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The Shunnan area is a newly discovered hydrocarbon field in Shuntuoguole lower uplift, in which the host rocks are Lower–Middle Ordovician carbonates. The carbonate reservoirs are well affected by hydrothermal silicification with well‐preserved intercrystalline pore of replacement quartz and megaquartz cements. Based on the petrography, pore types, and diagenetic processes, this research evaluated the reservoir quality and re‐constructed the porosity evolution in different diagenetic stages. Samples are collected from 7‐cored wells distributed along NNE‐ or ENE‐trending sinistral strike‐slip faults. Nine types of lithofacies were identified in the study area, including mudstone, bioclast wackestone, peloidal bioclast packstone, boundstone, peloidal grainstone, ooid grainstone, slightly silicified limestone (silica less than 25%), strongly silicified limestone (silica around 50%), and chert. Chert has better porosity (average 21.3%) and permeability (average 44.7 mD) than other lithofacies. The main reservoir pores are mainly developed in forms of fractures, intercrystalline replacement quartz and dissolved vugs. The porosity evolution shows that the primary porosity was limited due to cementation and compaction, and the earlier secondary porosity was occlusive as a result of coarse calcite cementation. Therefore, the precursor limestones may be tight, and the reservoir quality of the Lower–Middle Ordovician carbonates was controlled by hydrothermal silicification. During the hydrothermal silicification event, the burial depth of the Lower–Middle Ordovician carbonates was more than 3,000 m and their stratum temperature was higher than 120°C, representing a deep burial condition. The statistical data of porosity‐depth/temperature trends for carbonates suggest that the early secondary pores would be significantly reduced when the burial temperature reaches 100°C (or depth of strata reaches 3,000 m). Therefore, the dissolved vugs in strongly silicified limestone or hydrothermal chert are caused by hydrothermal silicification and not inherited from precursor carbonate rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gucheng area, located in the east of the Tarim Basin, is one of the important gas exploration targets, and the Upper Cambrian dolostone is the main pay layer. The dolostone is considered to be altered by hydrothermal fluids, but the hydrothermal altering degrees are still unclear. In this study we report the petrography and in situ trace elemental data, and try to discuss the hydrothermal fluids and their impact on the Upper Cambrian dolostones. Based on the petrography and CL properties, five types of dolomites are identified. MD1 and MD2 are the matrix dolomites. The crystal size of MD1 range from approximately 30 to 100 μm, while the MD2 is larger than 200 μm. Cement dolomite (CD) occurring only in vugs and fractures is subdivided into three types depending on the CL properties. CD‐zone1 is the core of CD with dull CL colours. CD‐zone2 comprises a bright red CL colour zone and a dull CL colour zone, and CD‐zone3 is the rim of CD dolomite with bright red CL colours. MD2 and CD‐zone1 show light rare earth elements (LREE) depletion, middle rare earth elements (MREE) enrichment and negative Eu anomalies. The REEY patterns of CD‐zone3 dolomite are marked by LREE enrichment and positive Eu anomalies. CD‐zone2 is the transitional mineral phase that shows slightly LREE depletion and negative Eu anomalies. The REEY patterns of CD‐zone1 suggest that CD‐zone1 is likely formed by local redistribution of older dolomites in a closed system. The REEY patterns of CD‐zone3 may indicate a magmatic associated hydrothermal fluid. Based on the petrography and in situ trace elemental data, the Permian magmatic fluid, which is recorded in CD‐zone2 and CD‐zone3 dolomites, may be only limited within fractures, while unlikely significantly altered the matrix dolomite in the Upper Cambrian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of deeply buried hydrocarbon is still a challenge for the petroleum geology. The Shunbei area is a newly discovered oil fields, located in the center of the Tarim Basin. The oil is mainly yielded from the Middle–Lower Ordovician carbonate reservoirs with depth > 7000 m in the Shunbei No. 1 and No. 5 fault zones. Calcite cements filled in vugs (v-calcite) and fractures (f-calcite) are identified in limestones and dolostones of the carbonate reservoirs. F-calcites in the Shunbei No. 1 fault zone trap secondary inclusions in trails, which comprise liquid-dominated biphase aqueous inclusions, liquid-dominated biphase oil inclusions, and/or oil-bearing triphase inclusions. F-calcite and v-calcite in the No. 5 fault zone trap secondary inclusions in trails, which consist of liquid-only monophase aqueous inclusions, liquid-dominated biphase aqueous inclusions, liquid-dominated biphase oil inclusions, liquid-only monophase oil inclusions, and/or oil-bearing triphase inclusions. The ranges of the homogenization temperature ( T h ) and ice-melting temperature ( T m − ice ) in the Shunbei No. 1 fault zone are, respectively, 130–150°C and -2.1–-1.5°C. The coexistence of liquid-only and liquid-dominated aqueous inclusions in the Shunbei No. 5 fault zone indicates that the aqueous inclusions are trapped at low temperatures. The aqueous inclusions in the Shunbei No. 5 fault zone show a range from -0.4 to -0.2°C in T m − ice which is very close to the meteoric fluid. In the context of the burial-thermal history and the Cambrian source rock evolution, the charging process of hydrocarbon in the Shunbei No. 1 and No. 5 fault zones corresponds to the Silurian and Middle Ordovician, respectively. Results of fluid inclusions indicate a tightly coupling relationship between the hydrocarbon charging process and fault system evolution in the Shunbei area. This study reveals the application of fluid inclusion under the systemically petrographic constraints to decipher the charging history of hydrocarbon, especially for the deeply buried reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]