Research advances on the mechanisms of reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation and the oil and gas development methods of deep and ultra-deep marine carbonates

Based on the new data of drilling, seismic, logging, test and experiments, the key scientific problems in reservoir formation, hydrocarbon accumulation and efficient oil and gas development methods of deep and ultra-deep marine carbonate strata in the central and western superimposed basin in China have been continuously studied.(1) The fault-controlled carbonate reservoir and the ancient dolomite reservoir are two important types of reservoirs in the deep and ultra-deep marine carbonates. According to the formation origin, the large-scale fault-controlled reservoir can be further divided into three types:fracture-cavity reservoir formed by tectonic rupture, fault and fluid-controlled reservoir, and shoal and mound reservoir modified by fault and fluid. The Sinian microbial dolomites are developed in the aragonite-dolomite sea. The predominant mound-shoal facies, early dolomitization and dissolution, acidic fluid environment, anhydrite capping and overpressure are the key factors for the formation and preservation of high-quality dolomite reservoirs.(2) The organic-rich shale of the marine carbonate strata in the superimposed basins of central and western China are mainly developed in the sedimentary environments of deep-water shelf of passive continental margin and carbonate ramp. The tectonic-thermal system is the important factor controlling the hydrocarbon phase in deep and ultra-deep reservoirs, and the reformed dynamic field controls oil and gas accumulation and distribution in deep and ultra-deep marine carbonates.(3) During the development of high-sulfur gas fields such as Puguang, sulfur precipitation blocks the wellbore. The application of sulfur solvent combined with coiled tubing has a significant effect on removing sulfur blockage. The integrated technology of dual-medium modeling and numerical simulation based on sedimentary simulation can accurately characterize the spatial distribution and changes of the water invasion front.Afterward, water control strategies for the entire life cycle of gas wells are proposed, including flow rate management, water drainage and plugging.(4) In the development of ultra-deep fault-controlled fractured-cavity reservoirs, well production declines rapidly due to the permeability reduction, which is a consequence of reservoir stress-sensitivity. The rapid phase change in condensate gas reservoir and pressure decline significantly affect the recovery of condensate oil. Innovative development methods such as gravity drive through water and natural gas injection, and natural gas drive through top injection and bottom production for ultra-deep fault-controlled condensate gas reservoirs are proposed. By adopting the hierarchical geological modeling and the fluid-solid-thermal coupled numerical simulation, the accuracy of producing performance prediction in oil and gas reservoirs has been effectively improved.

Stress sensitivity of carbonate gas reservoirs and its microscopic mechanism

In order to evaluate the stress sensitivity of carbonate reservoirs,a series of rock stress sensitivity tests were carried out under in-situ formation temperature and stress condition.Based on the calibration of capillary pressure curve,the variable fractal dimension was introduced to establish the conversion formula between relaxation time and pore size.By using the nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)method,the pore volume loss caused by stress sensitivity within different scales of pore throat was quantitatively analyzed,and the microscopic mechanism of stress sensitivity of carbonate gas reservoirs was clarified.The results show that fractures can significantly affect the stress sensitivity of carbonate reservoirs.With the increase of initial permeability,the stress sensitivity coefficient decreases and then increases for porous reservoirs,but increases monotonously for fractured-porous reservoirs.The pore volume loss caused by stress sensitivity mainly occurs for mesopores(0.02–0.50μm),contributing more than 50%of the total volume loss.Single high-angle fracture contributes 9.6%of the stress sensitivity and 15.7%of the irreversible damage.The microscopic mechanism of the stress sensitivity of carbonate gas reservoirs can be concluded as fracture closure,elastic contraction of pores and plastic deformation of rock skeleton.

Production forecasting methods for different types of gas reservoirs

Hydrocarbon production in oil and gas fields generally progresses through stages of production ramp-up,plateau(peak),and decline during field development,with the whole process primarily modeled and forecasted using lifecycle models.SINOPEC's conventional gas reservoirs are dominated by carbonates,low-permeability tight sandstone,condensate,volcanic rocks,and medium-to-high-permeability sandstone.This study identifies the optimal production forecasting models by comparing the fitting coefficients of different models and calculating the relative errors in technically recoverable reserves.To improve forecast precision,it suggests substituting exponential smoothing method-derived predictions for anomalous data caused by subjective influences like market dynamics and maintenance activities.The preferred models for carbonate gas reservoir production forecasts are the generalized Weng's,Beta,Class-I generalized mathematical,and Hu-Chen models.The Vapor pressure and Beta models are optimal for forecasting the annual productivity of wells(APW)from gas-bearing low-permeability tight sandstone reservoirs.The Wang-Li,Beta,and Yu QT tb models are apt for moderate-to-small-reserves,single low-permeability tight sandstone gas reservoirs.The Rayleigh,Hu-Chen,and generalized Weng's models are suitable for condensate gas reservoirs.For medium-to-high-permeability sandstone gas reservoirs,the lognormal,generalized gamma,and Beta models are recommended.

Diagenesis and Restructuring Mechanism of Oil and Gas Reservoir in the Marine Carbonate Formation,Northeastern Sichuan:A Case Study of the Puguang Gas Reservoir

Based on the technology of balanced cross-section and physical simulation experiments associated with natural gas geochemical characteristic analyses, core and thin section observations, it has been proven that the Puguang gas reservoir has experienced two periods of diagenesis and restructuring since the Late Indo-Chinese epoch. One is the fluid transfer controlled by the tectonic movement and the other is geochemical reconstruction controlled by thermochemical sulfate reduction （TSR）. The middle Yanshan epoch was the main period that the Puguang gas reservoir experienced the geochemical reaction of TSR. TSR can recreate the fluid in the gas reservoir, which makes the gas drying index higher and carbon isotope heavier because C2＋ （ethane and heavy hydrocarbon） and 12C （carbon 12 isotope） is first consumed relative to CH4 and 13C （carbon 13 isotope）. However, the reciprocity between fluid regarding TSR （hydrocarbon, sulfureted hydrogen （H2S）, and water） and reservoir rock results in reservoir rock erosion and anhydrite alteration, which increases porosity in reservoir, thereby improving the petrophysical properties. Superimposed by later tectonic movement, the fluid in Puguang reservoir has twice experienced adjustment, one in the late Yanshan epoch to the early Himalayan epoch and the other time in late Himalayan epoch, after which Puguang gas reservoir is finally developed.

Deliverability of wells in carbonate gas condensate reservoirs and the capillary number effect

With the development of the Tazhong No. 1 carbonate gas condensate reservoir in China, it has become more and more important to study the characteristics of gas condensate well deliverability. A single-well radial simulator for dual-permeability reservoirs was established to study the influences of fluid properties, permeability, and pressure drawdown on well deliverability with and without the capillary number effect. The simulation shows that well deliverability basically maintains its initial value and is not affected by the capillary number when the formation pressure is higher than dew-point pressure. However, well deliverability drops rapidly when the formation pressure is lower than dew-point pressure. Even if the condensate dropout is very low, well deliverability without the capillary number effect reduces to 50 percent of its initial value when reservoir pressure declines to 95 percent of dew-point pressure, but well deliverability is significantly improved if the capillary number effect exists. The capillary number effect is most significant when reservoir pressure is just lower than dew point pressure, then the effect decreases; the reduction of well deliverability is mainly caused by the reduction of gas relative permeability of the matrix system near the wellbore.

Types of Karst-fractured and Porous Reservoirs in China's Carbonates and the Nature of the Tahe Oilfield in the Tarim Basin

Almost all the oil and gas reservoirs developed in marine sedimentary strata of China have undergone processes of multi-phase reservoir formation and later modification. The irregular reservoirs are classified into three types as the Naxi, Tahe and Renqiu ones, increasing successively in the development degree of karstificated pores and fissures and the connection degree of independent reservoirs. In these reservoirs, the unity in the fluid feature, pressure and oil-gas-water interface also increases successively from the Naxi to the Renqiu type. The main body of Ordovician reservoirs of the Tahe Oilfield in the Tarim Basin is a network pool rather than a stratified, massive, stratigraphically-unconformed or weathering-crust one. The fluid nature of oil, gas and water, the interface positions and the pressures, as well as the dynamic conditions of fluids within the reservoirs during the production are all different from those in stratified or massive oil and gas reservoirs. Carbonates in the Akekule uplift and the Tahe Oilfield are assemblages of various types of reservoirs, which have an overall oil-bearing potential and obvious uneven distribution. Testing and producing tests are the major means to evaluate this type of reservoirs and acid fracturing improvement is a key link in petroleum exploration and development.

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.

Ordovician Carbonate Reservoir Bed Characteristics and Reservoir-Forming Conditions in the Lungudong Region of the Tarim Basin

Basic characteristics of Ordovician carbonate reservoir beds in the Lungudong region of northeastern part of the Tarim Basin are described in detail and the reservoir-forming conditions of oil and gas are preliminarily discussed in this paper by collecting and sorting out a large amount of data. The carbonate reservoir beds are mainly developed in open-platform and platform marginal facies; the reservoir beds have large changes in and low average values of physical property; the main type is fractured reservoir beds with the fracture-porous type second. The reservoir bed development is chiefly controlled by the distribution of sedimentary facies, tectonic activity and karstification. Whereas the accumulation and distribution of hydrocarbons in the region are controlled by an advantageous structural location, a good reservoir-caprock combination and a favorable transporting system, with the distribution characterized by zones horizontally and belts vertically, the oil and gas are mainly concentrated in areas with structural uplift, densely developed fractures, and surface karst, a vertical vadose zone, and a horizontal undercurrent belt of palaeokarst.

Distribution and exploration direction of medium-and large-sized marine carbonate gas fields in Sichuan Basin, SW China

Based on the analysis of the basic characteristics of medium-and large-sized marine gas fields in Sichuan Basin, combined with the division of major reservoir forming geological units in the marine craton stage and their control on key hydrocarbon accumulation factors, the distribution law of medium-and large-sized marine carbonate gas fields in the basin was examined and the exploration direction was pointed out. Through the analysis of the periodic stretching-uplifting background, it is concluded that five large scale paleo-rifts, three large scale paleo-uplifts, five large scale paleo erosion surfaces were formed in the marine craton stage of Sichuan Basin, and these geological units control the key reservoir forming factors of medium and large sized gas fields:(1) Large-scale paleo-rifts control the distribution of high-quality hydrocarbon generation centers.(2) The margin of large-scale paleo-rifts, high position of paleo-uplifts and paleo erosion surfaces control the distribution of high-quality reservoirs.(3) Large-scale paleo-rifts, paleo-uplifts, paleo erosion surfaces and present tectonic setting jointly control the formation of many types of large and medium-sized traps.(4) Natural gas accumulation is controlled by the inheritance evolution of traps in large geological units. Based on the comparative analysis of the distribution characteristics of medium-and large-sized gas fields and large geological units, it is proposed that the superimposition relationship between single or multiple geological units and the present structure controls the distribution of medium-and large-sized gas fields, and the "three paleo" superimposed area is the most advantageous. According to the above rules, the main exploration fields and directions of medium-and large-sized marine carbonate gas fields in Sichuan Basin include periphery of Deyang-Anyue paleo-rift, eastern margin of Longmenshan paleo-rift, margins of Kaijiang-Liangping oceanic trough and Chengkou-western Hubei oceanic trough, the high part of the subaqueous paleo-uplifts around Central Sichuan, paleo erosion surfaces of the top boundary of Maokou Formation in eastern and southern Sichuan Basin, paleo erosion surfaces of the top boundary of the Leikoupo Formation in central and western Sichuan Basin.

Geochemical Characteristics and Migration Pathways of Ordovician Carbonate Oil Reservoirs in the Tuoputai Area,Tarim Basin,Northwestern China

Exploration potential is huge and the oil resources are rich in the Ordovician reservoirs of the Tarim Basin.However,the mechanism of hydrocarbon accumulation is complex and not yet fully understood.In the Tuoputai area,the hydrocarbon migration pathways and characteristics of deep hydrocarbon accumulation are revealed through analyses of the physical data of rich oil and gas,the geochemical parameters of oil,and fluid inclusions.The results show that the Ordovician oils in the Tuoputai area have the same geochemical characteristics as the mixed oil from the Lower Cambrian source rock and the Middle–Upper Ordovician source rock.The Ordovician reservoirs have been charged three times:in the late Caledonian,late Hercynian,and Himalayan stages.Oil charging occurred in the Hercynian stage,in particular,as it is the main filling period of hydrocarbon.The north-northeast(NNE)-trending TP12 CX major fault,active in in these times and is dominant migration channel of hydrocarbon,but there is segmentation affected by the difference of activities.Oil maturity is higher in the south than in the north and is abnormally high near the major fault.Parameters related to migration indicate that oil migrated northeastward along the NNE-trending TP12 CX major fault and adjusted laterally along the secondary faults and weathering crust,forming the present characteristics of oil and gas distribution.

Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Migration Law of Gas Mixture Using Carbon Dioxide as Cushion Gas in Underground Gas Storage Reservoir

One of the major technical challenges in using carbon dioxide( CO2) as part of the cushion gas of the underground gas storage reservoir( UGSR) is the mixture of CO2and natural gas. To decrease the mixing extent and manage the migration of the mixed zone,an understanding of the mechanism of CO2and natural gas mixing and the diffusion of the mixed gas in aquifer is necessary. In this paper,a numerical model based on the three dimensional gas-water two-phase flow theory and gas diffusion theory is developed to understand this mechanism. This model is validated by the actual operational data in Dazhangtuo UGSR in Tianjin City,China.Using the validated model,the mixed characteristic of CO2and natural gas and the migration mechanism of the mixed zone in an underground porous reservoir is further studied. Particularly,the impacts of the following factors on the migration mechanism are studied: the ratio of CO2injection,the reservoir porosity and the initial operating pressure. Based on the results,the optimal CO2injection ratio and an optimal control strategy to manage the migration of the mixed zone are obtained. These results provide technical guides for using CO2as cushion gas for UGSR in real projects.

Theories and practices of carbonate reservoirs development in China

Carbonate reservoirs in China have the characteristics of diversified accumulation pattern, complex structure and varying reservoir conditions. Concerning these characteristics, this article tracks the technical breakthroughs and related practices since the 1950 s, summarizes the developed theory and technologies of carbonate reservoir development, analyzes their adaptability and problems, and proposes their development trend. The following theory and technologies have come into being:(1) carbonate reservoir formation mechanisms and compound flow mechanisms in complex medium;(2) reservoir identification and description technologies based on geophysics and discrete fracture-vuggy modeling method;(3) well testing analysis technology and numerical simulation method of coupling free flow and porous media flow;(4) enhanced oil recovery techniques for nitrogen single well huff and puff, and water flooding development techniques with well pattern design in spatial structure, changed intensity water injection, water plugging and channel blocking as the core;(5) drilling and completion techniques, acid fracturing techniques and its production increasing techniques. To realize the efficient development of carbonate oil and gas reservoirs, researches in four aspects need to be done:(1) complex reservoir description technology with higher accuracy;(2) various enhanced oil recovery techniques;(3) improving the drilling method and acid fracturing method for ultra-deep carbonate reservoir and significantly cutting engineering cost;(4) strengthening the technological integration of information, big data, cloud computation, and artificial intelligence in oilfield development to realize the smart development of oilfield.

Simulation research on carbon dioxide as cushion gas in gas underground reservoirs

Aimed at the problem of mixing working gas and cushion gas in carbon sequestration technology, the feasibility of using carbon dioxide as the cushion gas in reservoirs is discussed firstly. At the usual condition of reservoirs, carbon dioxide is a kind of supercritical fluid with high condensability, high viscosity and high density. Secondly, this article studies the laws of formation and development of mixing zone by numerical simulation and analyses the impact on mixing zone brought by different injection modes and rational ratios of cushion gas in reservoirs. It is proposed that the appropriate injection ratio of cushion gas is 20%-30%. Using carbon dioxide as cushion gas in gas reservoirs is able to make the running of natural gas reservoirs economical and efficient.

Formation Mechanism of the Changxing Formation Gas Reservoir in the Yuanba Gas Field,Sichuan Basin,China

In a very gentle platform-margin paleogeographic environment, platform-margin reef flat facies carbonate reservoir rocks were developed in the Changxing Formation of Yuanba field. Later weak structural evolution and diagenetic evolution caused the Changxing Formation to form lithologic traps, with good reservoirs such as dissolved bioclastic dolostone and dissolved pore dolostone. The Changxing Formation gas reservoir is a pseudo-layered porous lithologic gas reservoir under pressure depletion drive, with high H2S and moderate CO2 contents. This paper predictes that the conducting system for the Changxing Formation gas reservoir is possibly composed of the pores and microfractures in the Changxing Formation reservoir, the top erosional surface of the Changxing Formation, as well as the micropores and microfractures in the underlying formations. The Changxing Formation reservoir has experienced 3 hydrocarbon charging stages. This paper suggests that diffusion is the major formation mechanism for this gas reservoir. In the Middle and Late Yanshanian, the Yuanba area entered the major gas charging stage. The gas migrated mainly through diffusion and with the assistance of seepage flow in small faults and microfractures from the source rocks and the other oil-bearing strata to the Changxing Formation carbonate reservoir rocks, forming lithologic gas pools. In the Himalayan Epoch, the lithologic traps were uplifted as a whole without strong modification or overlapping, and were favorable for gas preservation.

An analysis of the types and distribution characteristics of natural gas reservoirs in China

The natural gas reservoir beds of different areas in China can be divided into three kinds, clastic natural gas reservoir bed, carbonate natural gas reservoir bed and special natural gas reservoir bed. They have different combination patterns controlled by deposition, diagenesis and tectonism. Our analysis indicates that the natural gas reservoirs are mainly distributed in the Precambrian, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, and Tertiary-Quaternary. Craton basin, foreland basin and intracontinental rift basin which contain most of natural gas in China have special geological features and favorable accumulation conditions, and will be important exploration areas in the future.

Origin,migration,and accumulation of carbon dioxide in the East Changde Gas Field,Songliao Basin,northeastern China

CO2reservoirs are widely distributed within the Yingcheng Formation in the Songliao Basin, but the extreme horizontal heterogeneity of CO2content causes difficulties in the exploration and exploitation of methane. Former studies have fully covered the lithology, structure, and distribution of the reservoirs high in CO2content, but few are reported about migration and accumulation of CO2. Using the East Changde Gas Field as an example, we studied the accumulation mechanisms of CO2 gas. Two original types of accumulation model are proposed in this study. The fault-controlled accumulation model refers to gas accumulation in the reservoir body that is cut by a basement fault(the West Xu Fault), allowing the hydrocarbon gas generated in the lower formation to migrate into the reservoir body through the fault, which results in a relatively lower CO2content. The volcanic conduit-controlled accumulation model refers to a reservoir body that is not cut by the basement fault, which prevents the hydrocarbon gas from being mixed in and leads to higher CO2contents. This conclusion provides useful theories for prediction of CO2distribution in similar basins and reservoirs.

Evaluation of reservoir environment by chemical properties of reservoir water‒A case study of Chang 6 reservoir in Ansai oilfield,Ordos Basin,China

The Ordos Basin is the largest continental multi-energy mineral basin in China,which is rich in coal,oil and gas,and uranium resources.The exploitation of mineral resources is closely related to reservoir water.The chemical properties of reservoir water are very important for reservoir evaluation and are significant indicators of the sealing of reservoir oil and gas resources.Therefore,the caprock of the Chang 6 reservoir in the Yanchang Formation was evaluated.The authors tested and analyzed the chemical characteristics of water samples selected from 30 wells in the Chang 6 reservoir of Ansai Oilfield in the Ordos Basin.The results show that the Chang 6 reservoir water in Ansai Oilfield is dominated by calcium-chloride water type with a sodium chloride coefficient of generally less than 0.5.The chloride magnesium coefficients are between 33.7 and 925.5,most of which are greater than 200.The desulfurization coefficients range from 0.21 to 13.4,with an average of 2.227.The carbonate balance coefficients are mainly concentrated below 0.01,with an average of 0.008.The calcium and magnesium coefficients are between 0.08 and 0.003,with an average of 0.01.Combined with the characteristics of the four-corner layout of the reservoir water,the above results show that the graphics are basically consistent.The study indicates that the Chang 6 reservoir in Ansai Oilfield in the Ordos Basin is a favorable block for oil and gas storage with good sealing properties,great preservation conditions of oil and gas,and high pore connectivity.

Evaluation of sour gas-low salinity waterflooding in carbonate reservoirs-A numerical simulation approach

Although significant amount of H_(2)S(sour gas)rich natural gas is estimated globally,but not much attention has been given to the application of H_(2)S in the oil recovery process.Recent studies on the use of H_(2)S in oil recovery processes showed that H_(2)S has the potential of improving the oil recovery,and it can be even more effective than using CO_(2) in some processes.H_(2)S can equally dissolve in the water,react with the reservoir rock to change its surface charge,porosity,and permeability.However,previous in-vestigations on H_(2)S oil recovery attributed the improved oil recoveries to the higher miscibility of H_(2)S in the oil,and the reduction in the oil viscosity.Therefore,there is limited understanding on the H_(2)S-oil-brine-rock geochemical interactions,and how they impact the oil recovery process.This study aims to investigate the interactions between H_(2)S,oil,and carbonate formations,and to assess how the combi-nation of H_(2)S and low salinity water can impact the wettability and porosity of the reservoirs.A triple layer surface complexation model was used to understand the influence of key parameters(e.g.,pressure,brine salinity,and composition)on the H_(2)S-brine-oil-rock interactions.Moreover,the effects of mineral content of the carbonate rock on H_(2)S interactions were studied.Thereafter,the results of the H_(2)S-oil-brine-rock interactions were compared with a study where CO_(2) was used as the injected gas.Results of the study showed that the seawater and its diluted forms yielded identicalζ-potential values of about 3.31 mV at a pH of 3.24.This indicates that at very low pH condition,pH controls the ζ-potential of the oil-brine interface regardless of the brine's ionic strength.The study further demonstrated that the presence of other minerals in the carbonate rock greatly reduced the calcite dissolution.For instance,the calcite dissolution was reduced by 4.5%when anhydrite mineral was present in the carbonate rock.Findings from the simulation also indicated that CO_(2) produced negative ζ-potential values for the car-bonate rocks,and these values were reduced by 18.4%-20% when H_(2)S was used as the gas phase.This implies that the H_(2)S shifted the carbonate rockζ-potentials towards positive.The outcomes of this study can be applied when designing CO_(2) flooding and CO_(2) storage where the gas stream contains H_(2)S gas since H_(2)S greatly influences the dissolution of the carbonate mineral.

Carbon isotope evidence for shale gas preservation conditions and large methane release over million years:A case study of shale gas reservoirs of Wufeng and Longmaxi Formations in the Sichuan Basin

Although carbon isotope reversal and its reasons in shale gas reservoirs have been widely recognized,the application of the reversal is yet to be investigated.A study on high-maturity shale from Wufeng and Longmaxi Formations in the Sichuan Basin not only reveals the relationship between the degree of isotopes inversion and the production capacity(e.g.,estimated ultimate recovery(EUR))of the gas well but also indicates the preservation conditions of shale gas reservoirs.(1)Although there are differences in gas isotopes in different shale gas reservoirs,the isotope fractionation of shale gas is small during the production stage of gas wells,even when the wellbore pressure drops to zero.The main cause of the difference in carbon isotopes and their inversion degree can be the uplift time during the Yanshan period and the formation pressure relief degree of shale gas reservoirs in distinct structural positions.Thus,carbon isotope inversion is a good indicator of shale gas preservation condition and EUR of shale gas wells.(2)The degree of carbon isotope inversion correlates strongly with shale gas content and EUR.The calculation formula of shale-gas recoverable reserves was established using△δ^(13)C(δC_(1)-δC_(2))and EUR.(3)The gas loss rate and total loss amount can be estimated using the dynamic reserves and isotopic difference values of gas wells in various shale gas fields,which also reflects the current methane loss,thereby demonstrating great potential for evaluating global methane loss in shales.

Discovery and Significance of High CH_4 Primary Fluid Inclusions in Reservoir Volcanic Rocks of the Songliao Basin,NE China

Comparing compositions of the fluid inclusions in volcanic rocks to the contents and isotopes of the gases in corresponding volcanic reservoirs using microthermometry, Raman microspectroscopy and mass spectrum analysis, we found that： （1） up to 82 mole% methane exists in the primary inclusions hosted in the reservoir volcanic rocks; （2） high CH4 inclusions recognized in the volcanic rocks correspond to CH4-bcaring CO2 reservoirs that are rich in helium and with a high ^3He/^4He ratio and which show reversed order of 813C in alkane; （3） in gas reservoirs of such abiotic methane （〉80%） and a mix of CH4 and CO2, the enclosed content of CH4 in the volcanic inclusions is usually below 42 mole%, and the reversed order of δ^13C in alkane is sometimes irregular in the corresponding gas pools; （4） a glassy inclusion with a homogeneous temperature over 900℃ also contains a small portion of CH4 although predominantly CO2. This affinity between gas pool and content of inclusion in the same volcanic reservoirs demonstrates that magma-originated gases, both CH4 and CO2, have contributed significantly to the corresponding gas pools and that the assumed hydrocarbon budget of the bulk earth might be much larger than conventionally supposed.