Petroleum geological characteristics and exploration targets of the oil-rich sags in the Central and West African Rift System

Based on seismic,drilling,and source rock analysis data,the petroleum geological characteristics and future exploration direction of the oil-rich sags in the Central and West African Rift System(CWARS)are discussed.The study shows that the Central African Rift System mainly develops high-quality lacustrine source rocks in the Lower Cretaceous,and the West African Rift System mainly develops high-quality terrigenous organic matter-rich marine source rocks in the Upper Cretaceous,and the two types of source rocks provide a material basis for the enrichment of oil and gas in the CWARS.Multiple sets of reservoir rocks including fractured basement and three sets of regional cap rocks in the Lower Cretaceous,the Upper Cretaceous,and the Paleogene are developed in the CWARS.Since the Late Mesozoic,due to the geodynamic factors including the dextral strike-slip movement of the Central African Shear Zone,the basins in different directions of the CWARS differ in terms of rifting stages,intervals of regional cap rocks,trap types and accumulation models.The NE-SW trending basins have mainly preserved one stage of rifting in the Early Cretaceous,with regional cap rocks developed in the Lower Cretaceous strata,forming traps of reverse anticlines,flower-shaped structures and basement buried hill,and two types of hydrocarbon accumulation models of"source and reservoir in the same formation,and accumulation inside source rocks"and"up-source and down-reservoir,and accumulation below source rocks".The NW–SE basins are characterized by multiple rifting stages superimposition,with the development of regional cap rocks in the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene,forming traps of draping anticlines,faulted anticlines,antithetic fault blocks and the accumulation model of"down-source and up-reservoir,and accumulation above source rocks".The combination of reservoir and cap rocks inside source rocks of basins with multiple superimposed rifting stages,as well as the lithologic reservoirs and the shale oil inside source rocks of strong inversion basins are important fields for future exploration in basins of the CWARS.

“Complementarity” Feature of Hydrocarbon Distribution in Oil-rich Sag

Based on the research and exploration of lithostratigraphic reservoir in the Jizhong depression of the Bohai Bay basin and Erlian basin, the hydrocarbon distribution in a continental oil-rich sag has "complementarity" feature, viz. the hydrocarbon resources configuration and plane distribution of the structural reservoir and lithostratigraphic reservoir have the "complementarity". This distribution feature is controlled by many factors such as the macroscopical geological setting, reservoir-forming condition, and the reservoir-forming mechanism of structural reservoir and lithostratigraphic reservoir. More research shows that the "complementarity" of hydrocarbon distribution is prevalent in every kind of continental basin. This "rule" helps to establish a new exploration theory, a scientific exploration program, and make proper exploration deployments in hydrocarbon exploration. Therefore, it is significant for the exploration work in continental petroliferous basins of China.

A Quantitative Method for Evaluating the Transporting Capacity of Oil-Source Faults in Shallow Formation of Oil-Rich Sags

Objective Oil-source faults have an important effect on reservoir formation and distribution in shallow formations with non- hydrocarbon generation in oil-rich fault-related basins （Jiang Youlu et al., 2015）. However, the fault transporting capacity cannot be evaluated quantitatively at present. Taking the Zhanhua Sag in the Bohai Bay Basin as an example, this work analyzed the factors influencing the transporting capacity of the oil-source faults and proposed a quantitative method for evaluating their transporting capacity.

Diagenetic evolution and reservoir quality of the Oligocene sandstones in the Baiyun Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

The Oligocene Zhuhai sandstones are significant reservoirs for hydrocarbons in the Baiyun Sag, South China Sea.For effective appraisal, exploration and exploitation of such a deep-water hydrocarbon sandstone, samples of five wells from depths of 850 m to 3 000 m were studied. A series of comprehensive petrographic and geochemical analyses were performed to unravel the diagenetic features and their impact on the reservoir quality.Petrographically, the sandstones are dominated by feldspathic litharenites and lithic arenites with fine to medium grain sizes and moderate to good sorting. The reservoir quality varies greatly with a range of porosity from 0.2% to 36.1% and permeability from 0.016 ×10~(–3) μm~2 to 4 301 ×10~(–3) μm~2, which is attributed to complex diagenetic evolution related to sedimentary facies;these include compaction, cementation of calcite, dolomite, siderite and framboidal pyrite in eogenetic stage;further compaction, feldspar dissolution, precipitation of ferrocalcite and ankerite, quartz cements, formation of kaolinite and its illitization, precipitation of albite and nodular pyrite, as well as hydrocarbon charge in mesogenetic stage. The dissolution of feldspar and illitization of kaolinite provide internal sources for the precipitation of quartz cement, while carbonate cements are derived from external sources related to interbedded mudstones and deep fluid. Compaction is the predominant factor in reducing the total porosity, followed by carbonate cementation that leads to strong heterogeneity. Feldspar dissolution and concomitant quartz and clay cementation barely changes the porosity but significantly reduces the permeability.The high-quality reservoirs can be concluded as medium-grained sandstones lying in the central parts of thick underwater distributary channel sandbodies(>2 m) with a high content of detrital quartz but low cement.

Geochemical identification of a source rock affected by migrated hydrocarbons and its geological significance:Fengcheng Formation,southern Mahu Sag,Junggar Basin,NW China

The Fengcheng Formation is a crucial source rock and the primary reservoir for oil accumulation in the Mahu Sag.Crude oils are distributed throughout the Fengcheng Formation,ranging from the edge to the interior of the sag in the southern Mahu Sag.These crude oils originate from in-situ source rocks in shallowly buried areas and the inner deep sag.During migration,the crude oil from the inner deep sag affects the source rocks close to carrier beds,leading to changes in the organic geochemical characteristics of the source rocks.These changes might alter source rock evaluations and oil-source correlation.Based on data such as total organic carbon(TOC),Rock-Eval pyrolysis of source rocks,and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)of the saturated fraction,and considering the geological characteristics of the study area,we define the identification characteristics of source rock affected by migrated hydrocarbons and establish the various patterns of influence that migrated hydrocarbons have on the source rock of the Fengcheng Formation in the southern Mahu Sag.The source rocks of the Fengcheng Formation are mostly fair to good,containing mainly Type II organic matter and being thermally mature enough to generate oil.Source rocks affected by migrated hydrocarbons exhibit relatively high hydrocarbon contents(S1/TOC>110 mg HC/g TOC,Extract/TOC>30%,HC:hydrocarbon),relatively low Rock-Eval Tmax values,and relatively high tricyclic terpane contents with a descending and mountain-shaped distribution.Furthermore,biomarker composition parameters indicate a higher thermal maturity than in-situ source rocks.Through a comparison of the extract biomarker fingerprints of adjacent reservoirs and mudstones in different boreholes,three types of influence patterns of migrated hydrocarbons are identified:the edge-influence of thin sandstone-thick mudstone,the mixed-influence of sandstone-mudstone interbedded,and the full-influence of thick sandstone-thin mudstone.This finding reminds us that the influence of migrated hydrocarbons must be considered when evaluating source rocks and conducting oil-source correlation.

Paleoenvironmental Characteristics of Paleogene Lacustrine Source Rocks in the Western Bozhong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,China:Evidence from Biomarkers,Major and Trace Elements

The organic matter(OM)enrichment mechanisms and depositional environment characteristics of lacustrine source rocks in the western Bozhong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin in Northeast China remain controversial.To address these issues,based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis,kerogen macerals,H/C and O/C ratios,GC-MS,major and trace elements,the Dongying Formation Member(Mbr)3(E_(3)d_(3)),the Shahejie Formation mbrs 1 and 2(E_(2)s_(1+2)),and the Shahejie Mbr 3(E_(2)s_(3))source rocks in the western Bozhong Sag were studied.The above methods were used to reveal their geochemical properties,OM origins and depositional environments,all of which indicate that E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are excellent source rocks,and that E_(3)d_(3)is of the second good quality.E_(3)d_(3)source rocks were formed under a warm and humid climate,mainly belong to fluvial/delta facies,the E_(3)d_(3)sediments formed under weakly oxidizing and freshwater conditions.Comparatively,the depositional environments of E_(2)s_(1+2)source rocks were arid and cold climate,representing saline or freshwater lacustrine facies,and the sediments of E_(2)s_(1+2)belong to anoxic or suboxic settings with large evaporation and salinity.During the period of E_(2)s_(3),the climate became warm and humid,indicating the freshwater lacustrine facies,and E_(2)s_(3)was characterized by freshwater and abundant algae.Moreover,compared with other intervals,the OM origin of E_(3)d_(3)source rocks has noticeable terrestrial input.The OM origin of the E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are mainly plankton and bacteria.Tectonic subsidence and climate change have affected the changes of the depositional environment in the western Bozhong Sag,thus controlling the distribution of the source rocks,the geochemical characteristics in the three intervals of lacustrine source rocks have distinct differences.Overall,these factors are effective to evaluate the paleoenvironmental characteristics of source rocks by biomarkers,major and trace elements.The established models may have positive implications for research of lacustrine source rocks in offshore areas with few drillings.

Discovery and inspiration of large-and medium-sized glutenite-rich oil and gas fields in the eastern South China Sea:An example from Paleogene Enping Formation in Huizhou 26 subsag,Pearl River Mouth Basin

Based on the practice of oil and gas exploration in the Huizhou Sag of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,the geochemical indexes of source rocks were measured,the reservoir development morphology was restored,the rocks and minerals were characterized microscopically,the measured trap sealing indexes were compared,the biomarker compounds of crude oil were extracted,the genesis of condensate gas was identified,and the reservoir-forming conditions were examined.On this basis,the Paleogene Enping Formation in the Huizhou 26 subsag was systematically analyzed for the potential of oil and gas resources,the development characteristics of large-scale high-quality conglomerate reservoirs,the trapping effectiveness of faults,the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation model,and the formation conditions and exploration targets of large-and medium-sized glutenite-rich oil and gas fields.The research results were obtained in four aspects.First,the Paleogene Wenchang Formation in the Huizhou 26 subsag develops extensive and thick high-quality source rocks of semi-deep to deep lacustrine subfacies,which have typical hydrocarbon expulsion characteristics of"great oil generation in the early stage and huge gas expulsion in the late stage",providing a sufficient material basis for hydrocarbon accumulation in the Enping Formation.Second,under the joint control of the steep slope zone and transition zone of the fault within the sag,the large-scale near-source glutenite reservoirs are highly heterogeneous,with the development scale dominated hierarchically by three factors(favorable facies zone,particle component,and microfracture).The(subaqueous)distributary channels near the fault system,with equal grains,a low mud content(<5%),and a high content of feldspar composition,are conducive to the development of sweet spot reservoirs.Third,the strike-slip pressurization trap covered by stable lake flooding mudstone is a necessary condition for oil and gas preservation,and the NE and nearly EW faults obliquely to the principal stress have the best control on traps.Fourth,the spatiotemporal configuration of high-quality source rocks,fault transport/sealing,and glutenite reservoirs controls the degree of hydrocarbon enrichment.From top to bottom,three hydrocarbon accumulation units,i.e.low-fill zone,transition zone,and high-fill zone,are recognized.The main area of the channel in the nearly pressurized source-connecting fault zone is favorable for large-scale hydrocarbon enrichment.The research results suggest a new direction for the exploration of large-scale glutenite-rich reservoirs in the Enping Formation of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,and present a major breakthrough in oil and gas exploration.

Geophysical prediction of organic matter abundance in source rocks based on geochemical analysis:A case study of southwestern Bozhong Sag,Bohai Sea,China

The Bozhong Sag is the largest petroliferous sag in the Bohai Bay Basin,and the source rocks of Paleogene Dongying and Shahejie Formations were buried deeply.Most of the drillings were located at the structural high,and there were few wells that met good quality source rocks,so it is difficult to evaluate the source rocks in the study area precisely by geochemical analysis only.Based on the Rock-Eval pyrolysis,total organic carbon(TOC)testing,the organic matter(OM)abundance of Paleogene source rocks in the southwestern Bozhong Sag were evaluated,including the lower of second member of Dongying Formation(E_(3)d2L),the third member of Dongying Formation(E_(3)d_(3)),the first and second members of Shahejie Formation(E_(2)s_(1+2)),the third member of Shahejie Formation(E_(2)s_(3)).The results indicate that the E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)have better hydrocarbon generative potentials with the highest OM abundance,the E_(3)d_(3)are of the second good quality,and the E_(3)d2L have poor to fair hydrocarbon generative potential.Furthermore,the well logs were applied to predict TOC and residual hydrocarbon generation potential(S_(2))based on the sedimentary facies classification,usingΔlogR,generalizedΔlogR,logging multiple linear regression and BP neural network methods.The various methods were compared,and the BP neural network method have relatively better prediction accuracy.Based on the pre-stack simultaneous inversion(P-wave impedance,P-wave velocity and density inversion results)and the post-stack seismic attributes,the three-dimensional(3D)seismic prediction of TOC and S_(2)was carried out.The results show that the seismic near well prediction results of TOC and S_(2)based on seismic multi-attributes analysis correspond well with the results of well logging methods,and the plane prediction results are identical with the sedimentary facies map in the study area.The TOC and S_(2)values of E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are higher than those in E_(3)d_(3)and E_(3)d_(2)L,basically consistent with the geochemical analysis results.This method makes up the deficiency of geochemical methods,establishing the connection between geophysical information and geochemical data,and it is helpful to the 3D quantitative prediction and the evaluation of high-quality source rocks in the areas where the drillings are limited.

Petroleum Retention,Intraformational Migration and Segmented Accumulation within the Organic-rich Shale in the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation of the Gulong Sag,Songliao Basin,Northeast China

In this study,organic geochemical and petrological analyses were conducted on 111 shale samples from a well to understand the retention,intraformational migration and segmented accumulation(shale oil enrichment in different intervals is unconnected)features of shale oil within the organic-rich shale in the Qingshankou Formation of the Gulong Sag.Our study shows that retained petroleum characteristics in the investigated succession are mainly influenced by three factors:organic richness,intraformational migration and segmented accumulation.Organic matter richness primarily controls the amount of retained petroleum,especially the‘live’component indicated by the S_(2)value rather than the total organic carbon(TOC)figure alone.The negative expulsion efficiencies determined by mass-balance calculations of hydrocarbons reveal that petroleum from adjacent organic-rich intervals migrates into the interval of about 2386-2408 m,which is characterized by high free hydrocarbon(S_(1)),OSI and saturated hydrocarbons content,along with a greater difference inδ^(13)C values between polar compounds(including resins and asphaltenes)and saturated hydrocarbons.The depth-dependent heterogeneity of carbon isotope ratios(δ^(13)C)of mud methane gas,δ^(13)C of extracts gross composition(SARA),δ^(13)C of kerogen and SARA content of extracts suggest that the studied succession can be subdivided into four intervals.The shale oil sealing enrichment character in each interval is further corroborated by the distinctδ^(13)C values of mud methane gas in different intervals.Due to the migration of petroleum into the 2386-2408 m interval,the S_(1),OSI and saturated hydrocarbons content of the interval show higher relative values.The maturity of organic matter in the 2471-2500 m interval is at the highest with the smaller size molecular components of the retained petroleum.Thus,favorable‘sweet spots’may be found in the 2386-2408 m interval and the 2471-2500 m interval,according to the experiment results in this study.

Mechanism of carbonate cementation and its influence on reservoir in Pinghu Formation of Xihu Sag

Carbonate cements are the most abundant authigenic mineral and impact on physical properties greatly in sandstone reservoir.In this paper,Pinghu Formation of Xihu Sag was taken as a target.Characteristics,distribution and formation of carbonate cements were investigated via optical microscopy,cathodoluminescence(CL),electron probe and in-situ carbon-oxygen isotope.The results showed that carbonate cements varied in types and shapes.Calcite/dolomite mainly present as poikilotopic cements,while ferrocalcite/ferrodolomite/ankerite generally present as pore-filling cements.Carbon isotope(δ^(13)C)values of carbonate cements were ranging from–7.77‰to–2.67‰,with an average of–4.52‰,while oxygen isotope(δ^(18)O)values were ranging from–18.94‰to–12.04‰,with an average of–14.86‰.Theδ^(13)C/δ^(18)O indicated that the paleo-fluid of carbonate cement was mainly freshwater.Organic carbon mainly came from organic matter within mature source rocks,and inorganic carbon came from dissolution of carbonate debris and early carbonate cements.Distinctiveδ^(13)C/δ^(18)O values manifest that carbonate cements with different types formed in different periods,which make different contributions to the reservoir properties.Calcite/dolomite formed during eodiagenesis(70–90℃)and early mesodiagenesis stage(90–120℃),and were favorable to reservoir owing to their compacted resistance and selective dissolution.Ferrocalcite/ferrodolomite/ankerite formed during middle-late mesodiagenetic stage(above 120℃),and were unfavorable to reservoir due to cementing the residual intergranular pores.Hence,in order to evaluate the reservoir characteristics,it is of significantly important to distinguish different types of carbonate cements and explore their origins.

Enrichment factors of movable hydrocarbons in lacustrine shale oil and exploration potential of shale oil in Gulong Sag,Songliao Basin,NE China

The geological characteristics and production practices of the major middle-and high-maturity shale oil exploration areas in China are analyzed.Combined with laboratory results,it is clear that three essential conditions,i.e.economic initial production,commercial cumulative oil production of single well,and large-scale recoverable reserves confirmed by the testing production,determine whether the continental shale oil can be put into large-scale commercial development.The quantity and quality of movable hydrocarbons are confirmed to be crucial to economic development of shale oil,and focuses in evaluation of shale oil enrichment area/interval.The evaluation indexes of movable hydrocarbon enrichment include:(1)the material basis for forming retained hydrocarbon,including TOC>2%(preferentially 3%-4%),and typeⅠ-Ⅱkerogens;(2)the mobility of retained hydrocarbon,which is closely related to the hydrocarbon composition and flow behaviors of light/heavy components,and can be evaluated from the perspectives of thermal maturity(Ro),gas-oil ratio(GOR),crude oil density,quality of hydrocarbon components,preservation conditions;and(3)the reservoir characteristics associated with the engineering reconstruction,including the main pore throat distribution zone,reservoir physical properties(including fractures),lamellation feature and diagenetic stage,etc.Accordingly,13 evaluation indexes in three categories and their reference values are established.The evaluation indicates that the light shale oil zones in the Gulong Sag of Songliao Basin have the most favorable enrichment conditions of movable hydrocarbons,followed by light oil and black oil zones,containing 20.8×10^(8) t light oil resources in reservoirs with R_(0)>1.2%,pressure coefficient greater than 1.4,effective porosity greater than 6%,crude oil density less than 0.82 g/cm^(3),and GOR>100 m/m^(3).The shale oil in the Gulong Sag can be explored and developed separately by the categories(resource sweet spot,engineering sweet spot,and tight oil sweet spot)depending on shale oil flowability.The Gulong Sag is the most promising area to achieve large-scale breakthrough and production of continental shale oil in China.

Controlling factors and models of shale oil enrichment in Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation,Mahu Sag,Junggar Basin,NW China

Based on the combination of core observation,experimental analysis and testingand geological analysis,the main controlling factors of shale oil enrichment in the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag of the Junggar Basin are clarified,and a shale oil enrichment model is established.The results show that the enrichment of shale oil in the Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag is controlled by the organic abundance,organic type,reservoir capacity and the amount of migration hydrocarbon in shale.The abundance of organic matter provides the material basis for shale oil enrichment,and the shales containing typesⅠandⅡorganic matters have good oil content.The reservoir capacity controls shale oil enrichment.Macropores are the main space for shale oil enrichment in the Fengcheng Formation,and pore size and fracture scale directly control the degree of shale oil enrichment.The migration of hydrocarbons in shale affects shale oil enrichment.The shale that has expelled hydrocarbons has poor oil content,while the shale that has received hydrocarbons migrated from other strata has good oil content.Lithofacies reflect the hydrocarbon generation and storage capacity comprehensively.The laminated felsic shale,laminated lime-dolomitic shale and thick-layered felsic shale have good oil content,and they are favorable lithofacies for shale oil enrichment.Under the control of these factors,relative migration of hydrocarbons occurred within the Fengcheng shale,which leads to the the difference in the enrichment process of shale oil.Accordingly,the enrichment mode of shale oil in Fengcheng Formation is established as"in-situ enrichment"and"migration enrichment".By superimposing favorable lithofacies and main controlling factors of enrichment,the sweet spot of shale oil in the Fengcheng Formation can be selected which has great significance for the exploration and development of shale oil.

Dissolution mechanism of a deep-buried sandstone reservoir in a deep water area:A case study from Baiyun Sag,Zhujiang River(Pearl River)Mouth Basin

Dissolution mechanism and favorable reservoir distribution prediction are the key problems restricting oil and gas exploration in deep-buried layers.In this paper,the Enping Formation and Zhuhai Formation in Baiyun Sag of South China Sea was taken as a target.Based on the thin section,scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,porosity/permeability measurement,and mercury injection,influencing factors of dissolution were examined,and a dissolution model was established.Further,high-quality reservoirs were predicted temporally and spatially.The results show that dissolved pores constituted the main space of the Paleogene sandstone reservoir.Dissolution primarily occurred in the coarse-and medium-grained sandstones in the subaerial and subaqueous distributary channels,while dissolution was limited in fine-grained sandstones and inequigranular sandstones.The main dissolved minerals were feldspar,tuffaceous matrix,and diagenetic cement.Kaolinization of feldspar and illitization of kaolinite are the main dissolution pathways,but they occur at various depths and temperatures with different geothermal gradients.Dissolution is controlled by four factors,in terms of depositional facies,source rock evolution,overpressure,and fault activities,which co-acted at the period of 23.8–13.8 Ma,and resulted into strong dissolution.Additionally,based on these factors,high-quality reservoirs of the Enping and Zhuhai formations are predicted in the northern slope,southwestern step zone,and Liuhua uplift in the Baiyun Sag.

Petroleum geology and sub-source hydrocarbon accumulation of Permian reservoirs in Jinan Sag,eastern Junggar Basin,NW China

According to the latest drilling and the analysis of the burial history,source rock evolution history and hydrocarbon accumulation history,the sub-source hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics of the Permian reservoirs in the Jinan Sag,eastern Junggar Basin,are clarified,and the hydrocarbon accumulation model of these reservoirs is established.The results are obtained in four aspects.First,the main body of the thick salified lake basin source rocks in the Lucaogou Formation has reached the mature stage with abundant resource base.Large-scale reservoirs are developed in the Jingjingzigou,Wutonggou and Lucaogou formations.Vertically,there are multiple sets of good regional seals,the source-reservoir-caprock assemblage is good,and there are three reservoir-forming assemblages:sub-source,intra-source and above-source.Second,dissolution,hydrocarbon charging and pore-preserving effect,and presence of chlorite film effectively increase the sub-source pore space.Oil charging is earlier than the time when the reservoir becomes densified,which improves the efficiency of hydrocarbon accumulation.Third,buoyancy and source-reservoir pressure difference together constitute the driving force of oil charging,and the micro-faults within the formation give the advantage of"source-reservoir lateral docking"under the source rock.Microfractures can be critical channels for efficient seepage and continuous charging of oil in different periods.Fourth,the Jingjingzigou Formation experienced three periods of oil accumulation in the Middle-Late Permian,Middle-Late Jurassic and Late Neogene,with the characteristics of long-distance migration and accumulation in early stage,mixed charging and accumulation in middle stage and short-distance migration and high-position accumulation in late stage.The discovery and theoretical understanding of the Permian reservoirs in the Jinan Sag reveal that the thrust belt has good conditions for forming large reservoirs,and it is promising for exploration.The study results are of guidance and reference significance for oil and gas exploration in the Jinan Sag and other geologically similar areas.

Differential tectonic evolution and formation mechanism of three subsags in Wenchang Sag of Pearl River Mouth Basin,South China Sea

Notable differences in the structural characteristics and evolution of three adjacent sub-sags,i.e.,the Wenchang sub-sags A,B,and C,on the downthrown side of the Zhu IlI South Fault in the Wenchang Sag,are significant as they affect the formation and distribution of the oil and gas in these three sub-sags.However,the differences in their tectonic evolutions and formation mechanisms have not yet been adequately explained.In this paper,stress analysis,equilibrium profiles,and paleogeomorphic restora-tion,are used to investigate the dynamic settings,formation mechanisms,and influencing factors of the structural deformation related to the formation of the Wenchang Sag based on interpretation of seismic data.The results of the stress analysis suggest clockwise deflection of the regional tensile stress direction from a WNW-ESE trend during the Early Paleocene to NW-SE and NNW-SSE trends during the Eocene,to a nearly N-S trend during the Oligocene,and finally to a NNE-SSW trend during the Miocene.This clockwise rotation of the regional tensile stress direction led to the formation of a dextral strike-slip stress component parallel to the NE-trending Zhu I South Fault.This strike-slip stress component formed a releasing bend in sub-sag A,and may be associated with the continuous subsidence of a thick sedimentary layer in sub-sag A.It also created a restraining bend in sub-sag B,which underwent multiple structural inversions during its extension and subsidence and has a relatively s mall sedimentary thick-ness.The double restraining bend in sub-sag C is considered to have been strongly uplifted and eroded in response to this strike-slip stress component.Four obvious structural inversions in sub-sag B are iden-tified in this paper.These structural inversions correspond to the last four regional tectonic movements.This interpretation suggests that the formation of the structural inversions was likely related to the strong tensile stress and the small intersection angle between the direction of the regional tensile stress and the pre-existing boundary fault.The rotation of the tensile stress direction was responsible for the strike-slip movement on the pre-existing boundary fault and the formation of the releasing bend and restraining bend,which controlled the structural evolutions of the sub-sags.This reasonably explains the differential tectonic evolution of these three sub-sags in the Wenchang Sag,and provides a crucial idea forstructuralanalysisof similarbasins.

Early Cenozoic paleontological assemblages and provenance evolution of the Lishui Sag,East China Sea

The East China Sea Shelf Basin generated a series of back-arc basins with thick successions of marine-and terrestrial-facies sediments during Cenozoic.It is enriched with abundant oil and gas resources and is of great significance to the petroleum exploration undertakings.Therein,the Lishui Sag formed fan delta,fluvial delta and littoral-to-neritic facies sediments during Paleocene–Eocene,and the research on its sedimentary environment and sediment source was controversial.This study analyzed the paleontological combination characteristics,and conducted a source-to-sink comparative analysis to restore the sedimentary environment and provenance evolution of the Lishui Sag during Paleocene–Eocene based on the integration of detrital zircon U-Pb age spectra patterns with paleontological assemblages.The results indicated that Lishui Sag was dominated by littoral and neritic-facies environment during time corroborated by large abundance of foraminifera,calcareous nannofossils and dinoflagellates.Chronological analysis of detrital zircon U-Pb revealed that there were significant differences in sediment sources between the east and west area of the Lishui Sag.The western area was featured by deeper water depths in the Paleocene–Eocene,and the sediment was characterized by a single Yanshanian peak of zircon U-Pb age spectra,and mainly influenced from Yanshanian magmatic rocks of South China Coast and the surrounding paleo-uplifts.However,its eastern area partly showed Indosinian populations.In particular,the upper Eocene Wenzhou sediments were featured by increasingly plentiful Precambrian zircons in addition to the large Indosinian-Yanshanian peaks,indicating a possible impact from the Yushan Low Uplift to the east.Therefore,it is likely that the eastern Lishui Sag generated large river systems as well as deltas during time.Due to the Yuquan Movement,the Lishui Sag experienced uplifting and exhumation in the late stage of the late Eocene and was not deposited with sediments until Miocene.Featured by transitional-facies depositions of Paleocene–Eocene,the Lishui Sag thus beared significant potential for source rock and oil-gas reservoir accumulation.

Risk assessment of fault reactivation considering the heterogeneity of friction strength in the BZ34-2 Oilfield,Huanghekou Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,China

The hazards of fault reactivation caused by fluid injection are a growing concern.However,traditional evaluation methods of fault stability are likely to underestimate the risk in fault segments with a high clay content.Therefore,an extended evaluation method of fault stability(ECPP)incorporating the heterogeneity in friction strength caused by variation in the clay content within the fault zone is established in this study.After characterizing the current stress field of the BZ34-2 Oilfield in the Huanghekou Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,the reactivation potential of faults is evaluated using both traditional and ECPP methods.Traditional evaluation of fault stability shows that all faults are stable in the present stress field.Faults oriented ENE have a relatively high risk.The maximum sustainable fluid pressure Δp is approximately 8.8-8.9 MPa and 9.3-9.9 MPa.When considering the heterogeneity in fault friction strength,the fault stability is clearly controlled by the clay content of the faults.The high-risk fault segments assessed using traditional methods are no longer obvious,which reflects the importance of incorporating friction strength heterogeneity in the process of fault evaluation.Moreover,the results also show that most fault segments are activated when the fault zone is dominated by montmorillonite,reflecting the strong influence of clay mineral types on fault stability.The factors influencing the heterogeneity of fault friction strength are very complicated in actual situations.Therefore,future work should focus on establishing a database through a large number of experiments and investigating the relationship between the friction coefficient and the main controlling factors.

Controlling factors on the charging process of oil and gas in the eastern main sub-sag of the Baiyun Sag,Zhujiang River(Pearl River)Mouth Basin

The eastern main sub-sag(E-MSS)of the Baiyun Sag was the main zone for gas exploration in the deep-water area of the Zhujiang River(Pearl River)Mouth Basin at its early exploration stage,but the main goal of searching gas in this area was broken through by the successful exploration of the W3-2 and H34B volatile oil reservoirs,which provides a new insight for exploration of the Paleogene oil reservoirs in the E-MSS.Nevertheless,it is not clear on the distribution of“gas accumulated in the upper layer,oil accumulated in the lower layer”(Gas_(upper)-Oil_(lower))under the high heat flow,different source-rock beds,multi-stages of oil and gas charge,and multi-fluid phases,and not yet a definite understanding of the genetic relationship and formation mechanism among volatile oil,light oil and condensate gas reservoirs,and the migration and sequential charge model of oil and gas.These puzzles directly lead to the lack of a clear direction for oil exploration and drilling zone in this area.In this work,the PVT fluid phase,the origin of crude oil and condensate,the secondary alteration of oil and gas reservoirs,the evolution sequence of oil and gas formation,the phase state of oil and gas migration,and the configuration of fault activity were analyzed,which established the migration and accumulation model of Gas_(upper)-Oil_(lower)cocontrolled by source and heat,and fractionation controlled by facies in the E-MSS.Meanwhile,the fractionation evolution model among common black reservoirs,volatile reservoirs,condensate reservoirs and gas reservoirs is discussed,which proposed that the distribution pattern of Gas_(upper)-Oil_(lower)in the E-MSS is controlled by the generation attribute of oil and gas from source rocks,the difference of thermal evolution,and the fractionation controlled by phases after mixing the oil and gas.Overall,we suggest that residual oil reservoirs should be found in the lower strata of the discovered gas reservoirs in the oil-source fault and diapir-developed areas,while volatile oil reservoirs should be found in the deeper strata near the sag with no oil-source fault area.

Microscopic oil occurrence in high-maturity lacustrine shales:Qingshankou Formation,Gulong Sag,Songliao Basin

Occurrence and mobility of shale oil are prerequisites for evaluating shale oil reserves and prioritizing exploration targets,particularly for heterogeneous lacustrine shales.The Qingshankou Formation in the Gulong Sag,Songliao Basin is a classic lacustrine pure shale reservoir that contains abundant shale oil resources.The predicted geological reserves of the shale are 1.268×10^(9) t.In this study,field emission scanning electron microscope(FE-SEM),the modular automated processing system(MAPS),pyrolysisgas chromatography(Py-GC),low-pressure nitrogen gas adsorption(LPNA),Soxhlet extraction,pyrolysis,and 2-D nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)were integrated to describe the shale oil components,microscopic occurrence,mobility,and the effective pore size distribution.Meanwhile,the related controlling factors are discussed.The shale oil in the Qingshankou Fm exists dominantly in the matrix pores of the clay minerals,with small amounts distributed in the intergranular pores of terrigenous clastic grains,intercrystalline pores of pyrite,intragranular pores of ostracod shells,and micro-fractures.Shale oil is distributed in the pore spaces of variable sizes in different lithofacies.The clay mineral-laminated shales are characterized by the broadest range of pore size and largest volume of pore spaces with shale oil distribution,while the ostracod-laminated shales have limited pore spaces retaining oil.Furthermore,the proposed integrated analysis evaluates the shale oil molecules existing in two states:movable,and adsorbed oil,respectively.The result illustrates that movable oil takes up 30.6%e79.4%of the total residual oil.TOC,mineral composition,and pore structures of the shale joint together to control the states and mobility of the shale oil.TOC values are positively correlated with the quantities of shale oil regardless of the state of oil.The mineral components significantly impact the state of shale oil.Noticeable differences in the states of oil were observed following the changing types of minerals,possibly due to their difference in adsorption capacity and wettability.Clay minerals attract more adsorbed oil than movable oil.Felsic minerals generally decrease the occurrence of total and adsorbed oil.Carbonate plays a positive role in hydrocarbon retention of all the shale oil states.As for the pore structure,the average pore size exerts a critical impact on the total,movable,and adsorbed oil content.The total pore volume and specific surface area of shales play a principal role in controlling the total yields and amounts of adsorbed oil.This research improves the understanding of the occurrence characteristics and enrichment mechanisms of shale oil in terrestrial pure shales and provides a reference for locating favorable shale oil exploration areas.

Organic matter accumulation in lacustrine shale of the Permian Jimsar Sag,Junggar Basin,NW China

The lacustrine organic-rich shale in the Permian Lucaogou(LCG)Formation of the Jimsar Sag,Junggar Basin,is one of the main shale oil plays in China.In this paper,geological and geochemical research techniques were employed to evaluate the geochemical variability of the lacustrine shale and the pro-duction of organic matter and its preservation conditions.The LcG Formation is characterized by its complex mineral compositions and a wide range of organic matter richness and quality.The presence of high proportions ofβ-carotane and C2g steranes,indicates that the organic matter mainly originated from phytoplankton and aquatic algal-bacterial organisms,especially cyanobacteria.This study found that the productivity of the Lower LCG Member(P2li)was highest,and the Middle LCG Member(P_(2)l_(2))was the lowest.During the deposition of the Lower LCG Member,the lake's bottom water was predominantly a reducing environment,and the degradation of organic matter was largely a result of bacterial sulfate reduction.During the deposition of the Middle and Upper LCG members,the lake's bottom water was mainly oxidizing,and the degradation of organic matter was likely to be caused by aerobic processes.Based on a comprehensive analysis of the origin and production of organic matter,as well as its depo-sitional environment and preservation conditions,two organic matter accumulation models were pro-posed to explain the distribution of the organic-rich shale.In model A,the high influx of volcanic ash released nutrients and brought abundant sulfate into the water,the accumulation of organic matter was mainly controlled by the preservation of organic matter,which was mainly controlled by BsR.In the model B,the influx of volcanic ash was small,organic matter was mainly degraded by oxygen and the accumulation of organic matter is mainly determined by the production of organic matter.