Evolution and Application of Sealing Ability of Gypsum Caprocks under Temperature-Pressure Coupling:An Example of the ZS5 Well in the Tazhong Area of the Tarim Basin

Gypsum caprocks'sealing ability is affected by temperature-pressure coupling.Due to the limitations of experimental conditions,there is still a lack of triaxial stress-strain experiments that simultaneously consider changes in temperature and pressure conditions,which limits the accuracy of the comprehensive evaluation of the brittle plastic evolution and sealing ability of gypsum rocks using temperature pressure coupling.Triaxial stress-strain tests were utilized to investigate the differences in the evolution of the confinement capacity of gypsum rocks under coupled temperaturepressure action and isothermal-variable pressure action on the basis of sample feasibility analysis.According to research,the gypsum rock's peak and residual strengths decrease under simultaneous increases in temperature and pressure over isothermal pressurization experimental conditions,and it becomes more ductile.This reduces the amount of time it takes for the rock to transition from brittle to plastic.When temperature is taken into account,both the brittle–plastic transformation's depth limit and the lithological transformation of gypsum rocks become shallower,and the evolution of gypsum rocks under variable temperature and pressure conditions is more complicated than that under isothermal pressurization.The sealing ability under the temperature-pressure coupling is more in line with the actual geological context when the application results of the Well#ZS5 are compared.This provides a theoretical basis for precisely determining the process of hydrocarbon accumulation and explains why the early hydrocarbon were not well preserved.

Further Recognition of Petroleum Exploration Potential of Marine Carbonates in Western Tarim Basin

A series of significant discoveries in marine carbonate rocks show great petroleum exploration potential in the Tarim Basin. However, the oil and gas fields discovered in the carbonate rocks are mainly distributed around the Manjiaer Sag in the eastern Tarim Basin. Some explorations occurred and no oil or gas field was discovered around the Awati Sag in the western Tarim Basin. Information from wells and outcrops reveals that there are excellent oil and gas source rock conditions around the Awati Sag. Transformed reef-shoal reservoirs could be formed in the Ordovician carbonate rocks with paleo-geographic background and hydrothermal conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to make a systematical study and overall evaluation of the potential of the periphery of the Awati Sag in terms of source rock evolution, resource potential, high-grade reservoir formation and distribution, and main factors controlling hydrocarbon migration and accumulation.

Kinetic Parameters of Methane Generated from Source Rocks in the Kuqa Depression of Tarim Basin and Their Application

In a thermal simulation experiment of gold tubes of closed-system, calculating with the KINETICS and GOR-ISOTOPE KINETICS software, kinetic parameters of gas generation and methane carbon isotopic fractionation from Triassic-Jurassic hydrocarbon source rocks in the Kuqa depression of Tarim Basin are obtained. The activation energies of methane generated from Jurassic coal, Jurassic mudstone and Triassic mudstone in the Kuqa Depression are 197-268 kJ/mol, 180-260 kJ/mol and 214-289 kJ/mol, respectively, and their frequency factors are 5.265×10^13 s^-1, 9.761×10^11 s^-1 and 2.270×10^14 s^-1. This reflects their differences of hydrocarbon generation behaviors. The kinetic parameters of methane carbon isotopic fractionation are also different in Jurassic coal, Jurassic mudstone and Triassic mudstone, whose average activation energies are 228 kJ/mol, 205 kJ/mol and 231 kJ/mol, respectively. Combined with the geological background, the origin of natural gas in the Yinan-2 gas pool is discussed, and an accumulation model of natural gas is thus established. The Yinan- 2 gas is primarily derived from Jurassic coal-bearing source rocks in the Yangxia Sag. Main gas accumulation time is 5-0 Ma and the corresponding Ro is in the range from 1.25 %-1.95 %. The loss rate of natural gas is 25 %-30 %.

Discovery of Radiolarian Fossils from the Aiketik Group at the Western End of the South Tianshan Mountains of Chinaand Its Implications

The Aiketik Group, distributed at the western end of the South TianshanMountains, China, is an important lithostratigraphic unit involved in the South Tianshan orogen. Itis separated from the adjacent rocks by faults. Generally, the geologists ascribed it to the UpperCarboniferous according to Pseudostaffella sp., Profusulinella sp. and Fusulinella sp. found fromthe limestone and sandy limestone of Aiketik. Our radiolarian fossils were obtained from the chertsamples collected from the Haladaok section located at the upper Tuoshihan River. The fossils mainlyinclude Albaillella undulata Deflandre, Albaillella paradoxa Deflandre, Albaillella sp. aff. A.paradoxa Deflandre, Albaillella sp. cf. A. deflandrei Gourmelon, Albaillella sp., Albaillellaexcelsa Ishiga, Kito and Imoto (?), Belowea variabilis (Ormiston et Lane), Callella cf. C.parvispinosa Won, Entactinia cf. E. tortispina Ormiston et Lane, Entactinia aff. E. tortispinaOrmiston et Lane, Entactinia variospina Won, Entactinia sp., Eostylodictya rota (Won),Latentifistula impella (Ormistone et Lane) (?), Latentifistula turgita Omiston et Lane,Latentifistulidae gen. et. sp. indet. and Polyentactinia cf. aranea Gourmelon. Among them,Albaillella excelsa Ishiga, Kito and Imoto (?) is a Late Permian species with some elementsuncertain as there is only one poorly-preserved fossil of this species found so far. And tworadiolarian assemblages can be identified from the other fossils. One is the early EarlyCarboniferous assemblage represented by Albaillella undulata Deflandre, Albaillella paradoxa andAlbaillella sp. cf. A. deflandrei Gourmelon. And the other is the late Early Carboniferousassemblage represented by Eostylodictya rota (Won). This is the first discovery of radiolarianfossils in the Aiketik Group, also the first discovery of Late Permian radiolarian fossils in theSouth Tianshan Mountains. Meanwhile, this is the current westernmost sampling site of radiolarianfossils in the South Tianshan Mountains.

Borehole stability in naturally fractured reservoirs luring production tests

Based on the plane of weakness theory, a model for predicting borehole stability in fractured reservoirs under different stress states was estiblisted and the equations for solving borehole stability were developed. The minimum downhole pressures required to maintain borehole stability under different natural fracture occurrences were calculated by using the data from a well in the Tazhong （central Tarim） area, Tarim Basin, west China. Several conclusions were drawn for naturally fractured reservoirs with a dip angle from less than 10° to greater than 30°. Application in three wells in the Tazhong area indicates that this model is practically useful.

Dynamics for multistage pool formation of Lunnan low uplift in Tarim Basin

Lunnan area in the Tarim Basin has become animportant onshore oil production base in China. Formationof the oil and gas pools in the low uplift of Lunnan has ex-perienced a comparatively complex process of dynamics.Based on the hydrocarbon generation period of source rocks,the formation period of cap rocks and traps, the analysis oforganic inclusion and the analysis of bitumen in the reservoir,this paper draws the conclusion that the low uplift area ofLunnan has experienced three pool formation periods: thePermian period, the Cretaceous-Early Tertiary period andthe Late Tertiary-Quaternary period and two oil and gasreservoir adjustment periods: the Late Permian period andthe Late Tertiary-Quaternary period. The comprehensivestudy indicates that the large-scale Ordovician buried hill,formed in Early Hercynian, became the reservoir during thePermian period, because the Cambrian-Lower Ordovicianoil was discharged laterally into the reservoir along the topof the Ordovician weathering crust from south to north. Thereservoir experienced a complicated process-reconstruc-tion in the end of Permian, adjustment in Cretaceous-EarlyTertiary and re-discharging process in Late Tertiary-Qua-ternary, leading to the early original heavy oil reservoir ofmarine facies and the late original light oil reservoir and gaspool. Carboniferous, Triassic and Jurassic oil and gas reser-voirs result from upward adjustment and re-distribution ofOrdovician oil and gas reservoirs. Of those results, the for-mation of Triassic-Jurassic oil and gas pools came under theinfluence of the northward-tilting structure. The oil and gassourcing from the different hydrocarbon source rock inter-vals vertically migrated into the base unconformity of Trias-sic system. Then the oil and gas migrated laterally fromnorth to south and accumulated into the reservoir.

Pyrolysis of oil at high temperatures:Gas potentials,chemical and carbon isotopic signatures

Although the gas cracked from oil has been believed to be one of the important sources in highly matured marine basins, there are still some debates on its resource potentials and chemical and isotopic compositions. In this study a Cambrian-sourced marine oil sample from the Silurian reservoir of well TZ62 in the central Tarim basin was pyrolyzed using sealed gold tubes with two different pyrolysis schemes: continuous pyrolysis in a closed system and stepwise semi-open pyrolysis. The results show that the maximum weight yield of C1-5 gases occurs at EasyRo=2.3% and the residual gas poten-tial after this maturity is only 43.4 mL/g, about 12% of the yield of 361 mL/g at EasyRo=2.3%. Combined with the results of kinetic modeling, the main stage of gas generation from oil cracking is believed within the EasyRo=1.6%―2.3%. The increase in the volume yield of C1-5 gases at EasyRo>2.3% in a closed system is mainly related to the re-cracking of previously formed C2-5 wet gases, not the direct cracking of oil. The stepwise pyrolysis experiments show that the gas from the cracking of residual oil at EasyRo>2.3% is characterized by very high dryness index (higher than 92%) and heavy methane carbon isotopes ranging from ?28.7‰ to ?26.7‰, which is quite different from the gases from the con-tinuous pyrolysis in a closed system. The kinetic modeling of methane carbon isotope fractionation shows that the carbon isotopes of methane within the main stage of gas generation (EasyRo<2.3%) are far lighter than the carbon isotopes of the precursor oils under a geological heating rate of 2 ℃ /Ma. The above observations and results provide some new clues to the accurate recognition and objective resource evaluation of oil cracking gas in highly mature marine basins.

The U-Pb chronologic evidence and sedimentary responses of Silurian tectonic activities at northeastern margin of Tarim Basin

U-Pb ages of Devonian detrital zircons from Tabei Uplift have been determined through LA-ICP-MS test technology.The results revealed that most zircon ages concentrate on 460-414 Ma,especially around 436-423 Ma,indicating possible occurrences of strong tectonic events at the northern margin of Tarim Basin during that period.Combined with previous researches on the basin marginal orogenic belts,intense tectonic activities developed at the northeast margin of Tarim Basin and its obvious sedimentary responses in basin during the end of Ordovician to Early-Middle Silurian are discussed.These include(1) several unconformities within the Late Ordovician-Silurian,showing truncation,erosion,and onlap characteristics,which reflected the local uplift formed during the surrounding extrusion process;(2) the Silurian fluvial delta system from northeast to southwest in Keping,Yingmaili,Hade,and Caohu areas,which reflected the partial uplift at the northeast margin and provided clastic supply to basin;and(3) as indicated by heavy mineral analysis,the Silurian sediments came mainly from the recycles of orogenic belts provenance,which indicated the compress tectonic setting.In addition,a wide range of red mudstone layer distribution in the upper part of the Silurian may be closely related to the surrounding tectonic uplift and the rapid decline of sea levels.

Oil cracking to gases: Kinetic modeling and geological significance

从 Tarim 盆的 LN14 的一件三叠纪的油样品是用在在 50 MPa 的恒压下面的 200-620 deg C 的封上的金试管的 pyrolyzed。气体并且剩余可溶的烃被分析。结果证明到气体的石油的裂化能被划分成二个不同阶段：从液体油的全部的 C1-5 气体的主要产生由 C2-5 烃和 secondary 或到甲烷的 C2-5 气体的进一步的裂开的优势描绘了导致气体的进步的干的 andcarbon 富有的事。基于试验性的数据，运动参数为主要产生和第二等的石油的裂化裂化气被决定并且外推到地质的条件预言热稳定性和原油的裂开的程度。最后，为原油的热破坏的一个进化模型被建议，它到油裂化气的迁居和累积的含意被讨论。

Petroleum geological characteristics of Kela-2 gas field

The Kela-2 gas field is located in the center ofKelasu structural belt in Kuqa Depression. This trap is oneof a series of traps in the folded belts which are distributed ina string of pearls in the dual structure. The primary gas-bearing layers are sandstone of Lower Cretaceous K1bswhile the secondary layers are dolomite member and gluten-ite member of Lower Tertiary E1-2km and sandstone ofLower Cretaceous K1b. The main component of natural gasis methane whose content is higher than 97%. It is charac-terized by dry gas whose source rock is Jurassic coal meas-ure. The Kela-2 structural trap was formed during the Xiyuperiod and then became a reservoir in the late time. The res-ervoir formed late and the thick seal rock of Lower Tertiarygipsmantle are the avail reason why the giant Kela-2 gasfield has been well kept. The abnormal high pressure of theKela-2 gas field results from the strong structural compres-sion in the northern part during the Xiyu period.

Mechanisms of abnormal overpressure generation in Kuqa foreland thrust belt and their impacts on oil and gas reservoir formation

Based on overview for mechanism of abnormaloverpressure generation in sedimentary basins, an insightdiscussion is made by the authors for the distribution, fea-tures and generation mechanisms of abnormal overpressurein the Kuqa foreland thrust belt. The abnormal overpressurein the Kelasu structure zone west to the Kuqa forelandthrust belt was primarily distributed in Eogene to lowerCretaceous formations; structural compression and struc-tural emplacement as well as the containment of Eogenegyps-salt formation constituted the main mechanisms for thegeneration of abnormal overpressure. The abnormal over-pressure zone in the eastern Yiqikelike structure zone wasdistributed primarily in lower Jurassic Ahe Group, resultingfrom hydrocarbon generation as well as structural stressother than from under-compaction. Various distributionsand generating mechanisms have different impacts upon theformation of oil and gas reservoirs. K-E reservoir in the Ke-lasu zone is an allochthonous abnormal overpressure system.One of the conditions for reservoir accumulation is the mi-gration of hydrocarbon (T-J hydrocarbon source rock) alongthe fault up to K-E reservoir and accumulated into reservoir.And this migration process was controlled by the abnormaloverpressure system in K-E reservoir. The confined abnor-mal overpressure system in the Yiqikelike structure zoneconstituted the main cause for the poor developing of dis-solved porosity in T-J reservoir, resulting in poor physicalproperty of reservoir. The poor physical property of T-J res-ervoir of Yinan 2 structure was the main cause for the ab-sence of oil accumulation, but the presence of natural gasreservoir in the structure.

Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Its Provenance Implications on Silurian Tarim Basin

ABSTRACT： As one of the major exploration objects of marine deposit in Tarim basin, Silurian has been paid more attention from oil/gas exploration and geologists. However, due to the widely deposit and later erosion, it is difficult to restore the original basin. The surrounding tectonic activity and provenance systems of Silurian Tarim basin have a lot of controversy. Aid of detrital zircons U-Pb dating data obtained from well drilling of Tabei （塔北） and Tazhong （塔中） areas and Sishichang （四十场） and Xiangyangcun （向阳村） outcrop profiles, integrated with other geological and geophysical data, the tectothermal evolution and provenance nature of Silurian deposit have been revealed. Zircons U-Pb dating shows Tarim basin has experienced 5-6 significant tectothermal events： 3 500-3 000 Ma Paleo-Mesoarchean, around 2 500 and 1 800 Ma Paleoproterozoic, around 1 000 and 800 Ma Neoproterozoic, and 500--400 Ma Eopaleozoic tectothermal events. These tectothermal events reflected the evolution of Tarim microplates and Tarim basin, respectively, corresponded to the forming and spilitting process of Ur supercontinent, Kenorland, Columbia and Rodinia supercontinent. Differencebetween the samples of Tazhong and Tabei areas indicated that North and South Tarim microplates were different in Paleo-Mesoarchean, and later evolutions were more synchronous after Paleoproterozoic. Integrated with seismic data and outcrop interpretation, the U-Pb dating results also revealed that the surrounding tectonic activities were still very active during Silurian, and indicated different regions had different source systems. At Tadong （塔东） and Manjiaer （满加尔） depressions, major source systems came from Ordovician Altyn orogenic belts. At Tabei area and northwest of Tarim basin, majorsource systems came from recycling orogenic zone （the activity of South Tianshan （天山） Mountain） and Precambrian stable basement （local paleo-uplifts at north of Tabei）. The Ordovician uplift and orogenic zone at the south of Tarim basin and Precambrian granite basement provided lots of source systems to Tazhong area.

Petroleum enrichment characteristics in Ordovician carbonates in Lunnan area of Tarim Basin

Lunnan heave had experienced denudation during late Caledonian and Hercynian movements and reconstruction during Indosinian movement. Lunnan heave and its circumference areas are located on the direction of petroleum migration, and experienced three reservoir formation cycles that are divided by wave cycle: The first reservoir formation cycle is characterized by breakage, the second by alteration, and the third by enrichment. Three layers of dissolving-cave developed on the vertical in Lunnan area. Development degree of slit-cave system and their connectivity are important factors to control petroleum enrichment in the weathering crust reservoir. The area where dissolving-caves are communicated by silts and faults was a fine petroleum enrichment area, and water was often encountered in the area with isolation cave while drilling because of no oil and gas origin. The top part of the faulted-horst as a leaking area is bearing water area, and the higher part of slope nearing the top part of the