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Geoscience ›› 2021, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (04): 1054-1064.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2021.04.30

• Oil and Gas Exploration and Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Cutoff of Free Gas and Porosity in Shale Gas Industrial Production Area of Longmaxi Formation in Southern Sichuan Basin

RAO Quan1(), KANG Yongshang1,2(), HUANG Yi3, ZHAO Qun4, WANG Hongyan4   

  1. 1. College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum,Beijing 102249, China
    3. Southwest Branch, CNPC Logging Company Limited, Chongqing 400021, China
    4. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2020-05-05 Revised:2020-07-15 Online:2021-08-10 Published:2021-09-08
  • Contact: KANG Yongshang

Abstract:

As an important form of shale gas, free gas determines the development potential and economic benefit of shale gas. Taking the Longmaxi Formation shale in southern Sichuan Basin as an example, and combining with X-ray diffraction (XRD), rock organic carbon, reservoir physical property, log interpretation and production test, we compared and correlated between free gas content and test daily gas production in Sichuan Basin and its periphery. We proposed the free gas content cutoff in industrial production area, and discussed the major controlling factors of shale free gas content from the aspects of hydrocarbon source, reservoir and preservation. Porosity cutoff was also discussed accordingly. The results show that it is easier to obtain industrial gas flow when the shale free gas content is above 2.5 m3/t. Free gas content of the Longmaxi Formation shale in southern Sichuan Basin is clearly positively correlated with TOC, porosity, siliceous mineral content, formation pressure coefficient, and fracture development, but negatively correlated with water saturation and carbonate mineral content. Fracture development, water saturation, siliceous minerals and carbonate can indirectly affect free gas content by correlating porosity, which are unlikely to be its major controlling factors. Major controlling factors of free gas content are TOC, porosity and formation pressure coefficient. The Monte Carlo simulation of free gas content indicates over 50% probability for 2.5 m3/t above free gas content when the shale porosity is > 4%. It is recommended to set porosity cutoff at 4% in shale gas industrial production area selection to control geological risk. Shale gas content should be evaluated systematically from three important aspects (i.e.TOC, porosity and formation pressure coefficient) with focus on free gas evaluation.

Key words: shale gas, Longmaxi Formation, free gas, major controlling factor, TOC, porosity, formation pressure gradient

CLC Number: