“Rigid-elastic chimera” pore skeleton model and overpressure porosity measurement method for shale: A case study of the deep overpressure siliceous shale of Silurian Longmaxi Formation in southern Sichuan Basin, SW China

Based on analysis of pore features and pore skeleton composition of shale,a“rigid elastic chimeric”pore skeleton model of shale gas reservoir was built.Pore deformation mechanisms leading to increase of shale porosity due to the pore skeleton deformation under overpressure were sorted out through analysis of stress on the shale pore and skeleton.After reviewing the difficulties and defects of existent porosity measurement methods,a dynamic deformed porosity measurement method was worked out and used to measure the porosity of overpressure Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale under real formation conditions in southern Sichuan Basin.The results show:(1)The shale reservoir is a mixture of inorganic rock particles and organic matter,which contains inorganic pores supported by rigid skeleton particles and organic pores supported by elastic-plastic particles,and thus has a special“rigid elastic chimeric”pore structure.(2)Under the action of formation overpressure,the inorganic pores have tiny changes that can be assumed that they don’t change in porosity,while the organic pores may have large deformation due to skeleton compression,leading to the increase of radius,connectivity and ultimately porosity of these pores.(3)The“dynamic”deformation porosity measurement method combining high injection pressure helium porosity measurement and kerosene porosity measurement method under ultra-high variable pressure can accurately measure porosity of unconnected micro-pores under normal pressure conditions,and also the porosity increment caused by plastic skeleton compression deformation.(4)The pore deformation mechanism of shale may result in the"abnormal"phenomenon that the shale under formation conditions has higher porosity than that under normal pressure,so the overpressure shale reservoir is not necessarily“ultra-low in porosity”,and can have porosity over 10%.Application of this method in Well L210 in southern Sichuan has confirmed its practicality and reliability.

Differences in and factors controlling organic matter enrichment in the Ziliujing Formation shale in the Sichuan Basin

Lacustrine shale oil and gas are important fields for unconventional exploration and development in China,and organic-rich shale deposition lays down the critical foundation for hydrocarbon generation.There are two sets of shale,the Dongyuemiao and Da’anzhai Members,in the Ziliujing Formation in the Sichuan Basin.To identify the differential enrichment characteristics of organic matter and clarify its controlling factors,geochemical analyses of organic and inorganic geochemical analyses were performed.The results showed that the total organic carbon content of the Dongyuemiao shale(1.36%)is slightly higher than that of the Da’anzhai shale(0.95%).The enrichment of organic matter in the two shales resulted from the comprehensive controls of paleoproductivity,paleoenvironment,and terrigenous input,but different factors have different effects.In addition,driven by climate,the change in the sulfate concentration in the bottom water further led to the different intensities of bacterial sulfate reduction in early diagenesis.This made a great difference regarding organic matter accumulation in the two members.In general,climate may have played a dominant role in organic matter enrichment in the two sets of shale.

Porosity, permeability and rock mechanics of Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation deep shale under temperature-pressure coupling in the Sichuan Basin, SW China

To investigate the porosity, permeability and rock mechanics of deep shale under temperature-pressure coupling, we selected the core samples of deep shale from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Weirong and Yongchuan areas of the Sichuan Basin for porosity and permeability experiments and a triaxial compression and sound wave integration experiment at the maximum temperature and pressure of 120 ℃ and 70 MPa. The results show that the microscopic porosity and permeability change and the macroscopic rock deformation are mutually constrained, both showing the trend of steep and then gentle variation. At the maximum temperature and pressure, the porosity reduces by 34%–71%, and the permeability decreases by 85%–97%. With the rising temperature and pressure, deep shale undergoes plastic deformation in which organic pores and clay mineral pores are compressed and microfractures are closed, and elastic deformation in which brittle mineral pores and rock skeleton particles are compacted. Compared with previous experiments under high confining pressure and normal temperature,the experiment under high temperature and high pressure coupling reveals the effect of high temperature on stress sensitivity of porosity and permeability. High temperature can increase the plasticity of the rock, intensify the compression of pores due to high confining pressure, and induce thermal stress between the rock skeleton particles, allowing the reopening of shale bedding or the creation of new fractures along weak planes such as bedding, which inhibits the decrease of permeability with the increase of temperature and confining pressure. Compared with the triaxial mechanical experiment at normal temperature, the triaxial compression experiment at high temperature and high pressure demonstrates that the compressive strength and peak strain of deep shale increase significantly due to the coupling of temperature and pressure. The compressive strength is up to 435 MPa and the peak strain exceeds 2%, indicating that high temperature is not conducive to fracture initiation and expansion by increasing rock plasticity. Lithofacies and mineral composition have great impacts on the porosity, permeability and rock mechanics of deep shale. Shales with different lithologies are different in the difficulty and extent of brittle failure. The stress-strain characteristics of rocks under actual geological conditions are key support to the optimization of reservoir stimulation program.

Enlightenment of calcite veins in deep Ordovician Wufeng-Silurian Longmaxi shales fractures to migration and enrichment of shale gas in southern Sichuan Basin, SW China

The relationship between fracture calcite veins and shale gas enrichment in the deep Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation (Wufeng-Longmaxi) shales in southern Sichuan Basin was investigated through core and thin section observations, cathodoluminescence analysis, isotopic geochemistry analysis, fluid inclusion testing, and basin simulation. Tectonic fracture calcite veins mainly in the undulating part of the structure and non-tectonic fracture calcite veins are mainly formed in the gentle part of the structure. The latter, mainly induced by hydrocarbon generation, occurred at the stage of peak oil and gas generation, while the former turned up with the formation of Luzhou paleouplift during the Indosinian. Under the influence of hydrocarbon generation pressurization process, fractures were opened and closed frequently, and oil and gas episodic activities are recorded by veins. The formation pressure coefficient at the maximum paleodepth exceeds 2.0. The formation uplift stage after the Late Yanshanian is the key period for shale gas migration. Shale gas migrates along the bedding to the high part of the structure. The greater the structural fluctuation is, the more intense the shale gas migration activity is, and the loss is more. The gentler the formation is, the weaker the shale gas migration activity is, and the loss is less. The shale gas enrichment in the core of gentle anticlines and gentle synclines is relatively higher.

Microfacies types and distribution of epicontinental shale: A case study of the Wufeng–Longmaxi shale in southern Sichuan Basin, China

For black shales,laminae and bedding are hard to identify,grain size is difficult to measure,and trace fossils do not exist.Taking the Ordovician Wufeng–Silurian Longmaxi shale in southern Sichuan Basin,China,as an example,the types,characteristics and models of microfacies in epicontinental shale are analyzed by means of full-scale observation of large thin sections,argon-ion polishing field emission-scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM),and kerogen microscopy.The epicontinental sea develops delta,tidal flat and shelf facies,with black shale found in microfacies such as the underwater distributary channel and interdistributary bay under delta front facies,the calcareous and clayey flats under intertidal flat facies,the calcareous and clayey shelfs under shallow shelf facies,the deep slope,deep plain and deep depression under deep shelf facies,and the overflow under gravity flow facies.Basinward,silty lamina decreases and clayey lamina increases,the grain size changes from coarse silt to fine mud,the silica content increases from about 20%to above 55%,the carbonate and clay minerals content decreases from above 40%to around 10%,and the kerogen type changes from type II2 to type II1 and type I.Provenance and topography dominate the types and distribution of shale microfacies.The underwater distributary channel,interdistributary bay,clayey flat,clayey shelf,and overflow microfacies are developed in areas with sufficient sediment supply.The calcareous flat and calcareous shelf are developed in areas with insufficient sediment supply.The deep shelf shale area is divided into deep slope,deep plain,and deep depression microfacies as a result of three breaks.The formation of epicontinental shale with different microfacies is closely related to the tectonic setting,paleoclimate,and sea level rise.The relatively active tectonic setting increases the supply of terrigenous clasts,forming muddy water fine-grained sediment.The warm and humid paleoclimate is conducive to the enrichment of organic matter.The rapid sea level rise is helpful to the widespread black shale.

Geological characteristics and high production control factors of shale gas reservoirs in Silurian Longmaxi Formation, southern Sichuan Basin, SW China

Marine shale gas resources have great potential in the south of the Sichuan Basin in China.At present,the high-quality shale gas resources at depth of 2000–3500 m are under effective development,and strategic breakthroughs have been made in deeper shale gas resources at depth of 3500–4500 m.To promote the effective production of shale gas in this area,this study examines key factors controlling high shale gas production and presents the next exploration direction in the southern Sichuan Basin based on summarizing the geological understandings from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale gas exploration combined with the latest results of geological evaluation.The results show that:(1)The relative sea depth in marine shelf sedimentary environment controls the development and distribution of reservoirs.In the relatively deep water area in deep-water shelf,grade-I reservoirs with a larger continuous thickness develop.The relative depth of sea in marine shelf sedimentary environment can be determined by redox conditions.The research shows that the uranium to thorium mass ratio greater than 1.25 indicates relatively deep water in anoxic reduction environment,and the uranium to thorium mass ratio of 0.75–1.25 indicates semi-deep water in weak reduction and weak oxidation environment,and the uranium to thorium mass ratio less than 0.75 indicates relatively shallow water in strong oxidation environment.(2)The propped fractures in shale reservoirs subject to fracturing treatment are generally 10–12 m high,if grade-I reservoirs are more than 10 m in continuous thickness,then all the propped section would be high-quality reserves;in this case,the longer the continuous thickness of penetrated grade-I reservoirs,the higher the production will be.(3)The shale gas reservoirs at 3500–4500 m depth in southern Sichuan are characterized by high formation pressure,high pressure coefficient,well preserved pores,good pore structure and high proportion of free gas,making them the most favorable new field for shale gas exploration;and the pressure coefficient greater than 1.2 is a necessary condition for shale gas wells to obtain high production.(4)High production wells in the deep shale gas reservoirs are those in areas where Long11-Long13 sub-beds are more than 10 m thick,with 1500 m long horizontal section,grade-I reservoirs penetration rate of over 90%,and fractured by dense cutting+high intensity sand injection+large displacement+large liquid volume.(5)The relatively deep-water area in the deep-water shelf and the area at depth of 3500–4500 m well overlap in the southern Sichuan,and the overlapping area is the most favorable shale gas exploration and development zones in the southern Sichuan in the future.With advancement in theory and technology,annual shale gas production in the southern Sichuan is expected to reach 450×108 m3.

Petrophysical properties of deep Longmaxi Formation shales in the southern Sichuan Basin, SW China

Deep shale layer in the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation,southern Sichuan Basin is the major replacement target of shale gas exploration in China.However,the prediction of"sweet-spots"in deep shale gas reservoirs lacks physical basis due to the short of systematic experimental research on the physical properties of the deep shale.Based on petrological,acoustic and hardness measurements,variation law and control factors of dynamic and static elastic properties of the deep shale samples are investigated.The study results show that the deep shale samples are similar to the middle-shallow shale in terms of mineral composition and pore type.Geochemical characteristics of organic-rich shale samples(TOC>2%)indicate that these shale samples have a framework of microcrystalline quartz grains;the intergranular pores in these shale samples are between rigid quartz grains and have mechanical property of hard pore.The lean-organic shale samples(TOC<2%),with quartz primarily coming from terrigenous debris,feature plastic clay mineral particles as the support frame in rock texture.Intergranular pores in these samples are between clay particles,and show features of soft pores in mechanical property.The difference in microtexture of the deep shale samples results in an asymmetrical inverted V-type change in velocity with quartz content,and the organic-rich shale samples have a smaller variation rate in velocity-porosity and velocity-organic matter content.Also due to the difference in microtexture,the organic-rich shale and organic-lean shale can be clearly discriminated in the cross plots of P-wave impedance versus Poisson’s ratio as well as elasticity modulus versus Poisson’s ratio.The shale samples with quartz mainly coming from biogenic silica show higher hardness and brittleness,while the shale samples with quartz from terrigenous debris have hardness and brittleness less affected by quartz content.The study results can provide a basis for well-logging interpretation and"sweet spot"prediction of Longmaxi Formation shale gas reservoirs.

Theory and practice of unconventional gas exploration in carrier beds: Insight from the breakthrough of new type of shale gas and tight gas in Sichuan Basin, SW China

Unconventional gas in the Sichuan Basin mainly includes shale gas and tight gas.The development of shale gas is mainly concentrated in the Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation,but has not made any significant breakthrough in the Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation marine shale regardless of exploration efforts for years.The commercial development of tight sandstone gas is mainly concentrated in the Jurassic Shaximiao Formation,but has not been realized in the widespread and thick Triassic Xujiahe Formation.Depending on the geological characteristics of the Qiongzhusi Formation and Xujiahe Formation,the feedback of old wells was analyzed.Then,combining with the accumulation mechanisms of con-ventional gas and shale gas,as well as the oil/gas shows during drilling,changes in production and pressure during develop-ment,and other characteristics,it was proposed to change the exploration and development strategy from source and reservoir exploration to carrier beds exploration.With the combination of effective source rock,effective carrier beds and effective sand-stone or shale as the exploration target,a model of unconventional gas accumulation and enrichment in carrier beds was built.Under the guidance of this study,two significant results have been achieved in practice.First,great breakthrough was made in exploration of the silty shale with low organic matter abundance in the Qiongzhusi Formation,which breaks the traditional approach to prospect shale gas only in organic-rich black shales and realizes a breakthrough in new areas,new layers and new types of shale gas and a transformation of exploration and development of shale gas from single-layer system,Longmaxi For-mation,to multi-layer system in the Sichuan Basin.Second,exploration breakthrough and high-efficient development were re-alized for difficult-to-produce tight sandstone gas reserves in the Xujiahe Formation,which helps address the challenges of low production and unstable production of fracture zones in the Xujiahe Formation,promote the transformation of tight sandstone gas from reserves without production to effective production,and enhance the exploration and development potential of tight sandstonegas.

Development Phases and Mechanisms of Tectonic Fractures in the Longmaxi Formation Shale of the Dingshan Area in Southeast Sichuan Basin, China

Shale gas has currently attracted much attention during oil and gas exploration and development. Fractures in shale have an important influence on the enrichment and preservation of shale gas. This work studied the developmental period and formation mechanism of tectonic fractures in the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Dingshan area of southeastern Sichuan Basin based on extensive observations of outcrops and cores, rock acoustic emission(Kaiser) experiments, homogenization temperature of fracture fill inclusions, apatite fission track, thermal burial history. The research shows that the fracture types of the Longmaxi Formation include tectonic fractures, diagenetic fractures and horizontal slip fractures. The main types are tectonic high-angle shear and horizontal slip fractures, with small openings, large spacing, low densities, and high degrees of filling. Six dominant directions of the fractures after correction by plane included NWW, nearly SN, NNW, NEE, nearly EW and NW. The analysis of field fracture stage and fracture system of the borehole suggests that the fractures in the Longmaxi Formation could be paired with two sets of plane X-shaped conjugate shear fractures, i.e., profile X-shaped conjugate shear fractures and extension fractures. The combination of qualitative geological analysis and quantitative experimental testing techniques indicates that the tectonic fractures in the Longmaxi Formation have undergone three periods of tectonic movement, namely mid-late Yanshanian movement(82–71.1 Ma), late Yanshanian and middle Himalaya movements(71.1–22.3 Ma), and the late Himalayan movement(22.3–0 Ma). The middle-late period of the Yanshanian movement and end of the Yanshanian movement-middle period of the Himalayan movement were the main fractureforming periods. The fractures were mostly filled with minerals, such as calcite and siliceous. The homogenization temperature of fracture fill inclusions was high, and the paleo-stress value was large; the tectonic movement from the late to present period was mainly a slight transformation and superposition of existing fractures and tectonic systems. Based on the principle of tectonic analysis and theory of geomechanics, we clarified the mechanism of the fractures in the Longmaxi Formation, and established the genetic model of the Longmaxi Formation. The research on the qualitative and quantitative techniques of the fracture-phase study could be effectively used to analyze the causes of the marine shale gas fractures in the Sichuan Basin. The research findings and results provide important references and technical support for further exploration and development of marine shale gas in South China.

Characterizing the Micropores in Lacustrine Shales of the Late Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation of Southern Songliao Basin, NE China

Micropores of shale are significant to the gas content and production potential of shale, which has been verified in the research of marine shale gas; while, few studies have been conducted on lacustrine shales. This study collected 42 samples from three wells in the Late Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation of the southern Songliao Basin, NE China, and investigated these samples by the focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope(FIB–SEM) and nitrogen adsorption analysis techniques. Four types of micropores were identified in the samples, i.e., intergranular pore, intracellular pore, organic matter pore and microfracture. The pore structure type is characterized by open slit pores and "ink type" pores which are mainly 1.5–5 nm in diameter with mesopores as the main pores. The mesopores account for 74.01% of the pore volume and 54.68% of the pore surface area. Compared with the lacustrine shales from the Triassic Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin and Xujiahe Formation in the Sichuan Basin, the intergranular clay mineral interlayer pores are considered to be the main reservoir space for shale gas storage in the study area, followed by intraparticle pores, organic matter pores and microfractures. Maturity and micropore are the key controlling factors which affect the shale gas content of the Qingshankou Formation in southern Songliao Basin.

Hydrocarbon generation and storage mechanisms of deepwater shelf shales of Ordovician Wufeng Formation–Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin, China

As the hydrocarbon generation and storage mechanisms of high quality shales of Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation– Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation remain unclear, based on geological conditions and experimental modelling of shale gas formation, the shale gas generation and accumulation mechanisms as well as their coupling relationships of deep-water shelf shales in Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation of Sichuan Basin were analyzed from petrology, mineralogy, and geochemistry. The high quality shales of Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin are characterized by high thermal evolution, high hydrocarbon generation intensity, good material base, and good roof and floor conditions;the high quality deep-water shelf shale not only has high biogenic silicon content and organic carbon content, but also high porosity coupling. It is concluded that:(1) The shales had good preservation conditions and high retainment of crude oil in the early times, and the shale gas was mainly from cracking of crude oil.(2) The biogenic silicon(opal A) turned into crystal quartz in early times of burial diagenesis, lots of micro-size intergranular pores were produced in the same time;moreover, the biogenic silicon frame had high resistance to compaction, thus it provided the conditions not only for oil charge in the early stage, but also for formation and preservation of nanometer cellular-like pores, and was the key factor enabling the preservation of organic pores.(3) The high quality shale of Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation had high brittleness, strong homogeneity, siliceous intergranular micro-pores and nanometer organic pores, which were conducive to the formation of complicated fissure network connecting the siliceous intergranular nano-pores, and thus high and stable production of shale gas.

The progress and prospects of shale gas exploration and development in southern Sichuan Basin, SW China

The Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation organic-rich shales distributed widely and stably in Southern Sichuan Basin were investigated based on drilling data.Geological evaluation of wells show that the shale reservoirs have good properties in the Yibin,Weiyuan,Zigong,Changning,Luzhou,Dazu areas,with key parameters such as TOC,porosity,gas content similar to the core shale gas production zones.Moreover,these areas are stable in structure,good in preservation conditions and highly certain in resources.The shale reservoirs have a burial depth of 4 500 m or shallow,a total area of over 2×10~4 km^2 and estimated resource of over10×10^(12) m^3,so they are the most resource-rich and practical areas for shale gas exploitation in China.Through construction of the Changning-Weiyuan national demonstration region,the production and EUR of shale gas wells increased significantly,the cost of shale gas wells decreased remarkable,resulting in economic benefit better than expected.Moreover,the localized exploration and development technologies and methods are effective and repeatable,so it is the right time for accelerating shale gas exploitation.Based on the production decline pattern of horizontal wells at present and wells to be drilled in the near future,at the end of the 13th Five Year Plan,the production of shale gas in southern Sichuan Basin is expected to reach or exceed 10 billion cubic meters per year.The resources are sufficient for a stable production period at 30 billion cubic meters per year,which will make the South Sichuan basin become the largest production base of shale gas in China.

Biostratigraphy and reservoir characteristics of the Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale in the Sichuan Basin and its surrounding areas,China

Through graptolite identification in profiles,graptolite zone division,contour map compilation,and analysis of mineral composition,TOC content,lamina distribution features of shale samples,the biostratigraphic and reservoir characteristics of Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin and its peripheral are sorted out.There are 4 graptolite zones(WF1 to WF4)in Wufeng Formation and 9(LM1 to LM9)in Longmaxi Formation,and the different graptolite zones can be calibrated by lithology and electrical property.The shale layers of these graptolite zones have two depocenters in the southwest and northeast,and differ in mineral composition,TOC,and lamina types.Among them,the graptolite zones of lower WF2 and WF4 are organic matter-poor massive hybrid shale,the upper part of WF1-WF2 and WF3 have horizontal bedding hybrid shale with organic matter,the LM1-LM4 mainly consist of organic-rich siliceous shale with horizontal bedding,and the LM5-LM9 graptolite zones consist of organic-lean hybrid shale with horizontal bedding.The mineral composition,TOC and lamina types of shale depend on the paleo-climate,paleo-water oxidation-reduction conditions,and paleo-sedimentation rate during its deposition.Deposited in oxygen-rich warm water,the lower parts of WF1 and WF2 graptolite zones have massive bedding,low TOC and silicon content.Deposited in cooler and oxygen-rich water,the WF4 has massive bedding,high calcium content and low TOC.Deposited in anoxic water with low rate,the upper part of WF2,WF3,and LM1-LM4 are composed of organic rich siliceous shale with horizontal bedding and high proportion of silt laminae.Deposited in oxygen rich water at a high rate,the graptolite zones LM5-LM9 have low contents of organic matter and siliceous content and high proportions of silt lamina.

Quantitative prediction of shale gas sweet spots based on seismic data in Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation,Weiyuan area,Sichuan Basin,SW China

Sweet spots in the shale reservoirs of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Weiyuan 201 Block of Sichuan Basin were predicted quantitatively using seismic data and fuzzy optimization method. First, based on seismic and rock physics analysis, the rock physics characteristics of the reservoirs were determined, and elastic parameters sensitive to shale reservoirs with high gas content were selected. Second, data volumes with high precision of the elastic parameters were obtained from pre-stack simultaneous inversion. The horizontal distribution of key parameters for shale gas evaluation were calculated based on the results of rock physics analysis. Then, the fuzzy evaluation equation was established by fuzzy optimization method with test and logging data of horizontal wells with similar operation conditions. key parameters affecting the productivity of horizontal wells were sorted out and the weights of them in the sweet spots quantitative prediction were worked out by fuzzy optimization to set up a sweet spots evaluation system. Three classes of shale gas reservoirs which including two kinds of sweet spots were predicted with the above procedure, and the sweet spots have been predicted quantitatively by combining the above prediction results with the testing production. The testing results of 7 verification wells proved the reliability of the prediction results.

Laminae characteristics of gas-bearing shale fine-grained sediment of the Silurian Longmaxi Formation of Well Wuxi 2 in Sichuan Basin,SW China

Based on various test data, the composition, texture, structure and lamina types of gas-bearing shale were determined based on Well Wuxi 2 of the Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin. Four types of lamina, namely organic-rich lamina, organic-bearing lamina, clay lamina and silty lamina, are developed in the Longmaxi Formation of Well Wuxi 2, and they form 2 kinds of lamina set and 5 kinds of beds. Because of increasing supply of terrigenous clasts and enhancing hydrodynamics and associated oxygen levels, the contents of TOC and brittle mineral reduce and content of clay mineral increases gradually as the depth becomes shallow. Organic-rich lamina, organic-rich + organic-bearing lamina set and organic-rich bed dominate the small layers 1-3 of Member 1 of the Longmaxi Formation, suggesting anoxic and weak hydraulic depositional setting. Organic-rich lamina, along with organic-bearing lamina and silty lamina, appear in small layer 4, suggesting increased oxygenated and hydraulic level. Small layers 1-3 are the best interval and drilling target of shale gas exploration and development.

Lithofacies and pore features of marine-continental transitional shale and gas enrichment conditions of favorable lithofacies:A case study of Permian Longtan Formation in the Lintanchang area,southeast of Sichuan Basin,SW China

In this work,the Permian Longtan marine-continental transitional shale in the southeast of Sichuan Basin was taken as study object.Through petrology and geochemical analysis,lithofacies types of the marine-continental transitional shale were classified,key controlling factors of physical properties and gas content of the different shale lithofacies were analyzed.The research results show that the Longtan Formation marine-continental transitional shale in the study area has four types of lithofacies,namely,organic-lean calcareous shale,organic-lean mixed shale,organic-lean argillaceous shale,and organic-rich argillaceous shale,among which the organic-rich argillaceous shale is the most favorable lithofacies of the study area.The pore types of different lithofacies vary significantly and the clay mineral-related pore is the dominant type of the pore system in the study area.The main controlling factor of the physical properties is clay mineral content,and the most important factor affecting gas content is TOC content.Compared with marine shale,the marine-continental transitional shale has low average values,wide distribution range,and strong heterogeneity in TOC content,porosity,and pore structure parameters,but still contains some favorable layers with high physical properties and gas contents.The organic-rich clay shale deposited in tidal flat-lagoon system is most likely to form shale gas sweet spots,so it should be paid more attention in shale gas exploration.

Type and distribution of Mid-Permian Maokou Formation karst reservoirs in southern Sichuan Basin,SW China

Based on the analysis of the responses of conventional logs such as natural gamma(GR), density(DEN), acoustic interval transit time(AC), compensated neutron(CNL), dual lateral resistivity(Rlld, Rlls), and caliper log(CAL), combined with drilling data,cores, thin section and productivity of 65 wells, the reservoirs in the Mid-Permian Maokou Formation of southern Sichuan Basin were divided into four types, fractured-vuggy, pore-vuggy, fractured and fractured-cavity. The main reservoirs in high productivity wells are fractured-vuggy and pore-vuggy. The reservoirs of Maokou Formation are generally thin, and can be divided into the upper reservoir segment(layer a of the second member to the third member of Maokou Formation, P_2 m^2 a-P_2 m^3) and the lower segment(layer b of the second member of Maokou Formation, P_2 m^2 b). The two reservoir segments are mainly controlled by two grain beaches during the sedimentation of P_2 m^2 a-P_2 m^3 and P_2 m^2 b, the vertical zonation of karst, and the fractures. The upper reservoir segment is generally better than the lower one in development degree and single well productivity, and is much thicker than the lower one. It is thicker in the Yibin-Zigong-Weiyuan-Dazu area, the southwestern area of Chongqing and the southeastern area of Luzhou, while the lower segment is thicker in the Neijiang-Zigong-Luzhou area and the Dazu-Luzhou area. The areas with big reservoir thickness at tectonic slope or syncline parts are the favorable exploration areas.

Types of biogenic quartz and its coupling storage mechanism in organic-rich shales: A case study of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation to Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin, SW China

Biogenic quartz in the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation to Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation(WufengLongmaxi)shale layers in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery is qualitatively analyzed and quantitatively characterized by organic petrologic,mineralogic,and geochemical methods to find out the coupling effect between organic matter and quartz.(1)There are two types of biogenic quartz in the shale layers:Type I quartz is submicron quartz appearing in clusters around the organic matter.Type II quartz is in nano-scale grain size and floats in spherical shape on organic matter,with grains in point-to-point or surface-to-surface contact;this type of quartz is mainly biologic origin and slightly affected by hydrothermal activity in local parts.(2)The reservoirs in the Wufeng-Longmaxi formations is consistent in distribution with biogenic silica content in them,and mainly concentrated at the bottom of the Wufeng-Longmaxi formations,and is thinner in the Changning and Weiyuan regions,while thicker in the Fuling region.(3)The biogenic quartz in the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale worked through the entire evolution process of hydrocarbon generation.The presence of biogenic quartz can enhance the development of organic matter pores and microcracks,and can effectively preserve the organic matter pores and residual intergranular pores,forming"biological silicon intergranular pores,organic pores and micro-fractures".This would benefit later hydraulic fracturing and result in high production/stable production of well.The coupling effect between biogenic quartz development and organic matter evolution and hydrocarbon generation is a critical factor for high-quality shale reservoir development.

Quantitative characterization of the brittleness of deep shales by integrating mineral content,elastic parameters,in situ stress conditions and logging analysis

Deep shale reservoirs(3500–4500 m)exhibit significantly different stress states than moderately deep shale reservoirs(2000–3500 m).As a result,the brittleness response mechanisms of deep shales are also different.It is urgent to investigate methods to evaluate the brittleness of deep shales to meet the increasingly urgent needs of deep shale gas development.In this paper,the quotient of Young’s modulus divided by Poisson’s ratio based on triaxial compression tests under in situ stress conditions is taken as SSBV(Static Standard Brittleness Value).A new and pragmatic technique is developed to determine the static brittleness index that considers elastic parameters,the mineral content,and the in situ stress conditions(BIEMS).The coefficient of determination between BIEMS and SSBV reaches 0.555 for experimental data and 0.805 for field data.This coefficient is higher than that of other brittleness indices when compared to SSBV.BIEMS can offer detailed insights into shale brittleness under various conditions,including different mineral compositions,depths,and stress states.This technique can provide a solid data-based foundation for the selection of‘sweet spots’for single-well engineering and the comparison of the brittleness of shale gas production layers in different areas.

Differential Characteristics of the Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian Wufeng-Longmaxi Shale Reservoir and its Implications for Exploration and Development of Shale Gas in/around the Sichuan Basin

The Upper Ordovician Wufeng-Lower Silurian Longmaxi shale is widely distributed in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery,which is the key stratum for marine shale gas exploration and development(E&D)in China.Based on sedimentary environment,material basis,storage space,fracability and reservoir evolution data,the reservoir characteristics of the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale and their significance for shale gas E&D are systematically compared and analyzed in this paper.The results show that(1)the depocenter of the Wufeng(WF)-Longmaxi(LM)shale gradually migrates from east to west.The high-quality shale reservoirs in the eastern Sichuan Basin are mainly siliceous shales,which are primarily distributed in the graptolite shale interval of WF2-LM5.The high-quality reservoirs in the southern Sichuan Basin are mainly calcareous-siliceous and organic-rich argillaceous shales,which are distributed in the graptolite shale interval of WF2-LM7.(2)Deep shale gas(the burial depth>3500 m)in the Sichuan Basin has high-ultrahigh pressure and superior physical properties.The organic-rich siliceous,calcareous-siliceous and organic-rich argillaceous shales have suitable reservoir properties.The marginal area of the Sichuan Basin has a higher degree of pressure relief,which leads to the argillaceous and silty shales evolving into direct cap rocks with poor reservoir/good sealing capacity.(3)Combining shale gas exploration practices and impacts of lithofacies,depth,pressure coefficient and brittle-ductile transition on the reservoir properties,it is concluded that the favorable depth interval of the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale gas is 2200~4000 m under current technical conditions.(4)Aiming at the differential reservoir properties of the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery,several suggestions for future research directions and E&D of shale gas are formulated.