shale oil is 2%, with the best range falling in 3%–5%. Medium to low mature shale oil resource has a TOC threshold of 6%, and the higher the better in particular. The most favorable kerogen for both high and low-mature shale oils is oil-prone type of I–II1. Carrying out source rock quality and classification evaluation and looking for large-scale and high-quality source rock enrichment areas are a scientific issue that must be paid attention to when exploration activity changes from out-of-source regions to in-source kitchen areas. The purpose is to provide theoretical guidance for the upcoming shale oil enrichment area selection, economic discovery and objective evaluation of resource potential.

Exploration breakthrough and its significance of Gulong lacustrine shale oil in the Songliao Basin,Northeastern China

Lacustrine shale oil resources are abundant in many petroliferous basins in China.The shale oil formations are characterized by low API gravity,high viscosity,poor mobility,high clay content,low brittleness and etc.Exploration of lacustrine shale oil started relatively late in China,but its progress is very rapid and breakthroughs have been made successively.In this short communication,we introduced the most significant shale oil discovery which is made recently in the Qingshankou Formation of the Gulong sag in the Songliao Basin.Key exploratory wells including Guye 1H(GY1H),Yingye 1H(YY1H)and Guye 2HC(GY2HC)tested stable and high oil flow in shale reservoirs,revealing the relatively stable and high oil production capacity of shale in the Gulong sag of Daqing Oilfield.It marks a leap of petroleum theoretical recognition from lacustrine shale generating oil to producing oil and from the theory of traditional oil migration and accumulation to the theory of indigenous oil accumulation in organic-rich shale.Although lacustrine shale oil exploration and development still faces many challenges in China,its prospect is quite promising.

Geochemical characterization of aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oils from the Tarim,Qaidam and Turpan Basins,NW China

Based on the systematic study of aromatic hydrocarbons in over 100 crude oil samples collected from the Tabei and Tazhong uplifts in the Tarim Basin,the western depression area in the Qaidam Basin and the Tabei depression in the Turpan Basin,the geochemical characteristics of the marine（Tarim Basin）,saline lacustrine（Qaidam Basin）,and swamp（Turpan Basin） oils were investigated.The marine oils from the Tarim basin are characterized by relatively low abundance of diaromatic hydrocarbons such as biphenyl and naphthalene,and relatively high abundance of triaromatic hydrocarbons including phenanthrene,dibenzothiophene and fluorene.In contrast,the swamp oils from the Turpan Basin are dominated by the highest relative abundance of diaromatic hydrocarbons and the lowest relative abundance of triaromatic hydrocarbons in all the oil samples in this study.The relative abundance of diaromatic and triaromatic hydrocarbons in the saline lacustrine oils from Qaidam Basin is between that in Tarim oils and Turpan oils.Aromatic parameters based on the isomer distributions of dimethylnaphthalenes（DMN）,trimethylnaphthalenes（TMN）,tetramethylnaphthalenes（TeMN） and methylphenanthrenes（MP）,i.e.,1,2,5-trimethylnaphthalene（TMN）/1,3,6-TMN ratio,1,2,7-TMN/1,3,7TMN ratio,（2,6-＋2,7-）-dimethylnaphthalenes（DMN）/1,6-DMN ratio,1,3,7-TMN/（1,2,5-＋1,3,7-）TMN,1,3,6,7-TeMN/（1,3,6,7-＋1,2,5,6-＋1,2,3,5-）-TeMN ratio and MP index,may reflect the diversity of organic source input,thermal maturity and depositional environments.In addition,the dibenzothiophenes（DBTs）/fluorenes（Fs） and dibenzofurans（DBFs）/Fs ratios were found to the very useful and effective in determining genetic types of crude oils for the marine,saline lacustrine,and swamp depositional environments,and for oil-oil correlations.