A quantitative study of the scale and distribution of tight gas reservoirs in the Sulige gas field, Ordos Basin, northwest China

doi:10.1007/s11707-021-0878-9

Front. Earth Sci.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (2) : 457-470 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-021-0878-9

RESEARCH ARTICLE

A quantitative study of the scale and distribution of tight gas reservoirs in the Sulige gas field, Ordos Basin, northwest China

Chao LUO^1,²(

), Ailin JIA³, Jianlin GUO³(

), Qing TIAN⁴, Junlei WANG³, Hun LIN¹, Nanxin YIN¹, Xuanbo GAO¹

¹. Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
². Engineering Research Center of Development and Management for Low to Ultra-Low Permeability Oil and Gas Reservoirs in West China (Ministry of Education), Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
³. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
⁴. Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China

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Abstract

Gas and water distribution is discontinuous in tight gas reservoirs, and a quantitative understanding of the factors controlling the scale and distribution of effective reservoirs is important for natural gas exploration. We used geological and geophysical explanation results, dynamic and static well test data, interference well test and static pressure test to calculate the distribution and characteristics of tight gas reservoirs in the H₈ Member of the Shihezi Formation, Sulige gas field, Ordos Basin, northwest China. Our evaluation system examines the scale, physical properties, gas-bearing properties, and other reservoir features, and results in classification of effective reservoirs into types I, II, and III that differ greatly in size, porosity, permeability, and saturation. The average thickness, length, and width of type I effective reservoirs are 2.89, 808, and 598 m, respectively, and the porosity is>10.0%, permeability is>10 × 10^–3µm², and average gas saturation is>60%. Compared with conventional gas reservoirs, tight gas effective reservoirs are small-scale and have low gas saturation. Our results show that the scale of the sedimentary system controls the size of the dominant microfacies in which tight gas effective reservoirs form. The presence of different types of interbeds hinders the connectivity of effective sand body reservoirs. The gas source conditions and pore characteristics of the reservoirs control sand body gas filling and reservoir formation. The physical properties and structural nature of the reservoirs control gas–water separation and the gas contents of effective reservoirs. The results are beneficial for the understanding of gas reservoir distribution in the whole Ordos Basin and other similar basins worldwide.

Keywords tight gas sandbody scale effective sand reservoir Ordos Basin

Corresponding Author(s): Chao LUO,Jianlin GUO

Online First Date: 30 April 2021 Issue Date: 26 October 2021

Cite this article:

Chao LUO,Ailin JIA,Jianlin GUO, et al. A quantitative study of the scale and distribution of tight gas reservoirs in the Sulige gas field, Ordos Basin, northwest China[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2021, 15(2): 457-470.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-021-0878-9
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2021/V15/I2/457

Fig.1 Late Paleozoic stratigraphy and distribution of source rocks and the H₈ Member reservoir in the Ordos Basin (GR= Gamma Ray; Rt= Resistivity).

Fig.2 Distribution of tight gas effective reservoirs in a densely drilled area of Su 6 (see Fig. 1 for location).

Tab.1 Interference well test data for the S36-2-21 well block

Fig.3 Well location of interference tests conducted in well block Su 36 (see Fig. 1 for location).

Fig.4 Schematic cross-section of the results of the interference test.

Fig.5 Schematic cross-section showing the results of static pressure testing.

Fig.6 Planar distribution of different types of effective reservoirs in the single layer H_8x^1–3 of the S36-2-21 well block.

Fig.7 Effective reservoir length and width in the Sulige gas field. (a) Distribution frequency of the effective reservoir length; (b) distribution frequency of the effective reservoir width.

Tab.2 Properties of type I, II, and III effective reservoirs

Fig.8 Sedimentary system boundaries in the Sulige gas field.

Fig.9 Distribution of interbeds and effective sand bodies in the Su 36 area.

Fig.10 Variations in gas saturation with gas source pressure for different types of reservoir filling experiments.

Fig.11 Relationship between reservoir physical properties and gas-bearing properties.

Fig.12 Gas–water interface heights in different types of effective reservoirs.

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