Chenchen Zhang

Shale gas in China: Characteristics, challenges and prospects (II)

Abstract This paper mainly discusses the industrialization progress, “sweet spot” evaluation criterion, E&P technologies, success experiences, challenges and prospects of Chinas shale gas. Based on the geologic and engineering parameters of the Fuling, Changning and Weiyuan shale gas fields in the Sichuan Basin, this paper points out that Chinas shale gas has its particularity. The discoveries of super-giant marine shale gas fields with high evolution degree (R o =2.0%−3.5%) and ultrahigh pressure (pressure coefficient=1.3−2.1) in southern China is of important scientific significance and practical value to ancient marine shale gas exploration and development to China and even the world. Its proposed that shale gas “sweet spots” must be characterized by high gas content, excellent frackability and good economy etc. The key indicators to determine the shale gas enrichment interval and trajectory of horizontal wells include “four highs”, that is high TOC (>3.0%), high porosity (>3.0%), high gas content (>3.0 m 3 /t) and high formation pressure (pressure coefficient>1.3), and “two well-developed” (well-developed beddings and well-developed micro-fractures). Its suggested that horizontal well laneway be designed in the middle of high pressure compartment between the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation and Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation. The mode of forming “artificial shale gas reservoir” by “fracturing micro-reservoir group” is proposed and the mechanisms of “closing-in after fracturing, limiting production through pressure control” are revealed. Several key technologies (such as three-dimensional seismic survey and micro-seismic monitoring of fracturing, horizontal wells, “factory-like” or industrialized production mode, etc.) were formed. Some successful experiences (such as “sweet spot” selection, horizontal well laneway control, horizontal length optimization and “factory-like” production mode, etc.) were obtained. The four main challenges to realize large-scale production of shale gas in China include uncertainty of shale gas resources, breakthroughs in key technologies and equipment of shale gas exploration and development below 3 500 m, lower cost of production, as well as water resources and environment protection. It is predicted that the recoverable resources of the Lower Paleozoic marine shale gas in southern China are approximately 8.8×10 12 m 3 , among which the recoverable resources in the Sichuan Basin are 4.5×10 12 m 3 in the favorable area of 4.0×10 4 km 2 . The productivity of (200−300)×10 8 m 3 /a is predicted to be realized by 2020 when the integrated revolution of “theory, technology, production and cost” is realized in Chinese shale gas exploration and development. It is expected in the future to be built “Southwest Daqing Oilfield (Gas Daqing)” in Sichuan Basin with conventional and unconventional natural gas production.

Geological characteristics of source rock and reservoir of tight oil and its accumulation mechanism: A case study of Permian Lucaogou Formation in Jimusar sag, Junggar Basin

Abstract The source rocks and reservoirs in the Middle Permian Lucaogou Formation of Jimusar sag, Junggar Basin, NW China and its source-reservoir assemblages were studied to reveal accumulation mechanism of the tight oil, on the basis of core observation, thin slice identification, X-ray diffraction analysis, TOC test and rock pyrolysis test of source rock samples, and mercury injection and nuclear magnetic resonance of reservoir samples, combined with burial history and hydrocarbon-generating history of source rocks. It is concluded that the Lucaogou Formation source rocks mainly have type I and II organic matter, with an average TOC of 4.6%, indicating they are high-quality source rocks in low mature – mature stage; and they can be divided into three types, shale, mudstone and silty mudstone. The reservoir rock in Lucaogou Formation features low porosity and low permeability; mercury injection and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) tests show that nano-scale pores and throats (with radius of 50−500 nm) constitute the main reservoir space, and the reservoirs can be classified into three types, muddy siltstone, dolomitic siltstone, and dolarenite according to lithology. The source rocks and reservoirs alternate with each other in vertical direction and are distributed continuously in lateral direction, and the source rocks have been generating oil and gas constantly. It is concluded through comprehensive analysis that since the Late Jurassic, the source rocks in Lucaogou Formation have been generating oil continuously and massively, causing high pressurization, and providing constant driving force and oil supply, as a result, the oil has been charged into the tight reservoirs effectively and continuously, forming abundant tight oil resources.

Fracture pore evaluation of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng to Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formations in southern Sichuan Basin, SW China

Abstract The reservoir characteristics of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng-Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formations in southern Sichuan Basin were preliminarily revealed in this study by identifying and quantitatively evaluating the fracture pores of five appraisal wells in the central and northern parts of the southern Sichuan Depression by several methods. Four conclusions were reached as follows: (1) In the central zone of the Depression, the deep reservoir space of the Wufeng-Longmaxi producing pay is composed mainly of matrix pores and the microcracks are not common, whether on the local structural highs, flanks or lows. The physical properties are similar to that of the matrix pores in Changning, Weiyuan and Fuling gas fields. (2) In the northern zone of the Depression, the deep reservoir space of the Wufeng-Longmaxi black shale is composed mainly of matrix pores, and fracture pores mainly occur in local discrete intervals, with a total porosity range from 3.5% to 6.7%, on average 5.3%, and fracture porosity of 0-2.1%, on average 0.3%. (3) In the central and northern parts of the southern Sichuan Depression, the Wufeng-Longmaxi producing pays have undeveloped fracture pores and chiefly extensively distributed matrix pores, indirectly indicating relatively stable tectonic activities and corresponding weaker reservoir reworking there than Fuling field located in eastern Sichuan Basin. (4) The size and distribution of the gypsum-salt layer in the Cambrian are the key controlling factors of fracture pore development in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formations. Therefore, the areas including Wellblocks L7, GS1, eastern Sichuan Basin and western Hubei province, where gypsum-salt layer in the Cambrian is thick and stable, and fracture intervals are likely to occur in the Wufeng-Longmaxi producing pay controlled by decollement structure above salt structure since the Yanshan Movement, are the potential favorable areas for fracture pore development.

Shale Gas in China: Reality and Dream

China extracted shale gas of 23, 500∼24, 600 m3/d from the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Shale Formation in Weiyuan gas field of Sichuan Basin in 1966. This shale interval, however, was considered less prospective because the Sinian Doushantuo Formation dolomite reservoir was defined as the target layer for drilling at that time. Forty years later, this black shale interval became attractive as triggered by the “Shale Gas Evolution” in North America. In 2005, by learning from shale gas mode of the United States, PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development (RIPED) reviewed the existing well data of the region where the Weiyuan and Longchang gas fields and the Changning structure were located within the Southern Sichuan Basin. In order to re-examine the gas shows and geochemical property and to evaluate the gas potential of shale strata within the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation and the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation. On that basis, for the entire Sichuan Basin and adjoining regions, PetroChina has carried out a geologic survey on organic-rich shales, drilled shallow shale gas appraisal wells, evaluated the shale gas resource potential, and defined some favorable targets for shale gas exploration and development by 2008. W201, the first shale gas appraisal well of China, drilled by PetroChina in 2009, initially produced 17, 000 m3/day from the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation shale and 10, 800 m3/day from the Qiongzhusi Formation shale, marking the commencement of shale gas exploration and development activities in China. Thus far, China has received shale gas flow from marine, transitional-limnetic coaly and lacustrine shales in many regions, such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, etc. The commercialization of marine shale gas has been achieved in Sichuan and Chongqing totaling 0.2 billion cubic meters of shale gas production in 2013. Through an overall review on the progress of shale gas exploration and development in China, we concluded that the geological conditions for shale gas in China are extremely complex. First, the most sedimentary basins in China belong to superimposed basins, all of them have experienced the depositional evolution from marine to terrestrial facies, and three types of shales were well developed including marine, transitional, and terrestrial organic-rich shales. Second, the conditions of shale gas formation and accumulation in China are favorable and shale gas resource has a great potential for further development in China. Third, like North America, the marine organic-rich shales of China have the best and most realistic shale gas exploration and development prospects. But it faces technical, environmental, regulatory, infrastructural and other challenges that are likely to delay rapid shale gas development. Fourth, until now, although the exploration and exploitation of shale gas in China are relatively low, very good signs have been emerged to prove that China has good prospects in the future.

Brittleness evaluation of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng–Lower Silurian Longmaxi shale in Southern Sichuan Basin, China

Rock brittleness is now one of the significant parameters for geological evaluation of shale gas reservoirs due to the wide application of hydraulic fracturing in shale gas development. Currently, the evaluation of shale brittleness is generally based on mineral composition or elastic parameters, which both derive from the exploration experiences in North America. Due to the easier access of mineral composition data through x-ray diffraction method than rock mechanical data through array sonic logging method, the mineral-based brittleness indices have stronger practicability. However, there is not a unified definition of brittle minerals yet, which now usually refers to quartz or quartz and carbonate minerals. Considering the specific conditions of Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation in Southern Sichuan Basin; depositional environment of calcareous shelf; and higher content of calcite, dolomite, and pyrite, we redefined brittle minerals according to the elastic parameters of each mineral, taking quartz, dolomite, and pyrite which best satisfy the standard of “Young’s modulus>30 GPa and Poisson’s ratio<0.25” as brittle minerals to establish a new brittleness index, which was proved to be more accurate and applicable than the current mineral-based brittleness indices. Then we applied the new evaluation model to Well W201, and selected “sweet spot” intervals combining with lithology, total organic carbon (TOC), thickness, and other geological parameters. The results showed that the “sweet spot” interval of this well is the black siliceous shale developed in Rhuddanian–middle Aeronian stage with an average brittleness index of 50.66%, TOC of 2.3–6.2%, and total thickness of about 19 m.

Major controlling factors for the high-quality shale of Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation, Sichuan Basin:

Research on major controlling factors of the high-quality shale in Upper Ordovician Wufeng–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation is a major subject. Based on the information of outcrops and drilling data acquired from Southern Sichuan combined with geochemical elemental analysis and biostratigraphy, this paper analyzed the sedimentary characteristics of Wufeng–Longmaxi organic-rich shale in Sichuan Basin, including plate movements, fluctuation of sea level, paleoproductivity, deposition rates, and paleogeographic environment, and revealed the distribution and sedimentary controlling factors of high-quality shale. Four preliminary conclusions were drawn: (1) The collision and joint of Yangtze Plate and its periphery plates, as well as the intraplate deformation, were gentle in early stage, strong in late stage, gentle in northwest, while strong in southeast, thus forming the northwestward migration of sedimentation center in Sichuan Basin, and the evolution of southern Sichuan sea closeness from weak to strong. (2) Sea level changed following the cycle of deep→shallow→deep→shallow at the turn of Ordovician–Silurian. High sea level and stable ocean basin in early stage created extensive anoxic tectonic sedimentary space which was in favor of organic matter preservation. (3) Influenced by tectonic movements and sea closeness, paleoproductivity of Southern Sichuan marine presented the trend of high in early stage and low in late stage, while the deposition rate also changed from slow in the early stage to fast in the late stage. (4) Extensive deposition and distribution of organic-rich silicic shale was mainly controlled by stable sea basin of low deposition rate, relatively high sea level, semienclosed water, and low deposition rate. The research showed that the high-quality shale in Sichuan Basin is characterized by multiphase superimposition, horizontal extension, and northwest renewal of sedimentary age; Wufeng–Rhuddanian is the main depositional period of high-quality shale, Aeronian comes next; the main exploration layers are Wufeng–Rhuddanian in southern–eastern Sichuan depression, Rhuddanian–Aeronian in Weiyuan, and Wufeng–Telychian in central-northern Sichuan.