New aromatic biomarkers and possible maturity indicators found in New Albany Shale extracts

Aromatic hydrocarbons from benzene extracts of New Albany Shale were characterized. A biomarker that has a molecular weight of 546 and a structural configuration consistent with that of an alkyl-aromatic hydrocarbon (C₄₀H₆₆) was tentatively identified. It was found that the relative concentrations of the biomarker are indicative of differing levels of thermal maturity of the shale organic matter. A 40-carbon bicyclic carotenoid (C₄₀H₄₈) is proposed as the geochemical precursor of this biomarker. Thermal maturity of the shale organic matter can also be differentiated by observing differences in “fingerprints” as obtained by field-ionization mass spectrometry on the aromatic hydrocarbon fraction. Using this technique, we found that the more mature shale samples from southeastern Illinois contain more low molecular weight extractable aromatic hydrocarbons and the less mature shale samples from northwestern Illinois contain more high molecular weight extractable aromatic hydrocarbons. It was demonstrated that field-ionization and tandem mass spectrometric techniques through fingerprint and individual compound identification, are useful for shale aromatic hydrocarbon fraction characterization and for thermal maturation interpretation.     

四川盆地东部地区下志留统龙马溪组页岩储层特征

四川盆地是中国西南部重要的含油气盆地,在东部和南部地区下志留统龙马溪组页岩广泛发育。在川东南、鄂西渝东地区的勘探井中志留系具有良好的气显示。研究区龙马溪组厚65~516m,底部为一套海侵沉积的富含笔石的黑色页岩,龙马溪组向上和向东砂质和钙质含量增加,演变为浅水陆棚沉积。龙马溪组主要由层状-非层状泥/页岩、白云质粉砂岩、层状钙质泥/页岩、泥质粉砂岩、层状-非层状粉砂质泥/页岩、粉-细粒砂岩、钙质结核、富含有机质非层状页岩8种岩相组成。总有机碳含量(TOC)为0.2%~6.7%。有机质以II型干酪根为主,Ro为2.4%~3.6%。页岩中石英矿物含量在2%~93%,主要呈纹层状或分散状分布,主要为陆源碎屑外源成因。龙马溪组页岩岩心孔隙度为0.58%~0.67%,渗透率为0.01×10^-3μm²~0.93×10^-3μm²。扫描电镜下龙马溪组页岩微孔隙度为2%左右,主要包括晶间孔和粒内孔,孔隙直径为100nm~50μm。页岩储层的形成机理主要为有利矿物组合、成岩作用和有机质热裂解作用。龙马溪组与美国Barnett页岩具有一定差异,主要表现在龙马溪组页岩埋藏较深、热演化程度较高、含气量较低、储层较致密、以陆源成因石英为主。对于评价下志留统龙马溪组页岩气勘探前景而言,今后须重点加强针对龙马溪组底部黑色硅质岩系石英成因、成熟度、埋藏史、含气量等方面的研究,以及进行详细的古地貌和古环境恢复。     

基于计算岩石物理方法的页岩储层弹性参数提取

发展了应用数值计算方法获取页岩储层的速度、各向异性参数的计算岩石物理系列方法.该系列方法包括了大尺度精细地质模型数值建模、计算网格尺度的地球物理建模和地震波数值模拟提取岩石物理弹性参数.本文方法利用储层的统计数据而不是具体岩心的测量数据,可获得储层岩石物理弹性参数的变化规律.相比于基于岩心测试的岩石物理方法,本文方法可精细考虑实际储层的非均匀特征,可得到岩心测试难以求取的与尺寸效应高度相关的弹性参数,也避免了求取弹性参数变化规律时获取不同地质特征岩心的困难.本文发展了计算岩石物理方法,为计算岩石物理面临的大尺度地质建模和计算能力限制问题提供了有效的解决方案.文中以胜利罗家的页岩储层为例,求得了储层TOC含量从3%到21%变化情况下储层的P波、S波速度以及各向异性参数变化规律.     

陵页岩气井新工具的应用与经济评价

涪陵地区页岩层蕴含着丰富的天然气资源,具有较大的开采前景。区块主要目的层为上奥陶统五峰组-下志留统龙马溪组下部页岩气层。上部泥页岩地层井壁稳定性差,地层承压能力低,溶洞发育、易坍塌、易漏失;海相沉积地层流体分布复杂,部分地层岩性变化大,可钻性差,机械钻速较低;采用丛式布井,水平井井眼轨迹复杂,靶前位移大,大井眼定向扭方位困难、托压严重。现场试验使用了旋转导向、扭力冲击器、旋冲马达、水力振荡器等新技术、新工具,大幅度提高机械钻速,缩短钻井周期,取得一定的经济效益。阐述了几种新技术和新工具的工作原理、现场应用情况,并对其经济效果进行了评价。     

我国页岩气资源及影响因素

在世界面临能源短缺的背景下,页岩气作为油气勘探的一个新领域,越来越得到世界各国的重视。我国页岩气资源丰富,许多盆地或地区具有页岩气大规模成藏的地质条件,对页岩气的研究显得尤为重要。该文介绍了我国页岩气资源储量、分布及开采面临的问题,概述了页岩气地质特征。在此基础上探讨了我国页岩气的影响因素,认为我国页岩气主要受有机碳含量、成熟度、裂缝的发育程度、地层压力的控制;页岩气与煤层气同属于非常规天然气,其赋存形态、成因类型、富集规律具有很多相似之处,因此可将页岩气与煤层气进行对比研究。     

基于微纳米孔隙理论的页岩气储层岩石物理建模方法

页岩储层由于其复杂的构造和孔隙特征,目前一般的岩石物理模型无法对其进行精确描述.微纳米孔隙作为页岩气主要的储集空间,对页岩整体弹性参数有较大影响.干酪根作为页岩中重要的有机质矿物,在页岩中的赋存状态随成熟度不同而变化,同时干酪根也是纳米级孔隙的主要发育场所.目前常规的岩石物理建模方法没有体现微纳米孔隙的作用,同时较少考虑不同成熟度下干酪根对页岩储层弹性性质的影响.本文采用一种微纳米孔隙理论描述页岩微纳米孔隙特性,考虑微纳米孔隙和不同成熟度下干酪根的赋存状态,应用上述微纳米孔隙模型、各向异性SCA-DEM模型、各向异性Eshelby-Cheng模型和Brown-Korringa固体替换方程等建立一种新的页岩储层岩石物理模型.利用中国西南某工区页岩气井对该模型进行验证,模型预测的横波速度与测井速度拟合较好.结果表明不同干酪根成熟度的页岩岩石物理建模结果具有一定的差异,据此可大致区分该工区井的干酪根成熟度;最后对微纳米孔参数进行正演分析,结果反映了页岩的纵横波速度随微纳米孔隙参数的变化趋势.     

Identification and micro‐stratigraphy of hyperpycnites and turbidites in Cretaceous Lewis Shale,Wyoming

Sandy hyperpycnal flows and their deposits, hyperpycnites, have been documented in modern environments and, more recently, in Cretaceous and Tertiary strata; they may be more common in the rock record, and within petroleum reservoirs, than has been previously thought. Muddy hyperpycnites also occur within the rock record, but these are more difficult to document because of their finer‐grained nature and lack of common sedimentary structures. This paper documents the presence of submarine slope mudstone and siltstone hyperpycnites (and muddy turbidites) in the delta‐fed, Upper Cretaceous Lewis Shale of Wyoming; based on field measurements, analyses of rock slabs and thin sections, and laser grain‐size distributions. Four lithofacies comprise laminated and thin‐bedded mudstones that are associated with levéed channel sandstones: (L1) grey, laminated, graded mudstone with thin siltstone and sandstone interbeds; (L2) dark grey to tan, laminated mudstone with very thin siltstone and sandstone stringers; (L3) light grey, laminated siltstones; and (L4) laminated mudstones and siltstones with thin sandstone interbeds. Two styles of mudstone grain‐size grading have been documented. The first type is an upward‐fining interval that typically ranges in thickness from 2·5 to 5 cm. The second type is a couplet of a lower, upward‐coarsening interval and an upper, upward‐fining interval (sometimes separated by a micro‐erosion surface) which, combined, are about 3·8 cm thick. Both individual laminae and groups of laminae spaced millimetres apart exhibit these two grain‐size trends. Although sedimentary structures indicative of traction‐plus‐fallout sedimentary processes associated with sandier hyperpycnites are generally absent in these muddy sediments, the size grading patterns are similar to those postulated in the literature for sandy hyperpycnites. Thus, the combined upward‐coarsening, then upward‐fining couplets are interpreted to be the result of a progressive increase in river discharge during waxing and peak flood stage (upward increase in grain‐size), followed by waning flow after the flood begins to abate (upward decrease in grain‐size). The micro‐erosion surface that sometimes divides the two parts of the size‐graded couplet resulted from waxing flows of sufficiently high velocity to erode the sediment previously deposited by the same flow. Individual laminae sets which only exhibit upward‐fining trends could be either the result of waning flow deposition from either dilute turbidity currents or from hyperpycnal flows. The occurrence of these sets with the size‐graded couplets suggests that they are associated with hyperpycnal processes.     

Selenium enrichment in Carboniferous Shales,Britain and Ireland: Problem or opportunity for shale gas extraction?

The Carboniferous Bowland Shale in England, and its correlatives in Ireland, contain anomalously high concentrations of trace elements, including selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo) and arsenic (As). High levels of these elements reflect high sulphur contents as these elements occur as trace constituents of pyrite. Anomalous Se in particular may have a volcanic provenance, from contemporary volcanic activity and/or drainage from Ordovician volcanogenic sulphide deposits. Following concern over the release of Se and As into groundwater during shale gas extraction in the US, the potential fate of Se and As during any future shale gas extraction from the Bowland Shale merits attention. It is at least an environmental issue that must be managed, but at best it could be an opportunity for extraction of Se in an environmentally sensitive manner.     

吉木萨尔凹陷芦草沟组烃源岩评价及页岩油富集条件探讨

准噶尔盆地吉木萨尔凹陷芦草沟组为一套优质陆相烃源岩, 是我国当前页岩油气研究的热点地区之一.基于吉木萨尔凹陷18口井芦草沟组约为580 m岩心观察、薄片观察、地球化学测试等数据, 对芦草沟组烃源岩岩石类型、地球化学特征等方面开展了研究与评价, 结果表明: 1)芦草沟组烃源岩整体上为优质烃源岩, 且以Ⅰ-Ⅱ型有机质类型为主, 处于低熟至成熟阶段; 2)烃源岩主要划分为5种类型, 包括纯页岩、白云质页岩、纯泥岩, 白云质泥岩和粉砂质泥岩, 其有机质类型和丰度存在一定差异.综合研究得出, 吉木萨尔凹陷芦草沟组优质有效烃源岩的有机质丰度下限值为2.0%, 并认为TOC≥2.0%的烃源岩段也是该区页岩油发育的有利层段.