Investigation of gas content of organic-rich shale:A case study from Lower Permian shale in southern North China Basin,central China

Measuring gas content is an essential step in estimating the commerciality of gas reserves. In this study,eight shale core samples from the Mouye-1 well were measured using a homemade patented gas desorption apparatus to determine their gas contents. Due to the air contamination that is introduced into the desorption canister, a mathematical method was devised to correct the gas quantity and quality.Compared to the chemical compositions of desorbed gas, the chemical compositions of residual gas are somewhat different. In residual gas, carbon dioxide and nitrogen record a slight increase, and propane is first observed. This phenomenon may be related to the exposure time during the transportation of shale samples from the drilling site to the laboratory, as well as the differences in the mass, size and adsorptivity of different gas molecules. In addition to a series of conventional methods, including the USBM direct method and the Amoco Curve Fit(ACF) method, which were used here for lost gas content estimation, a Modified Curve Fit(MCF) method, based on the 'bidisperse' diffusion model, was established to estimate lost gas content. By fitting the ACF and MCF models to gas desorption data, we determined that the MCF method could reasonably describe the gas desorption data over the entire time period, whereas the ACF method failed. The failure of the ACF method to describe the gas desorption process may be related to its restrictive assumption of a single pore size within shale samples. In comparison to the indirect method, this study demonstrates that none of the three methods studied in this investigation(USBM, ACF and MCF) could individually estimate the lost gas contents of all shale samples and that the proportion of free gas relative to total gas has a significant effect on the estimation accuracy of the selected method. When the ratio of free gas to total gas is lower than 45%, the USBM method is the best for estimating the lost gas content, whereas when the ratio ranges from 45% to 75% or is more than 75%, the ACF and MCF methods, are the best options respectively.     

Results of magnetotelluric surveyon reference geophysical profiles of the Karaton-Sarkamys block in Kazakhstan

A digital geoelectric model of the Karaton-Sarkamys block located in the southern (Kazakhstan) part of the Caspian Depression has been developed on the basis of processing and interpretation of magnetotelluric sounding data. Geoelectric sections and structural maps of geoelectric layers have been constructed. It has been shown that magnetotelluric sounding combined with seismic and GIS data can be efficiently used to obtain additional information on the lithologic and reservoir properties of petroleum plays.     

Natural ring structures on the Baikal ice cover: Analysis of experimental data and mathematical modeling

Hydrophysical studies and mathematical modeling of ring structures during ice cover on Lake Baikal have shown that their existence at the stage of ice cover degradation is due to anticyclonic currents. Such currents can be generated as a result of local upwelling, which we associate with the rise of methane hydrates from the top layer of bottom sediments and their dissociation. Analysis of satellite images shows that the radii of ice rings range from 1300 to 2400 m, which is close to the baroclinic Rossby radius. The measured ice thicknesses in the area of the rings are in agreement with model calculations. Deep water renewal in Lake Baikal can also be associated with the rise of hydrates.     

Multi-factor sensitivity analysis on the stability of submarine hydrate-bearing slope

There are many factors affecting the instability of the submarine hydrate-bearing slope (SHBS), and the interaction with hydrate is very complicated. In this paper, the mechanical mechanism of the static liquefaction and instability of submarine slope caused by the dissociation of natural gas hydrate (NGH) resulting in the rapid increase of pore pressure of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) and the decrease of effective stress are analyzed based on the time series and type of SHBS. Then, taking the typical submarine slope in the northern South China Sea as an example, four important factors affecting the stability of SHBS are selected, such as the degree of hydrate dissociation, the depth of hydrate burial, the thickness of hydrate, and the depth of seawater. According to the principle of orthogonal method, 25 orthogonal test schemes with 4 factors and 5 levels are designed and the safety factors of submarine slope stability of each scheme are calculated by using the strength reduction finite element method. By means of the orthogonal design range analysis and the variance analysis, sensitivity of influential factors on stability of SHBS are obtained. The results show that the degree of hydrate dissociation is the most sensitive, followed by hydrate burial depth, the thickness of hydrate and the depth of seawater. Finally, the concept of gas hydrate critical burial depth is put forward according to the influence law of gas hydrate burial depth, and the numerical simulation for specific submarine slope is carried out, which indicates the existence of critical burial depth.     

The evolution of the Huangling uplift and its control on the accumulation and preservation of shale gas

There are plenty of Sinian and Cambrian potential shale gas resources in South China, which is characterized by high thermal evolution degrees, poor drilling performances and only occurs in local areas. Taking the principle “high to find low” is the key issue to achieving a breakthrough in older shale. China Geological Survey drilled in the periphery of the Proterozoic basement, i.e. the Huangling anticline, in the western Hubei, and Hannan paleocontinent in the southern Shanxi. It received high-quality gas-bearing shale with relatively low Ro in the in Lower Cambrian Niutitang formation and Sinian Doushantuo formation. Based on geological conditions of shale gas reservoirs in the Huangling anticline, this paper puts forward the new model named “Control over reservoirs by periphery of basement” about shale gas accumulation, suggesting that the shale deposited in a deepwater continental shelf in the periphery of the basement is characterized by shallow burial, a short burial time, stable tectonics, relatively low thermal evolution degrees, and shale gas reservoirs in a good condition. The shale of the Sinian-Cambrian strata deposited in deepwater continental shelves in the periphery of Chuanzhong paleo-uplift in Sichuan, Hannan paleocontinent in the southern Shanxi, Huangling anticline in western Hubei and Jiangnang-Xuefeng paleo-uplift in Hunan and Guizhou province have good shale gas exploration potential.     

渝东北城口地区Y1井页岩有机地球化学特征及勘探前景

基于钻井资料,以总有机碳(TOC)、干酪根显微组分、等效镜质体反射率(Ro)及碳同位素等测试数据系统分析了渝东北城口地区Y1井五峰组—龙马溪组页岩的有机地球化学特征,利用页岩流体包裹体的显微特征、均一温度及激光拉曼数据深入分析了Y1井页岩气成藏特征。结果表明:Y1井上奥陶统五峰组—下志留统龙马溪组炭质页岩发育,TOC含量2%的富含有机质页岩厚度达83 m,干酪根类型以Ⅰ型干酪根为主,处于湿气生烃阶段。页岩裂缝脉体中大量烃包裹体和富含甲烷气体的含烃盐水包裹体证实城口地区五峰组—龙马溪组页岩发生了充足页岩气供给,具有高均一温度、高盐度的伴生盐水包裹体表明城口地区页岩气成藏时期的保存条件良好。这些Y1井页岩有机地球化学特征研究成果揭示了城口地区下古生界具备良好的页岩气勘探前景。     

基于突变级数法的页岩气探采综合环境影响评价研究

为缓解能源紧张,页岩气作为储量丰富的非常规能源在我国正大力开发,而我国页岩气开发起步较晚,受管理与技术限制,页岩气开发造成的综合环境影响问题还得不到有效解决。针对页岩气开发存在的环境问题,本文基于我国页岩气开发现状,借鉴美国页岩气开发的成功经验,从自然环境与人文环境两方面对页岩气开发综合环境影响因素进行分析,建立了页岩气开发综合环境影响评价指标体系;同时为降低评价过程主观因素的影响,简化评估过程,本文引入突变级数法建立了页岩气开发综合环境影响评估模型,运用数值替换方法区分页岩气开发综合环境影响等级。最后将评价体系与评估模型应用到实际案例中,得到的评价结果与实际情况基本符合,为页岩气开发项目的综合环境评价提供了很好的理论依据。     

Petrophysical characterisation of tight sandstone gas reservoirs using nuclear magnetic resonance: a case study of the upper Paleozoic strata in the Kangning area,eastern margin of the Ordos Basin,China

Residual and movable porosity are significant parameters for characterising petrophysical properties, especially in tight reservoirs. Eight tight sandstone samples from the upper Paleozoic gas-bearing strata in the Kangning area, from the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin, were analysed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), petrography, and porosity and permeability tests. The lithology and pore types were identified and classified using petrography and SEM. The residual and movable porosity were obtained with NMR. In addition, NMR was used to visualise pore structure and pore size distribution. The results suggest that the upper Paleozoic sandstones in the study area mainly comprise feldspathic litharenite and litharenite. The sandstone porosity and permeability are low, with means of 5.9% and 0.549 mD, respectively. Four pore types exist in the tight sandstones: residual primary pores, grain dissolution pores, micropores (clay-dominated) and microfractures. The T₂ spectra under water-saturated conditions correlate with pore size and can be used to distinguish small and large pores based on the transverse relaxation time cutoff value of 10 ms, which corresponds to a pore diameter of 0.232 μm. Small pores account for 72% of the pores in the tight sandstones. The continuous bimodal T₂ spectra suggest good connectivity between small and large pores, despite the low porosity and permeability. In this study, the movable porosity of the major tight sandstone gas reservoirs is higher than the residual porosity, which confirms the effective evaluation of movable porosity to tight sandstone reservoirs, based on NMR experiments.     

塔里木溢流玄武岩火山通道的三维结构及其热成因气体释放

塔里木上奥陶统-志留系沉积地层中广泛发育早二叠世溢流玄武岩的火山通道相岩床-岩墙网络。三维地震数据解释结果显示,这些火山通道以平行围岩地层的岩床和斜切围岩地层的"碟状岩床"为主要特征。在玄武岩喷发过程中,火山通道岩浆的热量可以导致沉积围岩发生热接触变质并将沉积围岩中的有机质转化为"热成因气体"。在塔北英买2井区火山通道烘烤沉积围岩模型基础上,利用有限元热模拟方法确定了该区早二叠世玄武岩喷发时火山通道热烘烤影响范围随时间的变化。基于沉积围岩有机质丰度估算,该区热烘烤成因甲烷释放量可达11.3Gt(即113亿吨)。如果整个塔里木溢流玄武岩省具有与英买2地区相同的释放强度,则塔里木溢流玄武岩省活动期间释放的甲烷总量可达7062.5Gt,必然导致非常显著的环境效应。同时,玄武岩火山通道岩浆引起的热接触变质作用对已存在的油藏具有明显的破坏作用,塔里木盆地古生界总量约8~10Gt的油藏破坏和大量沥青的形成可能与此有关。     

断裂应力特征及其转折控油气规律研究——以南堡凹陷为例

为了分析断裂对油气宏观分布规律的控制作用,寻找有勘探潜力的油气富集带,文中以地质力学理论为指导,对南堡凹陷断裂组合应力特征、断裂转折及成因进行解析,并结合砂体分布和古今构造应力场分布特征,对南堡凹陷东营组油气分布规律和有利勘探区带做了研究。结果表明:断裂转折部位对油气分布有着控制作用,东营组已探明的油气主要在帚状断裂系、入字形断裂系、交织式断裂系转折轴部高曲率附近呈环带状分布;断裂转折凹面一侧控油性明显,从宏观上来看,油气具有沿沉积相带由细到粗的构造脊高点以及弧形断裂转折凹面一侧的选择性运移的特征,断裂转折轴部高曲率高孔、高渗域与高孔、高渗砂体沉积相带的有利对置决定了油气的主流向;综合研究指出,南堡凹陷北堡构造带是今后优势勘探的首要区带,其次是南堡构造带和南堡4号蛤坨构造带南部。