Hydrocarbon generation from lacustrine shales with retained oil during thermal maturation

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

Thermal simulation experiment of organic matter-rich shale and implication for organic pore formation and evolution

A thermal simulation experiment of diagenesis,hydrocarbon generation and evolution of the organic matter-rich shale was carried out to investigate formation and evolution of organic pores under the constraint from immature,low mature,mature,high mature to overmature geological conditions.The argon ion polishingefield emission scanning electron microscope was used to analyze microscopic features of original samples and simulated samples of various evolution stages.Results showed organic pores could be formed during hydrocarbon generation from biochemical and hypothermal processes in the immature and low mature stages,and the shale shallow-buried depth might be favorable for preservation of organic pores;the generation and evolution of organic pores were of heterogeneity,and the maturity was not a decisive factor which controlled formation and development of organic pores,while the difference in physiochemical structure of organic matter played an important role in formation and evolution of organic pores;the organic pore development was obviously related with the retained oil,and the organic pores formed in the oil generation stage were easily filled by pyrolysis asphalt;organic contraction fractures/organic marginal pores might be important storage spaces for shale gas occurrence,and their development was mainly controlled by the physiochemical structure and evolution degree of organic matters when the chemical adsorbed organic matter was converted into the physical adsorbed organic matter and the free organic matter.