Geochemical characteristics and exploration significance of ultra-deep Sinian oil and gas from Well Tashen 5,Tarim Basin,NW China

The Well Tashen 5(TS5),drilled and completed at a vertical depth of 9017 m in the Tabei Uplift of the Tarim Basin,NW China,is the deepest well in Asia.It has been producing both oil and gas from the Sinian at a depth of 8780e8840 m,also the deepest in Asia in terms of oil discovery.In this paper,the geochemical characteristics of Sinian oil and gas from the well were investigated and compared with those of Cambrian oil and gas discovered in the same basin.The oil samples,with Pr/Ph ratio of 0.78 and a whole oil carbon isotopic value of31.6‰,have geochemical characteristics similar to those of Ordovician oils from the No.1 fault in the North Shuntuoguole area(also named Shunbei area)and the Middle Cambrian oil from wells Zhongshen 1(ZS1)and Zhongshen 5(ZS5)of Tazhong Uplift.The maturity of light hydrocarbons,diamondoids and aromatic fractions all suggest an approximate maturity of 1.5%e1.7%Ro for the samples.The(4-+3-)methyldiamantane concentration of the samples is 113.5 mg/g,indicating intense cracking with a cracking degree of about 80%,which is consistent with the high bottom hole temperature(179℃).The Sinian gas samples are dry with a dryness coefficient of 0.97.The gas is a mixture of kerogen-cracking gas and oil-cracking gas and has Ro values ranging between 1.5%and 1.7%,and methane carbon isotopic values of41.6‰.Based on the equivalent vitrinite reflectance(R_(eqv)=1.51%e1.61%)and the thermal evolution of source rocks from the Cambrian Yu'ertusi Formation of the same well,it is proposed that the Sinian oil and gas be mainly sourced from the Cambrian Yu'ertusi Formation during the Himalayan period but probably also be joined by hydrocarbon of higher maturity that migrated from other source rocks in deeper formations.The discovery of Sinian oil and gas from Well TS5 suggests that the ancient ultra-deep strata in the northern Tarim Basin have the potential for finding volatile oil or condensate reservoirs.

Geologic characteristics,exploration and production progress of shale oil and gas in the United States:An overview

We present a systematic summary of the geological characteristics,exploration and development history and current state of shale oil and gas in the United States.The hydrocarbon-rich shales in the major shale basins of the United States are mainly developed in six geological periods:Middle Ordovician,Middle-Late Devonian,Early Carboniferous(Middle-Late Mississippi),Early Permian,Late Jurassic,and Late Cretaceous(Cenomanian-Turonian).Depositional environments for these shales include intra-cratonic basins,foreland basins,and passive continental margins.Paleozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed in six basins,including the Appalachian Basin(Utica and Marcellus shales),Anadarko Basin(Woodford Shale),Williston Basin(Bakken Shale),Arkoma Basin(Fayetteville Shale),Fort Worth Basin(Barnett Shale),and the Wolfcamp and Leonardian Spraberry/Bone Springs shale plays of the Permian Basin.The Mesozoic hydrocarbon-rich shales are mainly developed on the margins of the Gulf of Mexico Basin(Haynesville and Eagle Ford)or in various Rocky Mountain basins(Niobrara Formation,mainly in the Denver and Powder River basins).The detailed analysis of shale plays reveals that the shales are different in facies and mineral components,and"shale reservoirs"are often not shale at all.The United States is abundant in shale oil and gas,with the in-place resources exceeding 0.246×10^(12)t and 290×10^(12)m^(3),respectively.Before the emergence of horizontal well hydraulic fracturing technology to kick off the"shale revolution",the United States had experienced two decades of exploration and production practices,as well as theory and technology development.In 2007-2023,shale oil and gas production in the United States increased from approximately 11.2×10^(4)tons of oil equivalent per day(toe/d)to over 300.0×10^(4)toe/d.In 2017,the shale oil and gas production exceeded the conventional oil and gas production in the country.In 2023,the contribution from shale plays to the total U.S.oil and gas production remained above 60%.The development of shale oil and gas has largely been driven by improvements in drilling and completion technologies,with much of the recent effort focused on“cube development”or“co-development”.Other efforts to improve productivity and efficiency include refracturing,enhanced oil recovery,and drilling of“U-shaped”wells.Given the significant resources base and continued technological improvements,shale oil and gas production will continue to contribute significant volumes to total U.S.hydrocarbon production.

Regression analysis and its application to oil and gas exploration:A case study of hydrocarbon loss recovery and porosity prediction,China

In oil and gas exploration,elucidating the complex interdependencies among geological variables is paramount.Our study introduces the application of sophisticated regression analysis method at the forefront,aiming not just at predicting geophysical logging curve values but also innovatively mitigate hydrocarbon depletion observed in geochemical logging.Through a rigorous assessment,we explore the efficacy of eight regression models,bifurcated into linear and nonlinear groups,to accommodate the multifaceted nature of geological datasets.Our linear model suite encompasses the Standard Equation,Ridge Regression,Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator,and Elastic Net,each presenting distinct advantages.The Standard Equation serves as a foundational benchmark,whereas Ridge Regression implements penalty terms to counteract overfitting,thus bolstering model robustness in the presence of multicollinearity.The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator for variable selection functions to streamline models,enhancing their interpretability,while Elastic Net amalgamates the merits of Ridge Regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator,offering a harmonized solution to model complexity and comprehensibility.On the nonlinear front,Gradient Descent,Kernel Ridge Regression,Support Vector Regression,and Piecewise Function-Fitting methods introduce innovative approaches.Gradient Descent assures computational efficiency in optimizing solutions,Kernel Ridge Regression leverages the kernel trick to navigate nonlinear patterns,and Support Vector Regression is proficient in forecasting extremities,pivotal for exploration risk assessment.The Piecewise Function-Fitting approach,tailored for geological data,facilitates adaptable modeling of variable interrelations,accommodating abrupt data trend shifts.Our analysis identifies Ridge Regression,particularly when augmented by Piecewise Function-Fitting,as superior in recouping hydrocarbon losses,and underscoring its utility in resource quantification refinement.Meanwhile,Kernel Ridge Regression emerges as a noteworthy strategy in ameliorating porosity-logging curve prediction for well A,evidencing its aptness for intricate geological structures.This research attests to the scientific ascendancy and broad-spectrum relevance of these regression techniques over conventional methods while heralding new horizons for their deployment in the oil and gas sector.The insights garnered from these advanced modeling strategies are set to transform geological and engineering practices in hydrocarbon prediction,evaluation,and recovery.

Exploration of the efficacy and mechanism of treating head wind disease with the combination change of ginger volatile oil and gingerol by using content-weighted network pharmacology technology

Background:Exploring the efficacy,potential components,and mechanism of the combination of ginger essential oil and gingerols in the treatment of head wind disease based on network pharmacology technology with content weight.Methods:The experimental groups were divided into:0:10,1:4,1:2,1:1,2:1,4:1,10:0.The relative content(Ri)of the chemical constituents of ginger's volatile oil was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS).Additionally,the physicochemical and biological property parameters(LogP,MDCK,PPB,MW)of the components were considered.To assess the quantitative effect of the components,a grading score was performed,and the quantitative effect index(Ki)was calculated.Subsequently,the target effect index(Ti)was calculated by combining the component-target matching score(Fit score).Using these calculations,the target effect score A was determined under the influence of multiple components targeting different targets.Key targets with A≥1000 were identified.To predict the targets related to head wind disease,the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database(https://ctdbase.org/),Gene Cards(https://www.genecards.org/),and Disgenet database(https://www.disgenet.org/)were utilized.The key targets,obtained from different proportions of ginger's volatile oil and gingerol,were intersected with the predicted targets.This facilitated network pharmacological analysis and verification of the efficacy.Results:The content of volatile oil in ginger demonstrated an impact on key targets associated with the volatile oil group.Each specific combination of volatile oil consistently activated distinct pathways,with variations stemming from changes in content.Experimental testing revealed that different combinations of ginger's volatile oil and gingerol effectively alleviated migraine symptoms in rats.Conclusion:Through the application of content-weighted network pharmacology technology and pharmacodynamic verification,it was determined that altering the ratio between ginger's volatile oil and gingerol leads to variations in potential targets and pathways,consequently impacting its efficacy.

Exploration of the Expression of Color Emotion in Oil Painting Sketch Creation

This paper deeply analyzes the expression of color emotion in oil painting sketch creation.Starting with the three basic attributes of color theory(hue,lightness,and purity),this paper discusses its emotional symbolic significance and the relationship between contrast and harmony.By interpreting the works of artists such as Van Gogh’s Sunflower,Monet’s Rouen Cathedral,and Cézanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire,this paper shows the unique charm of different colors in conveying emotions,creating atmosphere,and expressing themes.At the same time,it is expounded that in the creation of an oil painting sketch,the effective expression of color emotion can be realized by observing nature,using subjective colors,and reasonable composition and layout of colors,so as to enhance the artistic value of the works.

Progress in China's Unconventional Oil & Gas Exploration and Development and Theoretical Technologies

The new century has witnessed a strategic breakthrough in unconventional oil ＆ gas.Hydrocarbon accumulated in micro-/nano-scale pore throat shale systems has become an important domain that could replace current oil ＆ gas resources.Unconventional oil ＆ gas plays an increasingly important role in our energy demand.Tight gas,CBM,heavy oil and asphaltic sand have served as a key domain of exploration ＆ development,with tight oil becoming a ＇bright spot＇ domain and shale gas becoming a ＇hotspot＇ domain.China has made great breakthroughs in unconventional oil ＆ gas resources,such as tight gas,shale gas,tight oil and CBM,and great progress in oil shale,gas hydrate,heavy oil and oil sand.China has an estimated（223-263）×10~8t of unconventional oil resources and（890-1260）×l0^（12）m^3 of gas resources.China has made a breakthrough for progress in unconventional oil ＆ gas study.New progress achieved in fine-grained sedimentary studies related to continental open lacustrine basin large-scale shallow-water delta sand bodies,lacustrine basin central sandy clastic flow sediments and marine-continental fine-grained sediments provide a theoretical basis for the formation and distribution of basin central reservoir bodies.Great breakthroughs have been made in unconventional reservoir geology in respect of research methodology ＆ technology,multi-scale data merging and physical simulation of formation conditions.Overall characterization of unconventional reservoirs via multi-method and multi-scale becomes increasingly popular and facilitates the rapid development of unconventional oil ＆ gas geological theory,method and technology.The formation of innovative,continuous hydrocarbon accumulation theory,the establishment of the framework of the unconventional oil ＆ gas geological theory system,and the determination of the implications,geological feature,formation mechanism,distribution rule and core technology of unconventional oil＆ gas geological study lays a theoretical foundation for extensive unconventional oil ＆ gas exploration and development.Theories and technologies of unconventional oil ＆ gas exploration and development developed rapidly,including some key evaluation techniques such as ＇sweet spot zone＇ integrated evaluation and a six-property evaluation technique that uses hydrocarbon source,lithology,physical property,brittleness,hydrocarbon potential and stress anisotropy,and some key development ＆engineering technologies including micro-seismic monitoring,horizontal drilling ＆ completion and ＂factory-like＂ operation pattern, ＂man-made reservoir＂ development,which have facilitated the innovative development of unconventional oil ＆ gas.These breakthroughs define a new understanding in four aspects：①theoretical innovation;② key technologies;③ complete market mechanism and national policy support;and ④ well-developed ground infrastructure,which are significant for prolonging the life cycle of petroleum industry,accelerating the upgrade and development of theories and technologies and altering the global traditional energy structure.

Theoretical Progress and Key Technologies of Onshore Ultra-Deep Oil/Gas Exploration

Oil/gas exploration around the world has extended into deep and ultra-deep strata because it is increasingly difficult to find new large-scale oil/gas reservoirs in shallow–middle buried strata. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in oil/gas exploration in ultra-deep areas including carbonate and clastic reservoirs. Some (ultra) large-scale oil and gas fields have been discovered. The oil/gas accumulation mechanisms and key technologies of oil/gas reservoir exploration and development are summarized in this study in order to share China’s experiences. Ultra-deep oil/gas originates from numerous sources of hydrocarbons and multiphase charging. Liquid hydrocarbons can form in ultradeep layers due to low geothermal gradients or overpressures, and the natural gas composition in ultra-deep areas is complicated by the reactions between deep hydrocarbons, water, and rock or by the addition of mantle- or crust-sourced gases. These oils/gases are mainly stored in the original highenergy reef/shoal complexes or in sand body sediments. They usually have high original porosity. Secondary pores are often developed by dissolution, dolomitization, and fracturing in the late stage. The early pores have been preserved by retentive diageneses such as the early charging of hydrocarbons. Oil/gas accumulation in ultra-deep areas generally has the characteristics of near-source accumulation and sustained preservation. The effective exploration and development of ultra-deep oil/gas reservoirs depend on the support of key technologies. Use of the latest technologies such as seismic signal acquisition and processing, low porosity and permeability zone prediction, and gas–water identification has enabled the discovery of ultra-deep oil/gas resources. In addition, advanced technologies for drilling, completion, and oil/gas testing have ensured the effective development of these fields.

Features of Sandy Debris Flows of the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin and Its Oil and Gas Exploration Significance

Sandy debris flow is a new genetic type of sand bodies,which has gained much attention in recent years and its corresponding theory is proved to be a significant improvement and even partial denial to the 'Bouma Sequence' and 'turbidite fan' deep-water sedimentary theories to some point. Oil exploration researchers are highly concerned with sandy debris flows for its key role in controlling oil and gas accumulation processes.In this article,by applying sandy debris flows theory and combining a lot work of core,outcrop observation and analysis plus seismic profile interpretation,we recognized three types of sedimentary gravity flows that are sandy debris flows,classic turbidites and slumping rocks in chang-6 member of Yanchang Formation in the deep-water area of central Ordos Basin.Among the three types,the sandy debris flows are the most prominent and possesses the best oil bearing conditions.On the contrary,the classic turbidites formed by turbidity currents are limited in distribution;therefore,previous Yanchang Formation deep-water sedimentary studies have exaggerated the importance of turbidite currents deposition.Further study showed that the area distribution of deep water gravity flow sand bodies in Yanchang Formation were controlled by the slope of the deep-water deposits and the flows had vast distribution,huge depth and prevalent advantages for oil forming,which make it one of the most favorable new areas for Ordos Basin prospecting.

Donghe Sandstone Subtle Reservoir Exploration and Development Technology in Hade 4 Oilfield

Hade 4 oilfield is located on the Hadexun tectonic belt north of the Manjiaer depression in the Tarim basin, whose main target layer is the Donghe sandstone reservoir, with a burial depth over 5,000m and an amplitude below 34m, at the bottom of the Carboniferous. The Donghe sandstone reservoir consists of littoral facies deposited quartz sandstones of the transgressive system tract, overlapping northward and pinching out. Exploration and development confirms that water-oil contact tilts from the southeast to the northwest with a drop height of nearly 80m. The reservoir, under the control of both the stratigraphic overlap pinch-out and tectonism, is a typical subtle reservoir. The Donghe sandstone reservoir in Hade 4 oilfield also has the feature of a large oil-bearing area (over 130 km2 proved), a small thickness (average efficient thickness below 6m) and a low abundance (below 50 × 104t/km2). Moreover, above the target layer developed a set of igneous rocks with an uneven thickness in the Permian formation, thus causing a great difficulty in research of the velocity field. Considering these features, an combination mode of exploration and development is adopted, namely by way of whole deployment, step-by-step enforcement and rolling development with key problems to be tackled, in order to further deepen the understanding and enlarge the fruits of exploration and development. The paper technically focuses its study on the following four aspects concerning problem tackling. First, to strengthen the collecting, processing and explanation of seismic data, improve the resolution, accurately recognize the pinch-out line of the Donghe sandstone reservoir by combining the drilling materials in order to make sure its distribution law; second, to strengthen the research on velocity field, improve the accuracy of variable speed mapping, make corrections by the data from newly- drilled key wells and, as a result, the precision of tectonic description is greatly improved; third, to strengthen the research on sequence stratigraphy and make sure the distribution law of the Donghe sandstone; and fourth, with a step- by-step extrapolation method, to deepen the cognition of the leaning water-oil contact, and by combining the tectonic description and drilling results, to make sure little by little the law of change of the water-oil contact. The exploration and development of the Donghe sandstone subtle reservoir in Hade 4 oilfield is a gradually perfected process. From 1998 when it was discovered till now, the reservoir has managed to make a benign circle of exploration and development, in which its reserve has gradually been enlarged, its production scale increased, and, in a word, it has used techniques necessary for this subtle reservoir in the Tarim basin.

An exploration breakthrough in Paleozoic petroleum system of Huanghua Depression in Dagang Oilfield and its significance, North China

In recent years, several wells in the Qibei and Wumaying buried hills of Dagang Oilfield tapped oil in the Carboniferous–Permian and Ordovician strata. This major breakthrough reveals that the deep Paleozoic in the Bohai Bay is a new petroleum system. Through re-evaluating the Paleozoic source rock, reservoir-cap combinations and traps, it is found the oil and gas mainly come from Carboniferous–Permian source rock. The study shows that the Paleozoic strata are well preserved in the central-south Huanghua Depression and developed two kinds of reservoirs, Upper Paleozoic clastic rock and Lower Paleozoic carbonate rock, which form favorable source-reservoir assemblages with Carboniferous–Permian coal measure source rock. The Carboniferous–Permian coal-bearing source rock is rich in organic matters, which are mainly composed of type Ⅱ2 and Ⅲ kerogens, and minor Ⅱ1 kerogen in partial areas. Multi-stage tectonic movements resulted in two stages of hydrocarbon generation of the source rocks. The period from the deposition of Kongdian Formation to now is the second stage of hydrocarbon generation. The matching between large-scale oil and gas charging, favorable reservoir-cap combinations and stable structure determines the enrichment of oil and gas. According to the new comprehensive evaluation of Paleozoic petroleum system, the primary oil and gas resources of the Paleozoic in the Bohai Bay Basin are over 1×1012m3. The exploration breakthrough in Paleozoic petroleum system, especially Carboniferous–Permian petroleum system in Huanghua Depression is inspirational for oil and gas exploration in similar provinces of Bohai Bay Basin.

Downhole Microseismic Source Location Based on a Multi-Dimensional DIRECT Algorithm for Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoir Exploration

Downhole microseismic data has the significant advantages of high signal-to-noise ratio and well-developed P and S waves and the core component of microseismic monitoring is microseismic event location associated with hydraulic fracturing in a relatively high confidence level and accuracy.In this study,we present a multidimensional DIRECT inversion method for microseismic locations and applicability tests over modeling data based on a downhole microseismic monitoring system.Synthetic tests inidcate that the objective function of locations can be defined as a multi-dimensional matrix space by employing the global optimization DIRECT algorithm,because it can be run without the initial value and objective function derivation,and the discretely scattered objective points lead to an expeditious contraction of objective functions in each dimension.This study shows that the DIRECT algorithm can be extensively applied in real downhole microseismic monitoring data from hydraulic fracturing completions.Therefore,the methodology,based on a multidimensional DIRECT algorithm,can provide significant high accuracy and convergent efficiency as well as robust computation for interpretable spatiotemporal microseismic evolution,which is more suitable for real-time processing of a large amount of downhole microseismic monitoring data.

New prospecting progress using information and big data of coal and oil exploration holes on sandstone-type uranium deposit in North China

1.Objective A series of Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental sedimentary basins exist in North China,coexisting with coal,oil/gas,and salt resources.Many previous drilling projects have been conducted within these basins to explore coal,petroleum,and mineral resources,however,these data have not been integrated due to different industries owners.In order to efficiently explore the large-sized,easily extracted,and environmentally friendly,sandstone-type uranium deposits,previous coal and oil exploration drilling-hole data are systematically collected, processed,and analyzed to improve the sandstone-type uranium prospecting exploitation.At the same time,we also discussed the uranium source,ore-forming process and model for the sandstone-type uranium deposits.

Exploration prospects of oil and gas in the Northwestern part of the Offshore Indus Basin, Pakistan

Oil and gas resources are short in Pakistan and no commercially viable oil and gas sources have been yet discovered in its offshore areas up to now.In this study,the onshore-offshore stratigraphic correlation and seismic data interpretation were conducted to determine the oil and gas resource potential in the Offshore Indus Basin,Pakistan.Based on the comprehensive analysis of the results and previous data,it is considered that the Cretaceous may widely exist and three sets of source rocks may be developed in the Offshore Indus Basin.The presence of Miocene mudstones has been proven by drilling to be high-quality source rocks,while the Cretaceous and Paleocene–Eocene mudstones are potential source rocks.Tectonic-lithologic traps are developed in the northwestern part of the basin affected by the strike-slip faults along Murray Ridge.Furthermore,the Cretaceous and Paleocene–Eocene source rocks are thick and are slightly affected by volcanic activities.Therefore,it can be inferred that the northwestern part of Offshore Indus Basin enjoys good prospects of oil and gas resources.

Prospective prediction and exploration situation of marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic oil and gas in the South Yellow Sea

The South Yellow Sea Basin is a large sedimentary basin superimposed by the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine sedimentary basin and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic terrestrial sedimentary basin, where no oil and gas fields have been discovered after exploration for 58 years. After the failure of oil and gas exploration in terrestrial basins, the exploration target of the South Yellow Sea Basin turned to the marine Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata. After more than ten years' investigation and research, a lot of achievements have been obtained. The latest exploration obtained effective seismic reflection data of deep marine facies by the application of seismic exploration technology characterized by high coverage, abundant low-frequency components and strong energy source for the deep South Yellow Sea Basin. In addition, some wells drilled the Middle-Upper Paleozoic strata, with obvious oil and gas shows discovered in some horizons. The recent petroleum geological research on the South Yellow Sea Basin shows that the structure zoning of the marine residual basin has been redetermined, the basin structure has been defined, and 3 seismic reflection marker layers are traceable and correlatable in the residual thick Middle-Paleozoic strata below the continental Meso-Cenozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin. Based on these, the seismic sequence of the marine sedimentary strata was established. According to the avaliable oil and gas exploration and research, the marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic oil and gas prospects of the South Yellow Sea were predicted as follows.(1) The South Yellow Sea Basin has the same sedimentary formation and evolution history during the sedimentary period of the Middle-Paleozoic marine basin with the Sichuan Basin.(2) There are 3 regional high-quality source rocks.(3) The carbonate and clastic reservoirs are developed in the Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata.(4) The three source-reservoir-cap assemblages are relatively intact.(5) The Laoshan Uplift is a prospect area for the Lower Paleozoic oil and gas, and the Wunansha Uplift is one for the marine Upper Paleozoic oil and gas.(6) The Gaoshi stable zone in the Laoshan Uplift is a favorable zone.(7) The marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin has the geological conditions required to form large oil and gas fields, with remarkable oil and gas resources prospect. An urgent problem to be addressed now within the South Yellow Sea Basin is to drill parametric wells for the Lower Paleozoic strata as the target, to establish the complete stratigraphic sequence since the Paleozoic period, to obtain resource evaluation parameters, and to realize the strategic discovery and achieve breakthrough in oil and gas exploration understanding.

Investment in deepwater oil and gas exploration projects:a multi-factor analysis with a real options model

Deepwater oil and gas projects embody high risks from geology and engineering aspects, which exert substantial influence on project valuation. But the uncer- tainties may be converted to additional value to the projects in the case of flexible management. Given the flexibility of project management, this paper extends the classical real options model to a multi-factor model which contains oil price, geology, and engineering uncertainties. It then gives an application example of the new model to evaluate deepwater oil and gas projects with a numerical analytical method. Compared with other methods and models, this multi-factor real options model contains more project information. It reflects the potential value deriving not only from oil price variation but also from geology and engi- neering uncertainties, which provides more accurate and reliable valuation information for decision makers.

Geological characteristics of shale rock system and shale oil exploration breakthrough in a lacustrine basin:A case study from the Paleogene 1st sub-member of Kong 2 Member in Cangdong sag,Bohai Bay Basin,China

A deep understanding of the basic geologic characteristics of the fine-grained shale layers in the Paleogene 1 st sub-member of Kong 2 Member(Ek_2~1) in Cangdong sag, Bohai Bay Basin, is achieved through observation of 140 m continuous cores and systematic analysis of over 1 000 core samples from two wells. Basic geological conditions for shale oil accumulation are proposed based on the unconventional geological theory of oil and gas. The shale rock system mainly developed interbedded formation of felsic shale, calcareous and dolomitic shale and carbonates; high quality hydrocarbon source rock formed in the stable and closed environment is the material base for shale oil enrichment; intergranular pores in analcite, intercrystalline pores in dolomite and interlayer micro-fractures make tight carbonate, calcareous and dolomitic shale and felsic shale effective reservoirs, with brittle mineral content of more than 70%; high abundance laminated shale rock in the lower section of Ek_2~1 is rich in shale oil, with a total thickness of 70 m, burial depth between 2 800 to 4 200 m, an average oil saturation of 50%, a sweet spot area of 260 km^2 and predicted resources of over 5×10~8 t. Therefore, this area is a key replacement domain for oil exploration in the Kongdian Formation of the Cangdong sag. At present, the KN9 vertical well has a daily oil production of 29.6 t after fracturing with a 2 mm choke. A breakthrough of continental shale oil exploration in a lacustrine basin is expected to be achieved by volume fracturing in horizontal wells.

Practice and theoretical and technical progress in exploration and development of Shunbei ultra-deep carbonate oil and gas field,Tarim Basin,NW China

In this review on the exploration and development process of the Shunbei ultra-deep carbonate oil and gas field in the Tarim Basin, the progress of exploration and development technologies during the National 13th Five-Year Plan of China has been summarized systematically, giving important guidance for the exploration and development of ultra-deep marine carbonate reservoirs in China and abroad. Through analyzing the primary geological factors of “hydrocarbon generation-reservoir formation-hydrocarbon accumulation” of ancient and superposed basin comprehensively and dynamically, we point out that because the Lower Cambrian Yuertusi Formation high-quality source rocks have been located in a low-temperature environment for a long time, they were capable of generating hydrocarbon continuously in late stage, providing ideal geological conditions for massive liquid hydrocarbon accumulation in ultra-deep layers. In addition, strike-slip faults developed in tectonically stable areas have strong control on reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation in this region. With these understandings, the exploration focus shifted from the two paleo-uplifts located in the north and the south to the Shuntuoguole lower uplift located in between and achieved major hydrocarbon discoveries. Through continuing improvement of seismic exploration technologies for ultra-deep carbonates in desert, integrated technologies including seismic acquisition in ultra-deep carbonates,seismic imaging of strike-slip faults and the associated cavity-fracture systems, detailed structural interpretation of strike-slip faults, characterization and quantitative description of fault-controlled cavities and fractures, description of fault-controlled traps and target optimization have been established. Geology-engineering integration including well trajectory optimization,high efficiency drilling, completion and reservoir reformation technologies has provided important support for exploration and development of the Shunbei oil and gas field.

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.

Enrichment rules and exploration practices of Paleogene shale oil in Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China

Based on formation testing data of more than 40 wells with industrial oil flow, systematic observation of 1 010.26 m long cores taken from 4 wells and test data of over 10 000 core samples combining with drilling and pilot fracturing data of multiple wells, the geological characteristics of the upper submember of the Sha 4 Member to the lower submember of the Sha 3 Member of Paleogene(Es4s-Es3x) in the Jiyang Depression were investigated to find out factors controlling the enrichment of shale oil and the accumulation model of shale oil, and a comprehensive evaluation method for shale oil sweet spots was established. It is found through the study that the target shale layer is characterized by strong heterogeneity, weak diagenesis, low thermal evolution and high content of clay and carbonate minerals. Shale lithofacies, microcrack, thin interlayer and abnormal pressure are the main factors affecting enrichment and stable production of shale oil, the organic rich laminar shale has the best storage and oil-bearing capacity, microcrack network system improve the storage capacity and permeability of the shale, the thin interlayer is the main flow channel for stable shale oil production, and the abnormal high pressure layer is rich in free state shale oil and high in oil content. The shale oil layers in the target section were divided into three types: matrix, interlayer and fracture ones. According to the occurrence state and exploration practice of shale oil at home and abroad, it is concluded that the interlayer shale oil is the most profitable type at present. The selection parameters for the different types of shale oil were determined, and accordingly the favorable areas were pointed out by comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors. Vertical wells in the interlayer shale oil reservoir, such as Fan 159, Fan 143 and GX 26, were stimulated by volume fracturing and high conductivity channel fracturing jointly. After fracturing, they had a daily oil production of over 6 t, up to 44 t, and stable productivity. Shale oil is expected to become an important replacement energy resource in the Jiyang Depression.