Reconstruction of paleo river systems and distribution of sedimentary facies of Shanxi and lower Shihezi formations in southern Ordos basin

The study area is located in the south of Huanxian county,in Yan'an and Puxian counties and to the north of Xi'an.The Shanxi and lower Shihezi formations are important gas-bearing formations.Given our analysis of the direction of rivers,the contents of stable heavy minerals and of feldspar of palaeo river systems,the study area is divided into six palaeodrainage patterns corresponding to six feldspar regions and six sedimentary facies regions.On this basis,the distribution of sedimentary facies was also analyzed.During the Shanxi stage,a delta front was deposited in the Huanxian region and delta plains and fronts were deposited in the Pingliang,Chunhua-Yaoxian and Hancheng-Chengcheng regions.In the Yan'an-Daning region,only a delta front was developed.The distribution of sedimentary facies in the earlier Shihezi stage originated from the Shanxi stage.A delta front was developed in the Huanxian region while a delta plain and front developed in the Pingliang-Zhenyuan region during the same time.Lakes originated only in the Zhenyuan-Huanxian-Huachi-Zhengning and Daning-Jixian zones.This analytical method shows that different palaeodrainage patterns can be effectively distinguished in order to forecast sedimentary facies.

Tracing of natural gas migration by light hydrocarbons:A case study of the Dongsheng gas field in the Ordos Basin,NW China

Based on the analysis of light hydrocarbon compositions of natural gas and regional comparison in combination with the chemical components and carbon isotopic compositions of methane,the indication of geochemical characteristics of light hydrocarbons on the migration features,dissolution and escape of natural gas from the Dongsheng gas field in the Ordos Basin is revealed,and the effect of migration on specific light hydrocarbon indexes is further discussed.The study indicates that,natural gas from the Lower Shihezi Formation(Pix)in the Dongsheng gas field displays higher iso-C5-7contents than n-C5-7contents,and the C6-7light hydrocarbons are composed of paraffins with extremely low aromatic contents(<0.4%),whereas the C7light hydrocarbons are dominated by methylcyclohexane,suggesting the characteristics of coal-derived gas with the influence by secondary alterations such as dissolution.The natural gas from the Dongsheng gas field has experienced free-phase migration from south to north and different degrees of dissolution after charging,and the gas in the Shiguhao area to the north of the Borjianghaizi fault has experienced apparent diffusion loss after accumulation.Long-distance migration in free phase results in the decrease of the relative contents of the methylcyclohexane in C7 light hydrocarbons and the toluene/n-heptane ratio,as well as the increase of the n-heptane/methylcyclohexane ratio and heptane values.The dissolution causes the increase of isoheptane values of the light hydrocarbons,whereas the diffusion loss of natural gas in the Shiguhao area results in the increase of n-C5-7contents compared to the iso-C5-7contents.