Identification and evaluation of shale oil micromigration and its petroleum geological significance

Taking the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation shale in Mahu Sag of Junggar Basin,NW China,as an example,core observation,test analysis,geological analysis and numerical simulation were applied to identify the shale oil micro-migration phenomenon.The hydrocarbon micro-migration in shale oil was quantitatively evaluated and verified by a self-created hydrocarbon expulsion potential method,and the petroleum geological significance of shale oil micro-migration evaluation was determined.Results show that significant micro-migration can be recognized between the organic-rich lamina and organic-poor lamina.The organic-rich lamina has strong hydrocarbon generation ability.The heavy components of hydrocarbon preferentially retained by kerogen swelling or adsorption,while the light components of hydrocarbon were migrated and accumulated to the interbedded felsic or carbonate organic-poor laminae as free oil.About 69% of the Fengcheng Formation shale samples in Well MY1 exhibit hydrocarbon charging phenomenon,while 31% of those exhibit hydrocarbon expulsion phenomenon.The reliability of the micro-migration evaluation results was verified by combining the group components based on the geochromatography effect,two-dimension nuclear magnetic resonance analysis,and the geochemical behavior of inorganic manganese elements in the process of hydrocarbon migration.Micro-migration is a bridge connecting the hydrocarbon accumulation elements in shale formations,which reflects the whole process of shale oil generation,expulsion and accumulation,and controls the content and composition of shale oil.The identification and evaluation of shale oil micro-migration will provide new perspectives for dynamically differential enrichment mechanism of shale oil and establishing a“multi-peak model in oil generation”of shale.

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.

Air Quality Assessment of Ubeji Community near Petroleum-Related Activities

The escalating global concern over air pollution requires rigorous investigations. This study assesses air quality near residential areas affected by petroleum-related activities in Ubeji Community, utilizing Aeroqual handheld mobile multi-gas monitors and air quality multi-meters. Air sampling occurred on three distinct days using multi-gas monitors and meters, covering parameters such as CO, NO2, CH4, NH3, VOCs, Particulate Matter, Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Air Quality Index. Soil and plant samples were collected and analyzed for physicochemical and organic components. Air pollutant concentrations showed significant fluctuations. Carbon monoxide (CO) ranged from 0.00 to 3.22 ppm, NO2 from 0.00 to 0.10 ppm, CH4 from 4.00 to 2083 ppm, NH3 from 371 to 5086 ppm, and VOCs from 414 to 6135 ppm. Soil analysis revealed low total nitrogen, and undetected BTEX levels. Plant samples displayed a pH range of 7.72 to 9.45. CO concentrations, although below WHO limits, indicated potential vehicular and industrial influences. Fluctuations in NO2 and CH4 were linked to traffic, industrial activities, and gas flaring. NH3 levels suggested diverse pollution sources. The result in this study highlights the dynamic nature of air pollution in Ubeji community, emphasizing the urgent need for effective pollution control measures. Although CO concentrations were within limits, continuous monitoring is essential. Elevated NO2 levels gave information on the impact of industrial activities, while high CH4 concentrations may be associated with gas flaring and illegal refining. The study recommends comprehensive measures and collaborative efforts to address these complex issues, safeguarding both the environment and public health. This study shows the potential synergy between air quality sensors and plants for holistic environmental health assessments, offering valuable insights for environmental assessments and remediation endeavours. The findings call for stringent regulations and collaborative efforts to address air pollution in Ubeji community comprehensively.

Whole petroleum system and ordered distribution pattern of conventional and unconventional oil and gas reservoirs

The classical source-to-trap petroleum system concept only considers the migration and accumulation of conventional oil and gas in traps driven dominantly by buoyance in a basin,although revised and improved,even some new concepts as composite petroleum system,total petroleum system,total composite petroleum system,were proposed,but they do not account for the vast unconventional oil and gas reservoirs within the system,which is not formed and distributed in traps dominantly by buoyancedriven.Therefore,the petroleum system concept is no longer adequate in dealing with all the oil and gas accumulations in a basin where significant amount of the unconventional oil and gas resources are present in addition to the conventional oil and gas accumulations.This paper looked into and analyzed the distribution characteristics of conventional and unconventional oil/gas reservoirs and their differences and correlations in petroliferous basins in China and North America,and then proposed whole petroleum system(WPS)concept,the WPS is defined as a natural system that encompasses all the conventional and unconventional oil and gas,reservoirs and resources originated from organic matter in source rocks,the geological elements and processes involving the formation,evolution,and distribution of these oil and gas,reservoirs and resources.It is found in the WPS that there are three kinds of hydrocarbons dynamic fields,three kinds of original hydrocarbons,three kinds of reservoir rocks,and the coupling of these three essential elements lead to the basic ordered distribution model of shale oil/gas reservoirs contacting or interbeded with tight oil/gas reservoirs and separated conventional oil/gas reservoirs from source rocks upward,which is expressed as“S\T-C”.Abnormal conditions lead to other three special ordered distribution models:The first is that with shale oil/gas reservoirs separated from tight oil/gas reservoirs.The second is that with two direction ordered distributions from source upward and downward.The third is with lateral distribution from source outside.

Upper Paleozoic total petroleum system and geological model of natural gas enrichment in Ordos Basin, NW China

Based on the analysis of Upper Paleozoic source rocks, source-reservoir-caprock assemblage, and gas accumulation characteristics in the Ordos Basin, the gas accumulation geological model of total petroleum system is determined. Then, taking the Carboniferous Benxi Formation and the Permian Taiyuan Formation and Shanxi Formation as examples, the main controlling factors of gas accumulation and enrichment are discussed, and the gas enrichment models of total petroleum system are established. The results show that the source rocks, faults and tight reservoirs and their mutual coupling relations control the distribution and enrichment of gas. Specifically, the distribution and hydrocarbon generation capacity of source rocks control the enrichment degree and distribution range of retained shale gas and tight gas in the source. The coupling between the hydrocarbon generation capacity of source rocks and the physical properties of tight reservoirs controls the distribution and sweet spot development of near-source tight gas in the basin center. The far-source tight gas in the basin margin is mainly controlled by the distribution of faults, and the distribution of inner-source, near-source and far-source gas is adjusted and reformed by faults. Generally, the Upper Paleozoic gas in the Ordos Basin is recognized in four enrichment models: inner-source coalbed gas and shale gas, inner-source tight sandstone gas, near-source tight gas, and far-source fault-transported gas. In the Ordos Basin, inner-source tight gas and near-source tight gas are the current focuses of exploration, and inner-source coalbed gas and shale gas and far-source gas will be important potential targets in the future.

Petroleum geochemistry and origin of shallow-buried saline lacustrine oils in the slope zone of the Mahu sag, Junggar Basin, NW China

Recently, significant oil discoveries have been made in the shallower pay zones of the Jurassic Badaowan Formation (J_(1)b) in the Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin, Northwest China. However, little work has been done on the geochemical characteristics and origins of the oil in the J_(1)b reservoir. This study analyzes 44 oil and 14 source rock samples from the area in order to reveal their organic geochemical characteristics and the origins of the oils. The J_(1)b oils are characterized by a low Pr/Ph ratio and high β-carotene and gammacerane indices, which indicate that they were mainly generated from source rocks deposited in a hypersaline environment. The oils are also extremely enhanced in C_(29) regular steranes, possibly derived from halophilic algae. Oil-source correlation shows that the oils were derived from the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation (P_(1)f) source rocks, which were deposited in a strongly stratified and highly saline water column with a predominance of algal/bacterial input in the organic matter. The source rocks of the Middle Permian lower-Wuerhe Formation (P_(2)w), which were deposited in fresh to slightly saline water conditions with a greater input of terrigenous organic matter, make only a minor contribution to the J_(1)b oils. The reconstruction of the oil accumulation process shows that the J_(1)b oil reservoir may have been twice charged during Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous and the Paleogene–Neogene, respectively. A large amount volume of hydrocarbons generated in the P_(1)f source rock and leaked from T_(1)b oil reservoirs migrated along faults connecting source beds and shallow-buried secondary faults into Jurassic traps, resulting in large-scale accumulations in J_(1)b. These results are crucial for understanding the petroleum system of the Mahu Sag and will provide valuable guidance for petroleum exploration in the shallower formations in the slope area of the sag.

Petroleum exploration breakthrough and geological significance in Cretaceous Yingcheng and Denglouku formations of Shuangcheng area, northern Songliao Basin, NE China

Based on drilling geological,geochemical,geophysical and production test data,the characteristics of source rocks,reservoir rocks and caprocks,as well as the process of hydrocarbon generation,trap evolution and oil accumulation of the oil-bearing assemblage composed of the Cretaceous Yingcheng Formation(K1yc)and Denglouku Formation(K1d)in the Shuangcheng area,northern Songliao Basin,NE China,were analyzed by using the research methods for petroleum systems.The source rocks mainly exist in K1yc,with the organic matters mainly originated from lower aquatic organisms and algae,and reaching the grade of high-quality source rock in terms of organic abundance.The crude oil,which is characterized by low density,high freezing point and high wax content,is believed to have generated by the K1yc source rocks.The reservoir rocks include K1d sandstones and K1yc glutenites.The mudstone in the fourth member of K1d serves as the direct caprock of the oil reservoir.The oil was generated during the period between Yaojia Formation and Nenjiang Formation,and then accumulated during the periods of Nenjiang Formation and Paleogene–Neogene.The traps evolved in three stages:the late Yingcheng Formation,the late Quantou Formation and the late Nenjiang Formation,forming structural and structural-lithologic reservoirs.It is concluded that good source-reservoir-caprock assemblage,late hydrocarbon charging,short migration distance and stable tectonic setting are favorable factors for the formation of oil reservoirs.

Whole petroleum system and hydrocarbon accumulation model in shallow and medium strata in northern Songliao Basin,NE China

Based on the oil and gas exploration practice in the Songliao Basin,combined with the latest exploration and development data such as seismic,well logging and geochemistry,the basic geological conditions,oil and gas types and distribution characteristics,reservoir-forming dynamics,source-reservoir relationship and hydrocarbon accumulation model of the whole petroleum system in shallow and medium strata in the northern part of Songliao Basin are systematically studied.The shallow-medium strata in northern Songliao Basin have the conditions for the formation of whole petroleum system,with sufficient oil and gas sources,diverse reservoir types and well-developed transport system,forming a whole petroleum system centered on the source rocks of the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation.Different types of oil and gas resources in the whole petroleum system are correlated with each other in terms of depositional system,lithologic association and physical property changes,and they,to a certain extent,have created the spatial framework with orderly symbiosis of shallow-medium conventional oil reservoirs,tight oil reservoirs and shale oil reservoirs in northern Songliao Basin.Vertically,the resources are endowed as conventional oil above source,shale oil/tight oil within source,and tight oil below source.Horizontally,conventional oil,tight oil,interlayer-type shale oil,and pure shale-type shale oil are developed in an orderly way,from the margin of the basin to the center of the depression.Three hydrocarbon accumulation models are recognized for the whole petroleum system in northern Songliao Basin,namely,buoyancy-driven charging of conventional oil above source,retention of shale oil within source,and pressure differential-driven charging of tight oil below source.

Enhancing Heavy Crude Oil Flow in Pipelines through Heating-Induced Viscosity Reduction in the Petroleum Industry

The process of transporting crude oil across pipelines is one of the most critical aspects of the midstream petroleum industry.In the present experimental work,the effect of temperature,pressure drop,and pipe diameter on the flow rate of heavy crude oil have been assessed.Moreover,the total discharge and energy losses have been evaluated in order to demonstrate the improvements potentially achievable by using solar heating method replacing pipe,and adjusting the value of the initial pressure difference.Crude oil of API=20 has been used for the experiments,with the studied pipelines sections connecting the separator unit to the storage tank operating at a temperature of 25℃-100℃,pressure drop of 3,4,5,and 6 kg/cm^(2),and with pipe diameter of 4,6,and 8 in.The results show that on increasing the temperature and/or the pressure drop,the flow rate through the pipeline becomes higher,thus raising the total pumping energy(as the pipe diameter increase),while energy losses increase from the last separator to the storage tank in the field.A pipe diameter increase can also produce a growth of the total pumping energy(i.e.,energy losses increase).The results of the present analysis suggest that employing an optimal temperature(50℃)is needed to ensure good performance.

Petroleum geology features and research developments of hydrocarbon accumulation in deep petroliferous basins

As petroleum exploration advances and as most of the oil-gas reservoirs in shallow layers have been explored, petroleum exploration starts to move toward deep basins, which has become an inevitable choice. In this paper, the petroleum geology features and research progress on oil-gas reservoirs in deep petroliferous basins across the world are characterized by using the latest results of worldwide deep petroleum exploration. Research has demonstrated that the deep petroleum shows ten major geological features. （1） While oil-gas reservoirs have been discovered in many different types of deep petroliferous basins, most have been discovered in low heat flux deep basins. （2） Many types of petroliferous traps are developed in deep basins, and tight oil-gas reservoirs in deep basin traps are arousing increasing attention. （3） Deep petroleum normally has more natural gas than liquid oil, and the natural gas ratio increases with the burial depth. （4） The residual organic matter in deep source rocks reduces but the hydrocarbon expulsion rate and efficiency increase with the burial depth. （5） There are many types of rocks in deep hydrocarbon reservoirs, and most are clastic rocks and carbonates. （6） The age of deep hydrocarbon reservoirs is widely different, but those recently discovered are pre- dominantly Paleogene and Upper Paleozoic. （7） The porosity and permeability of deep hydrocarbon reservoirs differ widely, but they vary in a regular way with lithology and burial depth. （8） The temperatures of deep oil-gas reservoirs are widely different, but they typically vary with the burial depth and basin geothermal gradient. （9） The pressures of deep oil-gas reservoirs differ significantly, but they typically vary with burial depth, genesis, and evolu- tion period. （10） Deep oil-gas reservoirs may exist with or without a cap, and those without a cap are typically of unconventional genesis. Over the past decade, six major steps have been made in the understanding of deep hydrocarbon reservoir formation. （1） Deep petroleum in petroliferous basins has multiple sources and many dif- ferent genetic mechanisms. （2） There are high-porosity, high-permeability reservoirs in deep basins, the formation of which is associated with tectonic events and subsurface fluid movement. （3） Capillary pressure differences inside and outside the target reservoir are the principal driving force of hydrocarbon enrichment in deep basins. （4） There are three dynamic boundaries for deep oil-gas reservoirs; a buoyancy-controlled threshold, hydrocarbon accumulation limits, and the upper limit of hydrocarbon generation. （5） The formation and distribution of deep hydrocarbon res- ervoirs are controlled by free, limited, and bound fluid dynamic fields. And （6） tight conventional, tight deep, tight superimposed, and related reconstructed hydrocarbon reservoirs formed in deep-limited fluid dynamic fields have great resource potential and vast scope for exploration. Compared with middle-shallow strata, the petroleum geology and accumulation in deep basins are more complex, which overlap the feature of basin evolution in different stages. We recommend that further study should pay more attention to four aspects： （1） identification of deep petroleum sources and evaluation of their relative contributions; （2） preservation conditions and genetic mechanisms of deep high-quality reservoirs with high permeability and high porosity; （3） facies feature and transformation of deep petroleum and their potential distribution; and （4） economic feasibility evaluation of deep tight petroleum exploration and development.

Preferential petroleum migration pathways and prediction of petroleum occurrence in sedimentary basins:A review

The aim of this paper is to review the major points of contention concerning secondary petroleum migration, to discuss the nature and primary controls of the positions of petroleum migration pathways in sedimentary basins, and to illustrate the importance of preferential petroleum migration pathways for the formation of large oil/gas fields away from generative kitchens. There is competition between the driving force （buoyancy） and the restraining force （capillary pressure controlled largely by permeability contrast） in controlling the positions of petroleum migration pathways in heterogeneous carrier beds. At a large scale, there is a critical angle of dip of the carrier beds which determines the relative importance of structural morphology or permeability contrasts in controlling the positions of petroleum migration pathways in heterogeneous carrier beds. Maximum-driving-force-controlled migration pathways occur in carrier beds with an angle of dip greater than the critical dip and the positions of petroleum migration pathways are controlled mainly by the morphology of the sealing surfaces. Minimum-restraining-force-determined migration pathways occur in carrier beds with an angle of dip smaller than the critical angle where permeability contrasts would exert a more important influence on the positions of petroleum migration pathways. Preferential petroleum migration pathways （PPMP）, defined as very restricted portions of carrier-beds that focus or concentrate petroleum from a large area of the generative kitchen, determine the distribution of oil and gas in sedimentary basins. The focusing of petroleum originating from a large area of the generative kitchens into restricted channels seems to be essential not only for long-range petroleum migration in hydrostatic conditions, but also for the formation of large oil or gas fields. Regions may miss out on petroleum migration because of its three-dimensional behavior, and two-dimensional migration modeling may be misleading in predicting petroleum occurrences in certain circumstances.

Petroleum Migration Characteristics in the Northeastern Part of the Baiyun Depression,Pearl River Mouth Basin,South China Sea

This paper investigates the origin and migration characteristics of petroleum in the northeastern part of the Baiyun Depression,Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB).The discovered petroleum in the study area is mainly located in the Lower Zhujiang Member(N_(1)z^(2))and mainly originated from the Enping Formation source rocks in the eastern sag.Active faults(vertical migration)and N_(1)z^(2)sandstones(lateral migration)acted as the petroleum migration systems.The fault activities in the Dongsha event controlled the episodic petroleum migration.Fractures in the fault zones provided effective conduits,and overpressure was the driving force.The vertical migration could not cross the fault zones laterally.The petroleum injection areas in the carrier beds were the contact zones of petroleum-migration faults and carrier beds.The lateral migration was steady-state migration,and buoyancy was the driving force.The migration pathways in the carrier beds were controlled by the structural morphology.Secondary petroleum migration in the study area could be divided into two parts:vertical migration along the fractures in the fault zones and lateral migration through preferential petroleum migration pathways(PPMPs)in the carrier beds.The petroleum migration behaviors,including migrating direction,driving force,and migration pattern,in the faults and sandstone carrier beds were quite different.This study provides a typical example for comprehending secondary migration processes and has great importance for determining future exploration targets in the deep-water area of the PRMB.

Effect of petroleum chemical fraction and residual oil content in saline lacustrine organic-rich shale: A case study from the Paleogene Dongpu Depression of North China

Halite and gypsum minerals in saline shale make the retention mechanism and chemical fractionation of residual oil unique. The Dongpu Depression in North China is a typically saline lacustrine basin with developing halite and gypsum. The effect of gypsum minerals on residual oil content and chemical fractionation remains unclear. In this study, shale samples with different gypsum contents were used in organic geochemical experiments, showing that the high total organic matter (TOC) content and type II kerogen leads to a high residual oil content, as shown by high values of volatile hydrocarbon (S1) and extractable organic matter (EOM). XRD and FE-SEM result indicate that the existence of gypsum in saline shale contributes to an enhanced pore space and a higher residual oil content in comparison to non-gypsum shale. Additionally, the increase in the gypsum mineral content leads to an increase in the saturated hydrocarbon percentage and a decrease in polar components percentage (resins and asphaltene). Furthermore, thermal simulation experiments on low-mature saline shale show that the percentage of saturated hydrocarbons in the residual oil is high and remains stable and that the storage space is mainly mesoporous (> 20 nm) in the oil expulsion stage. However, the saturated hydrocarbons percentage decreases rapidly, and oil exists in mesopores (> 20 nm and < 5 nm) in the gas expulsion stage. In general, gypsum is conducive to the development of pore space, the adsorption of hydrocarbons and the occurrence of saturated hydrocarbon, leading to large quantities of residual oil. The data in this paper should prove to be reliable for shale oil exploration in saline lacustrine basins.

Petroleum geology of marl in Triassic Leikoupo Formation and discovery significance of Well Chongtan1 in central Sichuan Basin,SW China

In 2022,the risk exploration well Chongtan1(CT1)in the Sichuan Basin revealed commercial oil and gas flow during test in a new zone–the marl of the second submember of the third member of Leikoupo Formation(Lei-32)of Middle Triassic,recording a significant discovery.However,the hydrocarbon accumulation in marl remains unclear,which restricts the selection and deployment of exploration area.Focusing on Well CT1,the hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics of Lei-32 marl are analyzed to clarify the potential zones for exploration.The following findings are obtained.First,according to the geochemical analysis of petroleum and source rocks,oil and gas in the Lei-32 marl of Well CT1 are originated from the same marl.The marl acts as both source rock and reservoir rock.Second,the Lei-32 marl in central Sichuan Basin is of lagoonal facies,with a thickness of 40–130 m,an area of about 40000 km^(2),a hydrocarbon generation intensity of(4–12)×10^(8) m^(3)/km^(2),and an estimated quantity of generated hydrocarbons of 25×10^(12) m^(3).Third,the lagoonal marl reservoirs are widely distributed in central Sichuan Basin.Typically,in Xichong–Yilong,Ziyang–Jianyang and Moxi South,the reservoirs are 20–60 m thick and cover an area of 7500 km^(2).Fourth,hydrocarbons in the lagoonal marl are generated and stored in the Lei-32 marl,which means that marl serves as both source rock and reservoir rock.They represent a new type of unconventional resource,which is worthy of exploring.Fifth,based on the interpretation of 2D and 3D seismic data from central Sichuan Basin,Xichong and Suining are defined as favorable prospects with estimated resources of(2000–3000)×10^(8) m^(3).

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.

Effects of Neo-Tethyan evolution on the petroleum system of Persian Gulf Superbasin

Considering the Neo-Tethyan tectonic process and the resulting environmental changes,a geodynamic model of“one-way train loading”is proposed to analyze the formation and evolution mechanism of the Persian Gulf Superbasin with the most abundant hydrocarbons in the world.The Persian Gulf Superbasin has long been in a passive continental margin setting since the Late Paleozoic in the process of unidirectional subduction,forming a superior regional space of hydrocarbon accu-mulation.During the Jurassic-Cretaceous,the Persian Gulf Superbasin drifted slowly at low latitudes,and developed multiple superimposed source-reservoir-caprock assemblages as a combined result of several global geological events such as the Hadley Cell,the Equatorial Upwelling Current,and the Jurassic True Polar Wander.The collision during the evolution of the foreland basin since the Cenozoic led to weak destruction,which was conducive to the preservation of oil and gas.Accordingly,it is be-lieved that the slow drifting and long retention in favorable climate zone of the continent are the critical factors for hydrocarbon enrichment.Moreover,the prospects of hydrocarbon potential in other continents in the Neo-Tethyan were proposed.

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.

Physics-informed neural network-based petroleum reservoir simulation with sparse data using domain decomposition

Recent advances in deep learning have expanded new possibilities for fluid flow simulation in petroleum reservoirs.However,the predominant approach in existing research is to train neural networks using high-fidelity numerical simulation data.This presents a significant challenge because the sole source of authentic wellbore production data for training is sparse.In response to this challenge,this work introduces a novel architecture called physics-informed neural network based on domain decomposition(PINN-DD),aiming to effectively utilize the sparse production data of wells for reservoir simulation with large-scale systems.To harness the capabilities of physics-informed neural networks(PINNs)in handling small-scale spatial-temporal domain while addressing the challenges of large-scale systems with sparse labeled data,the computational domain is divided into two distinct sub-domains:the well-containing and the well-free sub-domain.Moreover,the two sub-domains and the interface are rigorously constrained by the governing equations,data matching,and boundary conditions.The accuracy of the proposed method is evaluated on two problems,and its performance is compared against state-of-the-art PINNs through numerical analysis as a benchmark.The results demonstrate the superiority of PINN-DD in handling large-scale reservoir simulation with limited data and show its potential to outperform conventional PINNs in such scenarios.

Erratum to“Probing the Interfacial Forces and Surface Interaction Mechanisms in Petroleum Production Processes”[Engineering 18(2022)49-61]

In Ref.[1],Eq.(8)has a typo,the following replacement should be done.γ_(bb)/2rδ/δr(rδ(r,t)/δr=2γ_(bb)/R_(bb)-Þ(t,t)-Ⅱ[h[r,t)](bubble=drop-bubble=drop)The publisher regrets an error in the original–article,and the sentence that explained the equation“Eqs.(8)–(10)show the augmented Young–Laplace equation for the interactions of gas bubbles or liquid droplets in different configurations,where Rb is the bubble/drop radius,Rp is the particle radius,Rbp=(1/Rb+1/Rp)1.

Petroleum Generation Kinetics and Geological Implications for Jurassic Hydrocarbon Source Rocks,Hongqi Depression,Hailar Basin,Northeast China

A sample from the Jurassic Tamulangou Fm.and two comparison samples from the Cretaceous Fm.were used to document the hydrocarbon generation kinetics and phase behaviors at two heating rates using the confined gold tube system.The results show that the different heating rates affect the reaction rates,paths and levels of organic matter evolution.The average activation energy and dominant frequency activation energy of liquid hydrocarbon are significantly lower than those of gaseous.Moreover,igneous intrusion had a positive effect on the blooming,enrichment and preservation of organic matter,promoting a Ro increase of 0.09%–1.07%in the Jurassic Tamulangou Fm.Two models were used to simulate the normal and abnormal evolution caused by thermal events combined hydrocarbon generation kinetic parameters.Thermal simulation analysis shows that oil generation was initially slow and then increased rapidly until a burial depth of 1500 m was reached at~128 Ma.The largest hydrocarbon expulsion began at~120 Ma,corresponding to a burial depth of 2450 m.The maximum cumulative yield is 510 mg/g TOC,and it is still in the peak period of hydrocarbon generation,which demonstrates a favorable potential for hydrocarbon exploration.