Integrated gravity and magnetic study on patterns of petroleum basin occurrence in the China seas and adjacent areas

The China seas and adjacent areas contain numerous petroleum basins. One of the main challenges for future oil and gas exploration is to identify the inherent patterns of petroleum basin distribution. The formation and evolution of petroleum basins along with the migration and accumulation of oil and gas are often closely related to the tectonic environment. The gravity and magnetic fields with high lateral resolution and wide coverage provide important data for regional tectonic research. Based on the gravity data in the Global Satellite Gravity Anomaly Database (V31.1) and magnetic data from the Earth Magnetic Anomaly Grid (2-arc-minute resolution) (V2), this study uses integrated gravity and magnetic field technique to obtain integrated gravity and magnetic field result for the China seas and adjacent areas, and then adopts the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative technique to conduct partition. Finally, it identifies the relationship between the partition characteristics and tectonics as well as the patterns of petroleum basin occurrence. The research shows that the partition of gravity and magnetic field integrated result has a good correlation with the Neo-Cathaysian tectonic system and tectonic units. The petroleum basins are characterized according to three blocks arranged from north to south and four zones arranged from east to west. The north?south block structure causes the uneven distribution of oil and gas resources in the mainland area and the differences in the hydrocarbon-bearing strata. Petroleum basins are more abundant in the north than in the south. The ages of the main oil- and gas-bearing strata are “Paleozoic–Mesozoic, Paleozoic–Mesozoic–Cenozoic, and Paleozoic–Mesozoic”, in order from north to south. The difference in the overall type of oil and gas resources in all basins is controlled by the east–west zonation. From east to west, the oil and gas resource type exhibits a wave-like pattern of “oil and gas, gas, oil and gas, gas”. The vertical distribution is characterized by an upper oil (Mesozoic–Cenozoic) and lower gas (Mesozoic–Paleozoic) structure. Within the study area, the Paleozoic marine strata should be the main strata of future natural gas exploration.     

Genetic aspects of the oil and gas potential of the sedimentary cover in the northeastern part of the Black Sea (within the Russian Economic Zone)

The oil and gas potential of the region under study is assessed using the historical-genetic method developed at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The predicted distribution of the main oil and gas source formations in the sedimentary cover section is presented; the modern temperature conditions of their occurrence are calculated. Based on these data and the analyses of the distribution of the oil and gas deposits discovered in the adjacent land territories, the possible oil and oil-and-gasbearing prospectives are determined, and specific recommendations for exploration are given.     

油田水动力系统与油气藏的形成

油田水中存在“沉积承压水”和“地表渗入水”两个相对独立而又相互作用的水动力系统,前者由上覆地层重量所引起的地静压力以及地静压力等引起的异常孔隙流体压力所形成,具有内循环承压式水交替特征,后者为大气降水和地表水向储集层的渗入而形成,以外循环渗入或水交替为特征。这两大系统（尤其是前者）的作用在很大程度上控制了含油气盆地中油气的运移、聚集和保存,油气聚集区主要位于水文地质带中的交管阻滞一停滞带内,沉积交替强度的低值区是油气富集区,沉积水的离心流使凹陷中的油气围绕凹陷中心呈带状分布。     

应用合成地震记录确定南黄海北部盆地中生代地层的分布

黄海海域是我国近海目前唯一尚未获得商业性油气发现的海域,海域内发育了3个中新生代含油气盆地,目前已在北部盆地中生代泰州组地层中发现了油气显示。过去由于受资料所限,对盆地的油气资源评价,多关注于第三纪盆地,忽视了中生代盆地的油气资源远景。作者通过对南黄海北部盆地已钻遇中生代泰州组地层的钻井和过井数字地震剖面的追踪对比,结合4km×8km地震测网和重、磁资料综合解释,认为中生代盆地同样具有良好的含油气远景,特别是盆地的东北凹,中生代地层沉积厚度大,分布范围广,具有较好的油气资源远景。     

Impact of high water pressure on oil generation and maturation in Kimmeridge Clay and Monterey source rocks: Implications for petroleum retention and gas generation in shale gas systems

This study presents results for pyrolysis experiments conducted on immature Type II and IIs source rocks (Kimmeridge Clay, Dorset UK, and Monterey shale, California, USA respectively) to investigate the impact of high water pressure on source rock maturation and petroleum (oil and gas) generation. Using a 25 ml Hastalloy vessel, the source rocks were pyrolysed at low (180 and 245 bar) and high (500, 700 and 900 bar) water pressure hydrous conditions at 350 °C and 380 °C for between 6 and 24 h. For the Kimmeridge Clay (KCF) at 350 °C, Rock Eval HI of the pyrolysed rock residues were 30–44 mg/g higher between 6 h and 12 h at 900 bar than at 180 bar. Also at 350 °C for 24 h the gas, expelled oil, and vitrinite reflectance (VR) were all reduced by 46%, 61%, and 0.25% Ro respectively at 900 bar compared with 180 bar. At 380 °C the retardation effect of pressure on the KCF was less significant for gas generation. However, oil yield and VR were reduced by 47% and 0.3% Ro respectively, and Rock Eval HI was also higher by 28 mg/g at 900 bar compared with 245 bar at 12 h. The huge decrease in gas and oil yields and the VR observed with an increase in water pressure at 350 °C for 24 h and 380 °C for 12 h (maximum oil generation) were also observed for all other times and temperatures investigated for the KCF and the Monterey shale. This shows that high water pressure significantly retards petroleum generation and source rock maturation. The retardation of oil generation and expulsion resulted in significant amounts of bitumen and oil being retained in the rocks pyrolysed at high pressures, suggesting that pressure is a possible mechanism for retaining petroleum (bitumen and oil) in source rocks. This retention of petroleum within the rock provides a mechanism for oil-prone source rocks to become potential shale gas reservoirs. The implications from this study are that in geological basins, pressure, temperature and time will all exert significant control on the extent of petroleum generation and source rock maturation for Type II source rocks, and that the petroleum retained in the rocks at high pressures may explain in part why oil-prone source rocks contain the most prolific shale gas resources.     

The petroleum resource potential of the Bering Sea region

The Bering Sea sedimentary basin comprises the Bering Sea and the adjacent intermontane depressions on the continents. It includes the following subordinate sedimentary basins: the Norton; Bethel; Saint Lawrence; Anadyr; Navarin; Khatyrka; Saint George; Bristol; Cook Inlet; and Aleutian consisting of the autonomous Aleutian, Bowers, and Komandor basins. All of them exhibit significant geological similarity. The Middle and Upper Miocene terrigenous sequences, which are petroliferous through the entire periphery of the Pacific Ocean, are characterized by their high petroleum resource potential in the Bering Sea continental margin as well, which is confirmed by the oil and gas pools discovered in neighboring onshore lowlands. The younger (Pliocene) and older (up to Upper Cretaceous) sedimentary formations are also promising with respect to hydrocarbons. The integral potential oil and gas resources of the Bering Sea sedimentary basin, including the continental slopes, are estimated by the US Geological Survey to be 1120 × 10⁶ t and 965 × 10⁹ m³, respectively.     

南海海域新生代沉积盆地的油气资源

南海新生代经历过大陆张裂与分离、海底扩张和地块碰撞等构造演化历史,南海北部为被动大陆边缘,南部是碰撞挤压边缘,东部为俯冲聚敛边缘,西部是走滑边缘。在这种构造体制下,形成了许多沉积盆地。北部和西部边缘上发育着张性沉积盆地和走滑拉张盆地;在南部边缘上,其北部发育着张性盆地,南部为挤压环境下形成的盆地,如前陆盆地、前孤盆地;东部边缘上发育着前孤盆地。目前油气勘探实践证明,南海南部的油气资源比北部丰富。究其原因,南海北部为被动大陆边缘,张性沉积盆地的烃源岩体积较小,而南部挤压环境下形成的沉积盆地的烃源岩体积大;北部的地热流较南部小,因此地温梯度也较小,故南部边缘烃源岩的成熟度比北部高;由于南部边缘处于挤压构造环境,在沉积盆地中形成了许多挤压构造,而北部边缘一直处于张性构造环境,形成的构造较少且较小;同时,南部边缘沉积盆地中,烃源岩生烃与构造形成在时间上搭配较好。因此,在南海南部边缘沉积盆地中形成了许多大型油气田,而南海北部边缘沉积盆地中,大型油气田较少,中小型油气田较多。     

南太平洋地区盆地形成演化和油气资源潜力分析

本文从南太平洋地区区域构造演化出发,开展盆地类型划分和石油地质条件分析,了解不同类型盆地的油气成藏特征,并分析油气分布规律和资源潜力,以期对未来油气勘探开发国际合作选区提供借鉴。研究表明:（1）南太平洋地区经历了亨特-鲍恩造山运动、澳大利亚板块与南极洲板块分离、塔斯曼海扩张及珊瑚海扩张、巴布亚新几内亚地区的洋壳俯冲和弧-陆碰撞作用,最终形成了澳大利亚东部南缘和海域及新西兰地区以裂谷盆地为主、澳大利亚东部内陆以克拉通盆地为主的包括晚二叠世-三叠纪前陆盆地、古近纪-新近纪前陆盆地、古近纪-现今弧前盆地和弧后盆地6种盆地类型;（2）澳大利亚内陆南缘和东部海域以及新西兰地区裂谷盆地分布广泛,裂谷盆地油气最为富集,但内陆和海域有所差异,内陆南缘裂谷盆地油气资源丰富且石油与天然气的比值约为2:1,而东部海域裂谷盆地因油气成藏条件差,尚无油气发现;（3）根据盆地的剩余可采储量和远景资源量对南太平洋地区的资源潜力进行分析,认为白垩纪-古近纪裂谷盆地和古近纪-新近纪前陆盆地油气资源潜力最大,并优选出吉普斯兰（Gippsland）、塔拉纳基（Taranaki）和巴布亚（Papua）3个有利盆地。     

南亚地区含油气盆地类型及资源潜力分析

南亚地区经历冈瓦纳陆内裂谷、冈瓦纳裂解与板块漂移及印度板块与欧亚板块的陆-陆碰撞复杂的构造演化,最终形成了以被动大陆边缘盆地为主的,包括克拉通盆地和俯冲-碰撞带盆地在内的3类沉积盆地,其中被动大陆边缘盆地分布广泛,形成了南亚地区的一个主要盆地群。本文通过对南亚盆地生、储、盖等石油地质条件分析,研究不同盆地类型的油气成藏特征。根据盆地的剩余可采储量和远景资源量对南亚地区的资源潜力进行分析,认为被动大陆边缘盆地油气资源潜力最大,并优选出奎师那-哥达瓦里盆地、孟买盆地和科弗里盆地3个有利盆地。     

南海深水盆地油气地质特征及勘探方向

在深入调研南海深水盆地油气地质条件的基础上,系统分析了油气分布规律和成藏主控因素,明确了油气资源潜力和有利勘探方向,旨在为南海深水油气勘探决策提供科学依据.研究结果表明:南海深水盆地发育在非典型边缘海大陆边缘,其石油地质条件具有特殊性,油气分布特征存在显著的南北差异.其中,南海北部深水的珠江口盆地和琼东南盆地,以构造圈...     

南沙海域礼乐盆地中生界油气资源潜力

位于南沙东部海域的礼乐盆地是一大型的中、新生代叠置盆地,其特有的地质背景及巨厚的中生代地层显示了其与南沙海域其他新生代沉积盆地的差异。盆地内发育的厚度超过4 000 m的中生代海相地层,主要包括了上侏罗统—下白垩统的滨—浅海相含煤碎屑岩或半深海相页岩、上三叠统—下侏罗统三角洲—浅海相砂泥岩和中三叠统深海硅质页岩等3套地层,展示出盆地具有良好的油气生成潜力。而早期位于华南陆缘、现今位于南沙东部海域的礼乐盆地中生界,完全具备了形成油气藏的基本石油地质条件,具有较为良好的油气资源潜力,其中生界油气资源勘探具有非常重要的意义,将成为我国海域油气勘探的一个重要新领域。     

Tracing of deeply-buried source rock: A case study of the WC9-2 petroleum pool in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

The identification of a deeply-buried petroleum-source rock, owing to the difficulty in sample collection, has become a difficult task for establishing its relationship with discovered petroleum pools and evaluating its exploration potential in a petroleum-bearing basin. This paper proposes an approach to trace a deeply-buried source rock. The essential points include: determination of the petroleum-charging time of a reservoir, reconstruction of the petroleum generation history of its possible source rocks, establishment of the spatial connection between the source rocks and the reservoir over its geological history, identification of its effective source rock and the petroleum system from source to trap, and evaluation of petroleum potential from the deeply-buried source rock. A case study of the W9-2 petroleum pool in the Wenchang A sag of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea was conducted using this approach. The W9-2 reservoir produces condensate oil and gas, sourced from deeply-buried source rocks. The reservoir consists of a few sets of sandstone in the Zhuhai Formation, and the possible source rocks include an early Oligocene Enping Formation mudstone and a late Eocene Wenchang Formation mudstone, with a current burial depth from 5000 to 9000 m. The fluid inclusion data from the reservoir rock indicate the oil and the gas charged the reservoir about 18–3.5 Ma and after 4.5 Ma, respectively. The kinetic modeling results show that the main stages of oil generation of the Wenchang mudstone and the Enping mudstone occurred during 28–20 Ma and 20–12 Ma, respectively, and that the δ¹³C₁ value of the gas generated from the Enping mudstone has a better match with that of the reservoir gas than the gas from the Wenchang mudstone. Results from a 2D basin modeling further indicate that the petroleum from the Enping mudstone migrated upward along the well-developed syn-sedimentary faults in the central area of the sag into the reservoir, but that the petroleum from the Wenchang mudstone migrated laterally first toward the marginal faults of the sag and then migrated upward along the faults into shallow strata. The present results suggest that the trap structure in the central area of the sag is a favorable place for the accumulation of the Enping mudstone-derived petroleum, and that the Wenchang mudstone-derived petroleum would have a contribution to the structures along the deep faults as well as in the uplifted area around the sag.     

Study on the distribution characteristics of faults and their control over petroliferous basins in the China seas and its adjacent areas

As one of the main controlling factors of oil and gas accumulation, faults are closely related to the distribution of oil and gas reservoirs. Studying how faults control petroliferous basins is particularly important. In this work, we investigated the plane positions of major faults in the China seas and its adjacent areas using the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative (NVDR-THDR) of the Bouguer gravity anomaly, the fusion results of gravity and magnetic anomalies, and the residual Bouguer gravity anomaly. The apparent depths of major faults in the China seas and its adjacent areas were inverted using the Tilt-Euler method based on the Bouguer gravity anomaly. The results show that the strikes of the faults in the China seas and its adjacent areas are mainly NE and NW, followed by EW, and near-SN. Among them, the lengths of most ultra-crustal faults are in the range of 1 000–3 000 km, and their apparent depths lie between 10 km and 40 km. The lengths of crustal faults lie between 300 km and 1 000 km, and their apparent depths are between 0 km and 20 km. According to the plane positions and apparent depths of the faults, we put forward the concept of fault influence factor for the first time. Based on this factor, the key areas for oil and gas exploration were found as follows: the east of South North China Basin in the intracontinental rift basins; the southeast region of East China Sea Shelf Basin, the Taixinan and Qiongdongnan basins in the continental margin rift basins; Zhongjiannan Basin in the strike-slip pull-apart basins; the Liyue, Beikang, and the Nanweixi basins in the rifted continental basins. This work provides valuable insights into oil and gas exploration, mineral resource exploration, and deep geological structure research in the China seas and its adjacent areas.     

我国近海油气资源基本状况及勘探方向探讨

本文通过对我国近海油气资源的分布特征进行分析 ,指出渤海湾盆地是我国近海石油的主力产区。天然气的主力产区为莺歌海盆地和东海陆架盆地 ,目前勘探的重点应放在渤海湾盆地 ,其次是东海陆架盆地 ,珠江口盆地第三。在加强对新生代盆地勘探的同时 ,应重视对中生代地层的勘探 ;在深化浅水区勘探的同时 ,不失时机地开展深水勘探 ;在加强构造圈闭勘探的同时 ,密切注视非构造圈闭的油气资源的勘探     

Seismic based characterization of total organic content from the marine Sembar shale,Lower Indus Basin,Pakistan

The exploration and production of unconventional resources has increased significantly over the past few years around the globe to fulfill growing energy demands. Hydrocarbon potential of these unconventional petroleum systems depends on the presence of significant organic matter; their thermal maturity and the quality of present hydrocarbons i.e. gas or oil shale. In this work, we present a workflow for estimating Total Organic Content (TOC) from seismic reflection data. To achieve the objective of this study, we have chosen a classic potential candidate for exploration of unconventional reserves, the shale of the Sembar Formation, Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan. Our method includes the estimation of TOC from the well data using the Passey’s ΔlogR and Schwarzkofp’s methods. From seismic data, maps of Relative Acoustic Impedance (RAI) are extracted at maximum and minimum TOC zones within the Sembar Formation. A geostatistical trend with good correlation coefficient (R²) for cross-plots between TOC and RAI at well locations is used for estimation of seismic based TOC at the reservoir scale. Our results suggest a good calibration of TOC values from seismic at well locations. The estimated TOC values range from 1 to 4% showing that the shale of the Sembar Formation lies in the range of good to excellent unconventional oil/gas play within the context of TOC. This methodology of source rock evaluation provides a spatial distribution of TOC at the reservoir scale as compared to the conventional distribution generated from samples collected over sparse wells. The approach presented in this work has wider applications for source rock evaluation in other similar petroliferous basins worldwide.     

Source rocks and petroleum systems in the Hungarian part of the Pannonian Basin: The potential for shale gas and shale oil plays

The objectives of our study were to assess the thickness, lateral extent, organic richness and maturity of the potential source rocks in Hungary and to estimate the volumes of hydrocarbons generated, in order that potential shale gas and shale oil plays could be identified and characterised.The Upper Triassic Kössen Marl in south-west Hungary could represent the best potential shale gas/shale oil play, due to its high organic richness, high maturity and the presence of fracture barriers. The area of gas- and oil-generative maturity is around 720 km² with the unexpelled petroleum estimated to be up to 9 billion barrel oil-equivalent.The Lower Jurassic sediments of the Mecsek Mountains and under the Great Plain contain fair quality gas-prone source rocks, with low shale gas potential, except for a thin Toarcian shale unit which is richer in organic matter. The latter could form a potential shale gas play under the Great Hungarian Plain, if it is thicker locally.The Lower Oligocene Tard Clay in north-east Hungary could represent the second best potential shale oil play, due to its organic richness, favourable maturity and large areal extent (4500 km²) with around 7 billion barrel oil-equivalent estimated in-place volume of petroleum.Middle Miocene marine formations could represent locally-developed shale gas plays; they have fair amounts of organic matter and a mixture of type II/III kerogen, but their vertical and lateral variability is high.The Upper Miocene lacustrine Endrőd Marl contains less organic matter and the kerogen is mainly type III, which is not favourable for shale gas generation. The high carbonate and clay content, plus the lack of upper and lower fracture barriers would represent additional production challenges.     

Facies recognition of some Tertiary coals applied to prediction of oil source rock occurrence

Coals are oil source rocks in many of the Tertiary basins of Southeast Asia. The precursors of these hydrogen rich and oxygen poor coals are coastal plain peats which have mainly developed in an everwet and tropical climate. In these environments water flow and reworking can concentrate liptinitic kerogen in preference to vitrinitic kerogen. The distribution, petrography and chemistry of the coaly Miocene source rocks present in the Kutai Basin are described. The recognition of environmental controls on the accumulation of potentially oil-prone coals and coaly shales in deltaic environments is an aid to predictive source bed recognition in petroleum exploration. Comments on the environment of deposition of coaly sediments in the basins of the Norwegian Sea are discussed with reference to their possible oil and/or gas sourcing potential. The Triassic - Jurassic coals of the Haltenbanken area may become more oil-prone towards the delta margins, and facies mapping could aid oil exploration in this area.     

Influence of the Moho surface distribution on the oil and gas basins in China seas and adjacent areas

Owing to the strategic significance of national oil and gas resources, their exploration and production must be prioritized in China. Oil and gas resources are closely related to deep crustal structures, and Moho characteristics influence oil and gas distribution. Therefore, it is important to study the relationship between the variation of the Moho surface depth undulation and hydrocarbon basins for the future prediction of their locations. The Moho depth in the study area can be inverted using the Moho depth control information, the Moho gravity anomaly, and the variable density distribution calculated by the infinite plate. Based on these results, the influences of Moho characteristics on petroleum basins were studied. We found that the Moho surface depth undulation deviation and crustal thickness undulation deviation in the hydrocarbon-rich basins are large, and the horizontal gradient deviation of the Moho surface shows a positive linear relationship with oil and gas resources in the basin. The oil-bearing mechanism of the Moho basin is further discussed herein. The Moho uplift area and the slope zone correspond to the distribution of oil and gas fields. The tensile stress produced by the Moho uplift can form tensile fractures or cause tensile fractures on the surface, further developing into a fault or depression basin that receives deposits. The organic matter can become oil and natural gas under suitable chemical and structural conditions. Under the action of groundwater or other dynamic forces, oil and natural gas are gradually transported to the uplift or the buried hill in the depression zone, and oil and gas fields are formed under the condition of good caprock. The research results can provide new insights into the relationship between deep structures and oil and gas basins as well as assist in the strategic planning of oil and gas exploration activities.     

深水盆地油气勘探新领域

全球海域深水区已成为油气增长的新领域。根据国内外深水油气勘探概况和我国深水盆地的油气地质条件认为，我国海域珠江口盆地珠二坳陷、琼东南盆地中央坳陷、潮汕坳陷及台西南盆地深水区、南海西南海域深水区和冲绳海槽盆地是我国海域深水盆地油气勘探的远景区。     

海南省海域油气资源特征及勘探开发前景

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