Differences in shale gas accumulation process and its significance in exploration of Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in northeast Yunnan

doi:10.1007/s11707-021-0913-x

Front. Earth Sci.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (2) : 343-359 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-021-0913-x

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Differences in shale gas accumulation process and its significance in exploration of Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in northeast Yunnan

Shangbin CHEN^1,²(

), Huijun WANG², Yang WANG^1,², Tianguo JIANG³, Yingkun ZHANG², Zhuo GONG²

¹. Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
². School of Resources and Geoscience, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
³. Yunnan Coalbed Methane Resources Exploration and Development Co., Ltd, Kunming 650031, China

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Abstract

The study and exploration practice of shale gas accumulation has focused on the static system comparison, key parameters analysis, reservoir characteristics, enrichment mode etc. However, the research on dynamic recovery from the original hydrocarbon generation of shale gas to the present gas reservoir is still lacking. The burial history of shale gas reservoir can reflect the overall dynamic process of early formation and later transformation of shale gas reservoir. It controls the material basis of shale gas, the quality of reservoir physical properties, preservation conditions, gas content and formation energy, which is the core and foundation of shale gas accumulation process research. Herein, based on the five typical wells data in the Northeast Yunnan, including geochronological data, measured R_o values, core description records, well temperature data, paleoenvironment, paleothermal, etc., the burial history, thermal evolution history and hydrocarbon generation history of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation were systematically restored via back stripping method and EASY%R_o model. The results show that 1) the differences in the burial history of marine shale in Longmaxi Formation can be divided into syncline type and anticline type. 2) The shale gas accumulation process can be divided into four stages, namely the source-reservoir-cap sedimentation period, initial accumulation period, main accumulation period, and adjustment period. 3) Based on the characteristics of burial history and preservation conditions, the areas with wide and gentle anticline, far away from the denudation area, and buried deeply with good fault sealing ability are priority structural locations for the shale gas exploration in northeast Yunnan.

Keywords shale gas accumulation process exploration significance Longmaxi Formation (Fm.) northeast Yunnan

Corresponding Author(s): Shangbin CHEN

Online First Date: 31 August 2021 Issue Date: 26 October 2021

Cite this article:

Shangbin CHEN,Huijun WANG,Yang WANG, et al. Differences in shale gas accumulation process and its significance in exploration of Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in northeast Yunnan[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2021, 15(2): 343-359.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-021-0913-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2021/V15/I2/343

Fig.1 Study area location and structure outline map.

Fig.2 Terrestrial heat flow value of research area (Jiang, 2016).

Tab.1 Boundary conditions of terrestrial heat flow and ancient water depth

Fig.3 Sedimentary facies and paleobathymetry of early Silurian Longmaxi Fm. (Modified from Bai et al. (2019)).

Fig.4 Five typical well simulation results of burial history of (a) XD2; (b) YD2; (c) YD3; (d) ZD1; (e) ZD2.

Fig.5 Maturity evolution simulation curve and maturity calibration map of Longmaxi Fm. of (a) XD2; (b) YD2; (c) YD3; (d) ZD1; (e) ZD2.

Fig.6 Geothermal evolution curve of Longmaxi Fm.

Fig.7 Simulation results of hydrocarbon generation history and division of hydrocarbon generation stages. First line at the bottom of figure is division of hydrocarbon generation stages and second line is period of tectonic movement.

Fig.8 Longmaxi Fm. Link well section in study area of (a) N-S direction continuous well section and (b) E-W direction continuous well section (Part of the data are from reference (Zhang, 2017)).

Fig.9 Schematic diagram of burial history of Sichuan and Dianqiangui type in southern China (Modified from Wo et al. (2007b)). Pie chart shows the % of deposition and denudation time. (a) Sichuan type; (b) Dianqiangui type.

Tab.2 Comparison of similarities and differences between syncline and anticline type affected by tectonic movements

Fig.10 Division of accumulation period.

Fig.11 Comparison of burial history of Longmaxi Fm. with typical drilled wells in Changning and Jiaoshiba areas.

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