Rukai Zhu

Formation mechanism, geological characteristics and development strategy of nonmarine shale oil in China

Abstract As an important type of “conventional–unconventional orderly accumulation”, shale oil is mature oil stored in organic-rich shales with nano-scale pores. This paper analyzes and summarizes elementary petroleum geological issues concerning continental shale oil in China, including sedimentary environment, reservoir space, geochemical features and accumulation mechanism. Mainly deposited in semi-deep to deep lake environment, shale rich in organic matter usually coexists with other lithologies in laminated texture, and micron to nano-scale pores and microfractures serve as primary reservoir space. Favorable shale mainly has type I and II A kerogens with a R o of 0.7%–2.0%, TOC more than 2.0%, and effective thickness of over 10 m. The evolution of shale pores and retained accumulation pattern of shale oil are figured out. Reservoir space, brittleness, viscosity, pressure, retained quantity are key parameters in the “core” area evaluation of shale oil. Continuously accumulated in the center of lake basins, continental shale oil resources in China are about 30×10 8 –60×10 8 t by preliminary prediction. Volume fracturing in horizontal wells, reformation of natural fractures, and man-made reservoir by injecting coarse grains are some of the key technologies for shale oil production. A three step development road for shale oil is put forward, speeding up study on “shale oil prospective area”, stepping up selection of “core areas”, and expanding “test areas”. By learning from marine shale breakthroughs in North America, continental shale oil industrialization is likely to kick off in China.

Nano-hydrocarbon and the accumulation in coexisting source and reservoir

Abstract By comparison of the types, geological characteristics and exploration technologies of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon, this paper proposes the concept of “nano-hydrocarbon” and regard nano-hydrocarbon as the development direction of oil and gas industry in the future. Nano-hydrocarbon refers to the research and production, by nano-technology, of oil and gas accumulated in the reservoir system of nano-sized pore-throats. It is mainly distributed in source rocks and the neighbouring tight reservoirs and includes shale oil, shale gas, coal-bed methane, tight sandstone oil and gas, tight limestone oil and so on, with nano-sized diameter of pore-throats in reservoirs. Oil, gas and water in nano-sized pore-throats exhibit poor percolation and phase separation, and are mainly driven by ultra-pressure, thus existing pervasively and continuously in the coexisting tight source and reservoir rocks. Chinas petroliferous basins develop multiple series such as coexisting tight source and reservoir, carbonate fractures and cavities, volcanic fractures and cavities, and metamorphic rock fractures. Among the series, the first type is located in the center or on the slopes of the basins, where nano-hydrocarbons are accumulated extensively within or near sources and are dominant potential sources. With accumulations within coexisting source and reservoir in the Ordos Basin and Sichuan Basin as examples, the method of “two lines and one area” to prospect continuous-type hydrocarbon accumulation is proposed, i.e. the top and bottom boundaries of a set of coexisting source and reservoir and the boundaries of hydrocarbon accumulation as lines, and “sweet spot” distributing core area as the main exploration target.

Concepts, characteristics, potential and technology of unconventional hydrocarbons: On unconventional petroleum geology

Abstract Petroleum geology is evolving into two branches, conventional petroleum geology and unconventional petroleum geology, with the latter becoming a new theoretical frontier in the petroleum industry. The core of conventional hydrocarbon geological study is based on identifying the match between source rock, reservoir, caprock, migration, trap, preservation and timing; the core of unconventional hydrocarbon geological study evaluates if the oil and gas is part of a continuous accumulation, where stress is placed on the evaluation of “lithology, physical properties, brittleness, oiliness, source rock features, stress anisotropy” and their configuration. The oil and gas accumulation mode and theoretical formula at various low limits of pore throat diameter have been established, as well as the “L” type production curve. Theoretical production prediction models for unconventional oil and gas, and formation mechanism and development patterns for unconventional oil and gas are being revealed. The connotation, characteristics, potential and technology for unconventional oil and gas have been observed, and two key marks to identify unconventional hydrocarbon have been put forward: (1) continuous distribution of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs over a large area, with no obvious trap boundary; and (2) no natural stable industrial production, and no obvious Darcy flow. Systematic research shows that the proportion of global unconventional to conventional hydrocarbon resources is 8:2, in which the unconventional oil is almost equal to conventional oil, and the unconventional gas is about 8 times that of conventional gas. In China, unconventional oil resources are about 240×108 t and unconventional gas resources are about 100×1012 m3. In recent years the development of tight gas and tight oil should be strengthened to realize industrial reserves and increase production. Construction of shale gas pilot plants and shale oil research should be strengthened. Unconventional oil and gas industrial systems and research should be set up, including unconventional hydrocarbon geology, fine particle sedimentology, unconventional reservoir geology, seismic reservoir prediction, massive fracturing of horizontal wells, “factory-like” operation, low cost management and subsidy policy and personnel training.

Formation and distribution of volcanic hydrocarbon reservoirs in sedimentary basins of China

Abstract Volcanic hydrocarbon exploration in China has experienced three phases: accidental discovery, local prospecting, and all-round exploration. There are mainly Carboniferous-Permian, Jurassic-Cretaceous, Paleogene-Neogene volcanic rocks and lava, pyroclastics, and karst reservoirs in the oil- and gas-bearing basins in China. Volcanic rocks cannot generate organic hydrocarbons, and the combination of volcanic rocks, source rocks, and seals are the key controlling factor of the primary lava plays. The near-source play is most favorable for hydrocarbon accumulation. Distribution of oil and gas is controlled predominantly by the hydrocarbon generating center. The play requires communication with faults or unconformities. Near-source plays are in the faulted basins in eastern China. Structural-lithologic hydrocarbon reservoirs are formed in the higher place of faults and lithologic hydrocarbon reservoirs are formed on the slope. Two types of plays are developed in central and western China. The near-source play is most favorable for the formation of large stratigraphic hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Conventional and unconventional petroleum “orderly accumulation”: Concept and practical significance

Abstract Based on the latest global conventional-unconventional petroleum development situation and the conclusion of petroleum geology theory and technology innovation in recent 10 years, the connotation of conventional and unconventional petroleum “orderly accumulation” connotation is formulated. This concept indicates that, unconventional petroleum occurs in the hydrocarbon supply direction of conventional petroleum, and conventional petroleum may appear in the outer space of unconventional petroleum. Proper evaluation methods and engineering technology are important to push the conventional-unconventional petroleum co-development, and the petroleum finding thought from outer-source into inner-source. Unconventional petroleum evaluation focuses on source rocks characteristics, lithology, physical property, brittleness, oil-gas possibility and stress anisotropy. Taking shale gas for examples, in China, these six properties are TOC >2%, laminated silicious calcareous shale or calcareous silicious shale, porosity 3%-8%, brittle minerals content 50%-80%, gas content 2.3-4.1 m 3 /t, pressure coefficient 1.0-2.3, natural fractures; in north America, these six properties are TOC >4%, silicious shale or calcareous shale or marl, porosity 4%-9%, brittle minerals content 40%-70%, gas content 2.8-9.9 m 3 /t, pressure coefficient 1.3-1.85, natural fractures. “Sweet spot area” assessment, “factory-like” operation pattern and other core evaluation methods and technologies are discussed. And 8 key elements of unconventional “sweet spot area” are proposed, 3 of them are TOC >2% (for shale oil S 1 >2 mg/g), higher porosity (for tight oil & gas >10%, shale oil & gas >3%), and microfractures. Multiple wells “factory-like” operation pattern is elaborated, and its implementation needs 4 elements, i.e. batch well spacing, standard design, flow process, and reutilization. Through horizontal well volume fractures in directions, “man-made reservoirs” with large-scale fracture systems can be formed underground. For “shale oil revolution” in future, non-water “gas in critical state” and etc. fracturing fluid and matching technology should be stressed to be industrially tested and encouraged to be low cost developed.

Multi-scale method of Nano(Micro)-CT study on microscopic pore structure of tight sandstone of Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin

Abstract Multi-scale (nano-to-micro) three-dimensional CT imaging was used to characterize the distribution and texture of micro-scale pore throats in tight sandstone reservoirs of the Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin. First, the low-resolution Micro-CT was used to reflect the micro-pore texture of the core column with a diameter of 2.54 cm. Then, some samples with a diameter of 65 μm was derived from different areas according the different characteristics of micro-pore texture of the core scanned by low-resolution Micro-CT and scanned by high-resolution Nano-CT. Thus, a three-dimensional texture model of nano-scale micro-pores was reestablished and the permebility and porosity data of the sample could be obtained. On a micrometer scale, the size of the micro-pores varies, and their diameters range from 5.4 to 26.0 μm. The micro-pores are isolated, locally in the shape of a band. On a nanometer scale, the quantity of nanoscale micropores increases, the diameter of which ranges from 0.4 to 1.5 μm. The pore throats are arranged in the shape of tube and ball inside or on the surface of mineral particles(crystals). The ball-shaped micropores in nanoscale, often isolated in the three-dimensional space, show the poor connectivity and consequently act as the reservoir space. By contrast, the tube-shaped micropores in nanoscale show certain connectivity with micro-scale tube-shaped micropores and adjacent isolated ball-shaped micropores in nanoscale. Therefore, these tube-shaped micropores in nanoscale serve as throats and pores. Based on the calcution, the permeability of the samples is 0.843×10 −3 μm 2 and porosity is 10%.

Guidelines for seismic sedimentologic study in non-marine postrift basins

Abstract This study summarizes the research experiences of non-marine seismic sedimentology in recent years in China and uses Qijia area, Songliao Basin, as a template to establish general guidelines for seismic sedimentology. Basic data sets include stacked 3D seismic volumes, 2D regional seismic lines, data for regional geologic settings, and well data. The workflow emphasizes the integration of seismic and geologic interpretations and balanced use of seismic sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and seismic stratigraphy. Basic steps include well-to-seismic tie for the establishment of sequence framework, wavelet-phase adjustment, picking of geologic-time parallel seismic events, seismic resolution analysis, petrophysical analysis, selection of seismic attributes, stratal slicing, seismic depositional facies analysis, and applications to exploration and development. Expected maps range from key interpreted well-seismic sections, flattened relative geologic-time sections, stratal slices, and depositional facies maps, etc. The workflow is applied in the study of the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation in the Qijia area, Songliao Basin, which can be used as a reference for seismic sedimentologic study in non-marine basins, especially in postrift depression-type basins in China.

Formation, distribution and potential of deep hydrocarbon resources in China

Abstract The onshore exploration realm has been continuously expanded to (ultra-) deep oil and gas recently in China. New comprehension and significant breakthroughs have been made in understanding generation and preservation conditions, reservoirs formation mechanisms, exploration potential, petroleum resources assessments, and exploration engineering technology of deep oil and gas. Deep oil and gas reservoirs include clastic, carbonate and volcanic settings. The temperature of deep oil can be up to 295 °C. Long term shallow burial and rapid deep burial at late stages help preserve the porosity in deep clastic rocks, and dissolution and fracturing effects improve their reservoir properties. Affected by faulting, hydrothermal karst processes, dolomitization and early oil and gas injection, carbonate rocks have good reservoir properties even at depths of 8 000 m. Controlled by tectonism, volcanism, diagenesis and diagenetic reconstruction during supergene and burial stages, primary and secondary weathering types of reservoirs develop deep volcanic reservoirs. Deep oil and gas resources in China are distributed mainly within three main practical areas of carbonate, clastic and volcanic areas. Dominated by gas, some of the more productive areas include the Tarim, Ordos, Sichuan, Junggar, Songliao, Santanghu and Bohai Bay basins. Deep oil and gas exploration in China has entered an age of breakthrough and discovery. Relevant engineering technology, such as ultra deep well drilling and ultra high temperature drilling fluid techniques have facilitated the ability to find (ultra-) deep oil and gas.

Hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism and structure of large-scale volcanic weathering crust of the Carboniferous in northern Xinjiang, China

The Upper Carboniferous in northern Xinjiang, China was formed in a post-collisional depression and collapsed structural setting. Within the Upper Carboniferous, volcanic rocks and source rocks alternate over a wide region. At the end of the Carboniferous, these layers were uplifted by plate collisions and subsequently weathered and leached. Volcanic weathering and leaching led to the establishment of weathered crusts that can be divided into five layers. Corrosion and crumble zones in these layers form favorable reservoirs. Volcanic weathering crust formed in sub-aerially exposed paleogeomorphic areas; the five relatively continuous layers are generally preserved in paleogeomorphic lowland and slope regions, but the upper soil layer is usually absent in structurally higher parts of the rock record. The thickness of the weathered layer has a positive nonlinear exponential relationship to the duration of weathering and leaching, and the dynamic equilibrium time of weathered crust is about 36.3 Ma. The thickest weathered layer (∼450 m) is located in fracture zones. Weathered crusts are possible from a range of volcanic rocks with different lithologies, given sufficient time for weathering and leaching. The combination of volcanic weathered crust and source rocks results in three types of hydrocarbon accumulation models: (1) sequences of volcanic weathered crust interbedded with source rocks, (2) a quasi-layered weathered volcanic core located above source rocks, and (3) volcanic rocks associated with pectinate unconformities adjacent to source rocks. Each of these three types has the potential to form a giant stratigraphic reservoir of volcanic weathered crust. This knowledge has changed the traditional exploration model of searching for favorable lithologic and lithofacies zones in volcanic rocks, and has changed the viewpoint that the Carboniferous does not have the genetic potential to be the basement of the basin in northern Xinjiang. The concepts developed here are of great scientific significance and application for focusing oil and gas exploration on volcanic weathered crust. As such, the Paleozoic volcanic weathered crust in the midwestern part of China may possibly contain large-scale stratigraphic reservoirs and thus could be a new oil and gas exploration target in the future.

Development of petroleum geology in China: Discussion on continuous petroleum accumulation

Petroleum exploration targets are extending gradually from the single conventional trap reservoirs to the large-scale unconventional continuous accumulations. Oil and gas reservoirs have been divided into two types based on the trapping mechanism and distribution of oil and gas: conventional single-trap reservoirs, such as the Daqing oil field in Songliao Basin and the Kela-2 gas field in Tarim Basin; and unconventional continuous petroleum accumulation, such as Upper Paleozoic tight gas and Mesozoic tight oil in Ordos Basin, and Upper Triassic tight gas in Sichuan Basin. Two typical geologic characteristics of continuous petroleum accumulation involve: (1) coexisting source and reservoir, petroleum pervasive throughout a large area tight reservoirs, and no obvious traps or well-defined water-oil and gas contracts; (2) non-buoyancy accumulation, continuous petroleum charge, and no significant influence by buoyancy. Continuous petroleum accumulation generally have nm-scale pore throats, and the diameters range of 10-500 nm. The geometry and connectivity of these pore throats has significant impact on the migration and distribution of oil and gas in continuous petroleum accumulation. China has numerous continuous petroleum accumulation containing various petroleum deposits, and the exploration of continuous resources is very promising. Unconventional petroleum geology will become an important new subject in petroleum geology in future, and the nano-technology will function greatly on research, exploration and development of the hydrocarbon accumulation in nanopore-throats.