Application of low-pressure gas adsorption to nanopore structure characterisation of organic-rich lower Cambrian shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform,South China |
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Authors: | L. Chen K. Liu P. Wang F. Gao T. Hu |
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Affiliation: | 1. State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China;2. Unconventional Natural Gas Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China;3. Unconventional Oil &4. Gas Cooperative Innovation Center, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China;5. CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering, Bentley WA 6102, Australia;6. College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China |
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Abstract: | The pores in shales are mainly on a nanometer scale, and the pore-size distribution is vital with regard to the preservation and exploitation of shale gas. This study focuses on the organic-rich lower Cambrian black shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform, South China and investigates their TOC, mineralogical composition and nanopore structure. Low-pressure N2 and CO2 adsorption experiments were conducted at 77.35 K and 273.15 K, respectively, and the nanopore structures were characterised by the modified Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, Dubinin–Radushkevich, t-plot, Barrett–Joyner–Halenda and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The results indicate the following. (1) The lower Cambrian shale has a high TOC content (1.77–7.23 wt%) and a high quartz content (27.7–51.6 vol%). The total specific surface area varies from 12.02 to 28.87 m2/g. Both the total specific surface area and quartz content are positively associated with the TOC content. (2) Shale samples with a higher TOC content have a greater number of micropores, resulting in more complicated nanopore structures. Micropore volumes/surface areas and non-micropore surface areas all increase with increasing TOC content, indicating that TOC is the key factor determining the nanopore structure of the lower Cambrian shale. (3) A combination of N2 and CO2 adsorption provides the most suitable detection range (~0.3–60 nm) and is both highly reliable and accurate with regard to nanopore structure characterisation. |
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Keywords: | shale gas nanopore structure low-pressure gas adsorption pore-size distribution lower Cambrian shale Upper Yangtze Platform |
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