Spatial-temporal coupling between high-quality source rocks and reservoirs for tight sandstone oil and gas accumulations in the Songliao Basin, China

Abstract

Abstract The spatial-temporal relationship between high-quality source rocks and reservoirs is a key factor when evaluating the formation, occurrence, and prospectivity of tight oil and gas reservoirs. In this study, we analyze the fundamental oil and gas accumulation processes occurring in the Songliao Basin, contrasting tight oil sand reservoirs in the south with tight gas sand reservoirs in the north. This is done using geochemical data, constant-rate and conventional mercury injection experiments, and fluid inclusion analyses. Our results demonstrate that as far as fluid mobility is concerned, the expulsion center coincides with the overpressure zone, and its boundary limits the occurrence of tight oil and gas accumulations. In addition, the lower permeability limit of high-quality reservoirs, controlled by pore-throat structures, is 0.1\u202f×\u202f10−3 μm2 in the fourth member of the Lower Cretaceous Quantou Formation (K1q4) in the southern Songliao Basin, and 0.05\u202f×\u202f10−3 μm2 in the Lower Cretaceous Shahezi Formation (K1sh) in the northern Songliao Basin. Furthermore, the results indicate that the formation of tight oil and gas reservoirs requires the densification of reservoirs prior to the main phase of hydrocarbon expulsion from the source rocks. Reservoir “sweet spots” develop at the intersection of high-quality source rocks (with high pore pressure) and reservoirs (with high permeability).