Guisong He’s research while affiliated with Gujarat Institute of Development Research and other places

Normal-pressure shale gas reservoirs are widely distributed in south-eastern Chongqing and show good potential for resource exploration. This paper reports the organic matter (OM), physical, and pore characteristics, mineral composition, and gas content of representative shale samples from the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation and Member 1 of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation (Long 1 Member). Microscopic pores within different shale layers of the Long 1 Member were classified, quantitatively evaluated, and their development mechanisms were systematically studied. We found that OM characteristics, mineral composition, and pore type were the main factors affecting the enrichment and preservation of shale gas. The characteristics of the Long 1 Member are mainly controlled by changes in the sedimentary environment. There are evident differences in total organic carbon content and mineral composition vertically, leading to a variable distribution of pores across different layers. Organic matter abundance controls the degree of OM pore development, while clay minerals abundance control the development of clay mineral-related pores. Total organic carbon content generally controls the porosity of the Long 1 Member, but clay minerals also play a role in OM-poor layers. Pore connectivity and permeability are influenced by the development of pores associated with brittle minerals. We propose a microscopic pore development model for the different layers. Combining geochemical data and this pore development model, layers 1–4 are considered to be excellent shale gas preservation and enrichment reservoirs. Poor preservation conditions in layers 5–7 result in high levels of shale gas escape. Layers 8–9 possess a better sealing condition compared with layers 5`-7 and are conducive to the enrichment and preservation of shale gas, and can thus be used as future potential target strata. This research provides a theoretical basis for exploring and evaluating shale gas potential in the studied region or other complex normal-pressure shale blocks.

The in-situ stress and formation pressure are important parameters in shale gas development. They directly affect the well wall stability, the direction of horizontal well drilling, and the fracturing effect during the shale gas development process. There are abundant shale gas resources in the southeastern Chongqing-Sichuan area, but the structure in the area is complex, and it is difficult to predict the in-situ stress and formation pressure. Therefore, in this paper, a finite element simulation model was established based on a large number of seismic, logging, and experimental rock mechanics data and the prediction accuracy of the stress field simulation was effectively improved. The construction of the stress field was based on the combined spring model, as well as the data related to the measured in-situ stress and the formation pressure obtained during drilling. The coupling relationship between the in-situ stress, the formation strain, and the formation pressure were derived to carry out the prediction of the distributions of the formation pressure and the formation pressure coefficient. The prediction results showed that the present-day maximum principal stress direction in the study area was about NE65°–110°, and the present-day maximum principal stress was 56.12–93.79 MPa. The present-day minimum principal stress direction was about NE335°–20°, and the present-day minimum principal stress was 48.06–71.67 MPa. The formation pressure was 2.8–88.25 MPa, and the formation pressure coefficient was 0.74–1.55. The formation pressure distribution was greatly affected by fault, tectonic location, in-situ stress and rock petrophysical properties, and the overpressure areas of the formation were distributed in the synclines and the deeply buried areas. This study shows that the finite element based formation pressure prediction method is effective.

Shale is a low-porosity and low-permeability reservoir, and structural fractures are the main controlling factor for the migration and accumulation of shale gas. Moreover, tectonic fractures are controlled by the paleo-tectonic stress field. In this paper, taking the Longmaxi Formation of the Lintanchang area as an example, the finite element numerical simulation technology is used to analyze the distribution law of the paleo-tectonic stress field, and further, the fracture development areas under the superposition of two periods of tectonic stress are predicted using seismic, rock mechanics, and field data. The results show that the tectonic fractures developed in the Lintanchang area are mainly EW- and NNW-striking conjugate shear fractures formed in the Mid-Yanshanian period, followed by the NWW- and SWW-striking conjugate shear fractures formed in the late Yanshanian period. The distribution of tectonic fractures is affected by faults, folds, rock physical parameters and tectonic stresses. It is found that the comprehensive fracture coefficients of the anticline core and fault areas are both greater than 1.1, which are the areas with the most developed structural fractures, and these areas have poor shale gas preservation conditions. However, the comprehensive fracture coefficients of the western flanks of the anticline and the eastern and western dipping ends are between 1.0 and 1.1, which are areas with better shale gas preservation conditions. In addition, the development degree of tectonic fractures in the east and northwest areas of the Lintanchang anticline is lower than that in other areas. The comprehensive fracture coefficients of shale in these areas are between 0.9 and 1.0. The shale is in a state of “breaking without cracking”, and shale gas can be well preserved.

The shale gas accumulation conditions in the basin-margin transition zone of southeastern Chongqing in SW China are complex. In order to improve single-well productivity in this area, the geologic characteristics, major factors controlling the occurrence of sweet spots, and drilling/fracturing optimization were investigated in this study. The sweet spot evaluation system and criteria were established, and the horizontal-well-design technology was developed. The following three conclusions were drawn. First, the accumulation and high-productivity-oriented approaches for sweet spot evaluation are proposed and the criteria are established based on screened key indicators. Second, the horizontal well was designed based on: (1) the “six-map” method, to identify both the geology and engineering sweet spots for well locations; and (2)seismic attributes, to predict the development of fractures and cavities, and thus, avoid mud loss and improve the drilling efficiency. The target window, well-azimuth optimization, and the curvature were forecasted to improve the fracturing performances. Third, the Pingqiao anticline, Dongsheng anticline, Jinfo slope, and Wulong syncline were selected as Type I sweet spots. Currently, shale gas has been successfully discovered in the basin-margin transition zone and is being commercially developed.

At present, researches on the pore evolution of shale reservoir and its evolution mechanism are still at such a groping stage that a consensus has not yet reached. Based on core analysis and thermal simulation experiments, the pore types, pore structures and pore-size change rules of shale gas reservoirs of Upper Ordovician Wufeng–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Fms in the southeastern (SE) Sichuan Basin and its basin-margin transition zone (hereinafter referred to as the basin-margin transition zone of SE Chongqing) were studied by means of argon ion polishing–scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy. Then, the evolution characteristics of organic pores were discussed, and the influence of associated minerals on pore evolution was analyzed. Finally, a pore evolution model for the shale gas reservoirs in this area was established. And the following research results were obtained. First, three types of reservoir spaces are mainly developed in the high-quality shale reservoirs of Wufeng–Longmaxi Fms in this area, including fracture, inorganic pore and organic pore. And the organic pores provide the primary reservoir space of shale gas, which can be divided into four categories, i.e., amorphous kerogen pores, structured kerogen pores, asphaltene pores and paleontology fossil pores. Second, organic contracted fractures are related to the contraction of organic matters, first appearing on one side of the organic matters and then becomes wider and wider with the increase of temperatures. Third, organic pores are mostly the “spongy” pores distributed densely inside the organic matters. When Ro is in the range of 1.56–3.50%, macropores and mesopores are dominant. And when Ro exceeds 3.50%, macropores decrease while mesopores and micropores increase. Fourth, the types of organic matters and the content of associated minerals (e.g. clay minerals, siliceous particles and pyrite) play an important role in the development of pores. In conclusion, the pore evolution law of Wufeng–Longmaxi shale in the basin-margin transition zone of SE Chongqing is that with the increase of burial depth, inorganic porosity decreases significantly, organic porosity increases first and then decreases, and the total porosity shows a change trend of decreasing first, then increasing and finally decreasing continuously. Keywords: SE sichuan basin, Basin-margin transition zone, Late Ordovician–Early silurian, Shale gas, Reservoir, Organic pore, Inorganic pore, Pore evolution model

The southeastern Sichuan Basin and its basin-margin transition zone (hereinafter referred to as “the basin-margin transition zone of SE Chongqing”) is the focus of normal-pressure shale gas exploration in China. In order to summarize the geological characteristics and enrichment laws of shale gas in the basin-margin transition zone of SE Chongqing, we analyzed the geological characteristics of shale gas reservoirs in the Nanchuan–Wulong area of this transition zone from the aspects of sedimentary formation, tectonic reworking and production characteristics by using geophysical, drilling, logging and testing data, and then we compared it with the overpressure shale gas reservoirs in the Jiaoshiba Block. Finally, we explored the main factors controlling the enrichment & high yields of normal-pressure shale gas in this transition zone and their hydrocarbon accumulation patterns. And the following research results were obtained. (1) Different from the over-pressure shale gas reservoirs in Jiaoshiba Block, the normal-pressure shale gas reservoirs in this transition zone are characterized by lower organic porosities, more developed micro-fractures, higher ratios of adsorbed gas, greater differences of stresses in two directions, lower geothermal gradients, lower formation pressure coefficients, higher initial fluid production rates and higher fluid flowback rates. (2) The enrichment & high yields of normal-pressure shale gas in this area is mainly controlled by three factors, i.e., carbon-rich, silicate-rich and graptolite-rich shale, organic pores, and tectonic stress field, among which, the first factor controlled by deepwater continental shelf facies is the basis of shale gas enrichment, the second is the main controlling factor of shale gas enrichment, and the third is the key factor of high-yield shale gas. (3) The hydrocarbon accumulation patterns of normal-pressure shale gas reservoirs in the transition zone can be divided into four types, including the anticline type, the syncline type, the slope type and the reverse fault type. And the enrichment & high-yield characteristics of shale gas in different hydrocarbon accumulation patterns are also clarified. In conclusion, the research results enrich the geological theory of enrichment & high-yield laws of normal-pressure shale gas and provide a support for the exploration and development of normal-pressure shale gas in complex structures. Keywords: SE Sichuan basin, Transition zone at the basin margin, Late ordovician–early silurian, Normal-pressure shale gas, Main factors controlling high yield, Tectonic stress field, Gas accumulation