Search

[Objective] We attempted to determine the cause of the large difference in paleoenvironment characteristics during the Jurassic Da'anzhai period and the unclear distribution law of the shale source and reservoir in the Sichuan Basin. [Methods] Based on the geological drilling cores and field profiles of the Jurassic Da'anzhai member in the central and eastern Sichuan Basin, combined with elemental geochemical analysis methods, we performed a comparative analysis of the paleo-climate,paleo-redox conditions,and the paleo-salinity in the Da'anzhai period. [Results] The results show that the Da'anzhai member can be divided into shale, shell shale, mudstone, silty mudstone, argillaceous siltstone, shell limestone, and argillaceous shell limestone facies. The paleoenvironment of different sub-members in the Da'anzhai member is different to a certain extent. During the sedimentation period of the Third sub-member, the climate was dry to semi dry, and the water environment was fresh to semi-saline under sub-reducing conditions, located in a shallow to semi-deep lake environment. During the sedimentation of the Second submember, the climate was semi dry to semi humid, with more precipitation and lower temperatures, and the water environment was fresh water with sub-reducing conditions. It was a semi-deep lake environment. During the sedimentation of the First sub-member, the climate was dry to semi-dry, and the water environment was semi-saline to saline under oxidation sub-reduction conditions, located in a shallow lacustrine environment. Wells RA1 and YT1 both exhibited the following conditions: the climate was dry→wet→dry, the precipitation was less→more→less, the temperature was high→low→high, the reducibility of water was weak→strong→weak, and the paleo-salinity was high→low→high. From the sedimentation period of the Third sub-member to the early sedimentation period of the Second sub-member, the lacustrine basin depositional center migrated from the eastern to central Sichuan Basin. The middle sedimentation period of the Second sub-member was a transitional stage during which the migration direction of the lake basin depositional center changed. From the late sedimentation period of the Second sub-member to the sedimentation period of the First sub-member, the lacustrine basin depositional center migrated from the central to eastern Sichuan Basin. The average total organic carbon (TOC) of the Second sub-member is 1.70%, and the average porosity is 4.93%, significantly higher than the First and Third sub-members. The fluorescence display is strong, and it is the main source and reservoir of shale oil in the Da'anzhai section. The paleoenvironmental factors have a significant influence on the source and reservoir configuration. The more humid climate, more precipitation, lower temperature, stronger reducibility and lower salinity are conducive to shale deposition, organic matter enrichment, and pore development. [Conclusions] The study on the paleoenvironment of the Da'anzhai member in the central-eastern Sichuan Basin is important to the regularity of shale deposition, organic matter enrichment, and pore development degree. This research understanding can provide a theoretical basis for shale oil exploration in the Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the episodic alteration of Middle Permian carbonate reservoirs by complex hydrothermal fluid in southwestern Sichuan Basin, petrology, geochemistry, fluid inclusion and U-Pb dating researches are conducted. The fractures and vugs of Middle Permian Qixia-Maokou formations are filled with multi-stage medium-coarse saddle dolomites and associated hydrothermal minerals, which indicates that the early limestone/dolomite episodic alteration was caused by the large-scale, high-temperature, deep magnesium-rich brine along flowing channels such as basement faults or associated fractures under the tectonic compression and napping during the Indosinian. The time of magnesium-rich hydrothermal activity was from the Middle Triassic to the Late Triassic. The siliceous and calcite fillings were triggered by hydrothermal alteration in the Middle and Late Yanshanian Movement and Himalayan Movement. Hydrothermal dolomitization is controlled by fault, hydrothermal property, flowing channel and surrounding rock lithology, which occur as equilibrium effect of porosity and permeability. The thick massive grainstone/dolomites were mainly altered by modification such as hydrothermal dolomitization/recrystallization, brecciation and fracture-vugs filling. Early thin-medium packstones were mainly altered by dissolution and infilling of fracturing, bedding dolomitization, dissolution and associated mineral fillings. The dissolved vugs and fractures are the main reservoir space under hydrothermal conditions, and the connection of dissolved vugs and network fractures is favorable for forming high-quality dolomite reservoir. Hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs are developed within a range of 1 km near faults, with a thickness of 30-60 m. Hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs with local connected pore/vugs and fractures have exploration potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lacustrine shale in the Da'anzhai member of Jurassic in the central Sichuan Basin is a key exploration target for shale oil and gas resources in China in the future. This paper presents a detailed study of shale rock types and component characteristics, shale pore types and structural characteristics, and shale pore evolution characteristics under thermal simulation conditions through experimental analyses such as rock thin section and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observation, conventional physical property test, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, TOC test, liquid nitrogen adsorption (LNA) test, and thermal simulation (pore) experiment. The results show that minerals in the Da'anzhai shale are mainly clay minerals, quartz, and calcite, with a small amount of feldspar, dolomite, and pyrite. In the shale oil reservoirs, there are dominantly inorganic pores (e.g. clay intergranular pores), and relatively few organic pores. The specific surface area ranges from 1.064 m2/g to 9.227 m2/g, with an average of 4.949 m2/g. The pore volume is 0.003–0.016 cm3/g, with an average of 0.010 cm3/g. Mesopores contribute the most to the total pore volume and total specific surface area. With the increase of thermal simulation temperature, the degree of shale thermal evolution increases, and the shale porosity increases, predominantly, owing to the contribution of organic pores. It is concluded that inorganic pores, especially clay intergranular pores, are the dominant pore type in the Da'anzhai shale oil reservoirs, and the evolution degree, burial time and depth of organic matter can obviously improve the organic pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cast thin section observation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high‐pressure mercury injection (HPMI), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to examine the microstructure of tight carbonate reservoirs in the Lower Jurassic Da'anzhai Member, the central Sichuan Basin. The pore space in the Da'anzhai Member is classified into 2 types and 17 subtypes, with nano‐scale pore throats of 'O', 'S', 'Z', and 'I' shapes. Poorly sorted pore throats vary greatly in diameter; thus, it is difficult for fluid flow to pass through these pore throats. There are three classes of pore throats in carbonate reservoirs, i.e. isolated pores, pores coexisting with fractures, and large pores and fractures. Isolated pores may provide some pore space, but the permeability is low. Pores and fractures coexisting in the reservoir may have a great impact on porosity and permeability; they are the major pore space in the reservoir. Large pores and fractures have a great impact on reservoir properties, but they only account for a limited proportion of total pore space. The microstructure of Da'anzhai reservoirs, which dominates fluid mobility, is dependent on sedimentary environment, diagenesis, and tectonic process. Pore structure is related to sedimentary environment. The occurrence of microfractures, which may improve reservoir properties, is dependent on tectonic process. Diageneses are of utmost importance to pore evolution, cementation and growth of minerals have played an important role in destroying reservoir microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigated the characteristics and genesis of reservoirs in the 2nd and 4th members of Sinian Dengying Formation in northern Sichuan and its surrounding areas, on the basis of outcrop, drilling cores and thin section observation and geochemical analysis. The reservoirs of 2nd member are distributed in the middle part of the stratum. The reservoir quality is controlled by supergene karst and the distribution of mound-shoal complex. The bedded elongated isolated algal framework solution-cave and the residual "grape-lace" cave, which are partially filled with multi-stage dolosparite, constituted the main reservoir space of the 2nd member. There is no asphalt distribution in the pores. The pore connectivity is poor, and the porosity and permeability of the reservoir is relatively low. The reservoirs of 4th member were distributed in the upper and top part of the stratum. The reservoir quality is controlled by burial dissolution and the distribution of mound-shoal complex. The bedded algal framework solution-pores or caves, intercrystalline pores and intercrystalline dissolved pores constituted the main reservoir space of the 4th member. It's partially filled with asphalt and quartz, without any dolosparite fillings in the pores and caves. The pore connectivity is good. Most of the 4th member reservoirs had medium-low porosity and low permeability, and, locally, medium-high porosity and medium permeability. Affected by the development of mound-shoal complex and heterogeneous dissolution, the platform margin along Ningqiang, Guangyuan, Jiange and Langzhong is the most favorable region for reservoir development. Deep buried Dengying Formation in the guangyuan and langzhong areas should be the most important hydrocarbon target for the future exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]